Intuitive graphic user interface with universal tools
A graphic user interface (GUI) and method for providing a computer operating environment utilizes a set of universal tools so that an intuitive computer environment. A tool in this universal tool set is a display-and-control graphic element that manages other graphic elements, including other display-and-control graphic elements. The display-and-control graphic elements can be used to create other graphic elements, which are displayed on the display-and-control graphic elements. However, these created graphic elements exist on a global drawing surface. Thus, the graphic elements can interact with any other graphic element, including graphic elements on the global drawing surface, on other display-and-control graphic elements and/or on the same display-and-control graphic element. Another tool in the universal tool set is an information display-and-control graphic element. These graphic elements can be used to modify the appearance or a functionality of an associated graphic element, as well as other operations.
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6 . A graphic user interface for an electronic device with a display comprising:
a global drawing surface on which different graphic elements can be created, said different graphic element existing on said global drawing surface; and
a display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface having a local drawing surface on which additional graphic elements can be created, said display-and-control graphic element having a viewable area that can selectively display a portion of said local drawing surface such that some of said local drawing surface is not displayed, said display-and-control graphic element being configured such that said additional graphic elements on said local drawing area are managed by said display-and-control graphic but exist on said global drawing surface.
7 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 wherein said display-and-control graphic element is configured such that said local drawing surface provides a same operational environment as said global drawing surface.
8 . The graphic user interface of claim 7 wherein said display-and-control graphic element includes one of a maximize switch and a close switch.
9 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 wherein a first graphic element of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element is functionally linked with a second graphic element of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface.
10 . The graphic user interface of claim 9 wherein said first graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element and said second graphic element on said global drawing surface are configured such that said first graphic element is controlled by said second graphic element.
11 . The graphic user interface of claim 9 wherein said first graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element and said second graphic element on said global drawing surface are configured such that said second graphic element is controlled by said first graphic element.
12 . The graphic user interface of claim 9 wherein said different graphic elements, said additional graphic elements and said display-and-control graphic element can be saved as a log, including relative positions and functional associations of said different graphic elements, said additional graphic elements and said display-and-control graphic element.
13 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 further comprising a second display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface, said second display-and-control graphic element including a graphic element that is functionally linked with a particular graphic element, said particular graphic element being one of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface or one of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element.
14 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 further comprising a second display-and-control graphic element on said local drawing surface of said display-and-control graphic element such that said second display-and-control graphic element is located within said display-and-control graphic element, said second display-and-control graphic element including a graphic element that is functionally linked with a particular graphic element, said particular graphic element being one of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface or one of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element.
15 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 further comprising a graphic control device on said global drawing surface, said graphic control device being functionally linked with a particular graphic element of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element such that a relative layering position of said particular graphic element is controlled by said graphic control device.
16 . The graphic user interface of claim 6 further comprising a second display-and-control graphic element associated with a particular graphic element of said different graphic elements, said second display-and-control graphic element being configured to be activated to modify a property of said particular graphic element.
17 . The graphic user interface of claim 16 wherein said second display-and-control graphic element is one of a set of display-and-control graphic elements, each display-and-control graphic element of said set being configured to be activated to modify a unique property of said particular graphic element.
18 . A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said machine to provide a graphic user interface on a display, said graphic user interface comprising:
a global drawing surface on which different graphic elements can be created, said different graphic element existing on said global drawing surface; and
a display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface having a local drawing surface on which additional graphic elements can be created, said display-and-control graphic element having a viewable area that can selectively display a portion of said local drawing surface such that some of said local drawing surface is not displayed, said display-and-control graphic element being configured such that said additional graphic elements on said local drawing area are managed by said display-and-control graphic but exist on said global drawing surface.
19 . The program storage device of claim 18 wherein said display-and-control graphic element is configured such that said local drawing surface provides a same operational environment as said global drawing surface.
20 . The program storage device of claim 19 wherein said display-and-control graphic element includes one of a maximize switch and a close switch.
21 . The program storage device of claim 20 wherein a first graphic element of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element is functionally linked with a second graphic element of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface.
22 . The program storage device of claim 21 wherein said first graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element and said second graphic element on said global drawing surface are configured such that said first graphic element is controlled by said second graphic element.
23 . The program storage device of claim 21 wherein said first graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element and said second graphic element on said global drawing surface are configured such that said second graphic element is controlled by said first graphic element.
24 . The program storage device of claim 21 wherein said different graphic elements, said additional graphic elements and said display-and-control graphic element can be saved as a log, including relative positions and functional associations of said different graphic elements, said additional graphic elements and said display-and-control graphic element.
25 . The program storage device of claim 18 wherein said graphic user interface further comprises a second display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface, said second display-and-control graphic element including a graphic element that is functionally linked with a particular graphic element, said particular graphic element being one of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface or one of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element.
26 . The program storage device of claim 18 wherein said graphic user interface further comprises a second display-and-control graphic element on said local drawing surface display-and-control graphic element such that said second display-and-control graphic element is located within said display-and-control graphic element, said second display-and-control graphic element including a graphic element that is functionally linked with a particular graphic element, said particular graphic element being one of said different graphic elements on said global drawing surface or one of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element.
27 . The program storage device of claim 18 further comprising a graphic control device on said global drawing surface, said graphic control device being functionally linked with a particular graphic element of said additional graphic elements in said display-and-control graphic element such that a relative layering position of said particular graphic element is controlled by said graphic control device.
28 . The program storage device of claim 18 wherein said graphic user interface further comprises a second display-and-control graphic element associated with a particular graphic element of said different graphic elements, said second display-and-control graphic element being configured to be activated to modify a property of said particular graphic element.
29 . The program storage device of claim 28 wherein said second display-and-control graphic element is one of a set of display-and-control graphic elements, each display-and-control graphic element of said set being configured to be activated to modify a unique property of said particular graphic element.
30 . A method for providing a computer environment comprising:
generating a display-and-control graphic element having a local drawing surface on a global drawing surface, said display-and-control graphic element having a viewable area that can selectively display a portion of said local drawing surface such that some of said local drawing surface is not displayed; and
creating a graphic element on said local drawing surface of said display-and-control graphic element such that said graphic element is managed by said display-and-control graphic but exist on said global drawing surface.
31 . The method of claim 30 wherein said display-and-control graphic element is configured such that said local drawing surface provides a same operational environment as said global drawing surface.
32 . The method of claim 30 further comprising functionally linking said graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element with a second graphic element on said global drawing surface.
33 . The method of claim 32 wherein said functionally linking includes functionally linking said graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element with a second graphic element on said global drawing surface such that said graphic element is controlled by said second graphic element.
34 . The method of claim 32 wherein said functionally linking includes functionally linking said graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element with a second graphic element on said global drawing surface such that said second graphic element is controlled by said graphic element.
35 . The method of claim 32 further comprising saving said graphic element, said second graphic element and said display-and-control graphic element, including relative positions and functional associations of said graphic element, said second graphic element and said display-and-control graphic element, as a log.
36 . The method of claim 30 further comprising:
generating a second display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface;
creating a second graphic element in said second display-and-control graphic element; and
functionally linking said graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element with said second graphic element in said second display-and-control graphic element.
37 . The method of claim 30 further comprising:
generating a second display-and-control graphic element on said local drawing surface of said display-and-control graphic element such that said second display-and-control graphic element is located within said display-and-control graphic element;
creating a second graphic element in said second display-and-control graphic element; and
functionally linking said graphic element in said display-and-control graphic element with said second graphic element in said second display-and-control graphic element.
38 . The method of claim 30 further comprising functionally linking a graphic control device on said global drawing surface with said graphic element such that a relative layering position of said graphic element with respect to other graphic elements on said local global surface of said display-and-control graphic element is controlled by said graphic control device.
39 . The method of claim 30 further comprising generating a second display-and-control graphic element on said global drawing surface that is associated with a particular graphic element on said global drawing surface, said second display-and-control graphic element being configured to be activated to modify a property of said particular graphic element.
40 . The method of claim 39 wherein said generating of said second display-and-control graphic element includes generating a set of display-and-control graphic elements, each display-and-control graphic element of said set being configured to be activated to modify a unique property of said particular graphic element.