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System for browsing a network resource book with tabs attached to pages    
United States Patent5500929   
Link to this pagehttp://www.wikipatents.com/5500929.html
Inventor(s)Dickinson; Robert D. (Hayward, CA)
AbstractBrowsing through a diverse set of resources residing on a network using a name service protocol is accomplished with an object oriented operating system. A window is displayed with several resource books. A resource book is selected by the user and the computer resources associated with the selected book are displayed in another window. Attached to the page of the book, tabs indicate the type of resources and are used to navigate through the book. Upon selection of a specific resource, the user may direct the resource to implement a task within a directed fashion. Furthermore, the system allows the user to form personal directories to facilitate the selection of frequently utilized resources.
   














 Title Information Submit all comments and votes
 
Patent Text Patent PDF Print Page Summary File History
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Drawing from US Patent 5500929
System for browsing a network resource book with tabs attached to pages - US Patent 5500929 Drawing
System for browsing a network resource book with tabs attached to pages
Inventor     Dickinson; Robert D. (Hayward, CA)
Owner/Assignee     Taligent, Inc. (Cupertino, CA)
Patent assignment
All assignments
Publication Date     March 19, 1996
Application Number     08/113,623
PAIR File History     Application Data   Transaction History
Image File Wrapper   Patent Term   Fees
Litigation
Filing Date     August 30, 1993
US Classification     715/853 715/776 715/777 715/781 715/835
Int'l Classification     G06F 003/00 182.03 479
Examiner     Bayerl; Raymond J.
Assistant Examiner     Breene; John E.
Attorney/Law Firm    
Address
Parent Case    
Priority Data    
USPTO Field of Search     395/155 395/156 395/157 395/158 395/159 395/160 395/161 395/155 395/156 395/157 395/158 395/159 395/160 395/161 395/200 395/162 395/164 395/200.155 395/156 395/157 395/158 395/159 395/160 395/161.16 395/200.155 395/156 395/157 395/158 395/159 395/160 395/161.21 395/155 395/156 395/157 395/158 395/159 395/160 395/161 395/182.18 364/578 382/151 345/156
Patent Tags     browsing network resource book tabs attached pages
   
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5442795
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 Technical Review Submit all comments and votes
 Claims Submit all comments and votes
 


Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A system for selecting one of a plurality of computer resources, each of the plurality of computer resources having one of a plurality of attribute types, the system being operable with computer apparatus having a workstation including a display and a computer network connecting the plurality of computer resources and the workstation, the system comprising:

(a) first means for displaying a first window and a second window on the display;

(b) second means for displaying a plurality of resource book graphics in the first window, each of the plurality of resource book graphics representative of one of a plurality of resource books, each of the plurality of resource books having an attribute name and an attribute type of at least one of the plurality of computer resources;

(c) third means for selecting one of the plurality of resource books by selecting the corresponding resource book graphic displayed in the first window;

(d) fourth means for displaying a plurality of resource graphics in the second window, each of the plurality of resource graphics being associated with the selected resource book and representative of a computer resource, each computer resource having the same attribute type; and

(e) fifth means for displaying a plurality of tab icons in the second window, each of the plurality of tab icons being representative of one of the plurality of attribute types of the computer resources and corresponding to one of a plurality of resource pages.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tab icons displayed in the second window by the fifth means identifies a plurality of resource graphics representative of computer resources connected to the workstation by the computer network.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of tab icons displayed in the second window by the fifth means identifies a plurality of resource graphics representative of computer resources connected directly to the workstation.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer resources include people resources, place resources and thing resources.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of computer resources include data bases, document files, communication information, and distribution services.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fifth means is responsive to a selection of a first one of the plurality of tab icons for selecting one of the plurality of resource graphics and in response to such selection displays in the second window a list of printers.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the fifth means is responsive to a selection of a second one of the plurality of tab icons for selecting one of the plurality of resource graphics and in response to such selection displays in the second window a list of machines coupled to the computer network.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a database type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

9. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a machine type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

10. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a shared folder type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

11. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a places type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

12. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a document type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a distributed services type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

14. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying a miscellaneous type graphic on one of the plurality of tab icons.

15. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for selecting a tab icon associated with a particular attribute type and displaying, in the second window, one graphic for each computer resource having the particular attribute type.

16. The system as recited in claim 1, including means for displaying in the first window a graphic representative of a title indicative of an attribute type of a computer resource contained in the selected resource book.

17. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource book is displayed in the first window as a resource book icon.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein the resource book icon represents a plurality of resource books.

19. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each computer resource is represented in at least one of the plurality of resource books as an icon.
 Description Submit all comments and votes
 


CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following U.S. patent applications:

(a) the application entitled "Object Oriented Framework System," by Debra L. Orton, David B. Goldsmith, Chistopher P. Moeller, and Andrew G. Heninger, filed Dec. 23, 1992, and assigned to Tallgent, Inc., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference;

(b) the application entitled "Business Card System," by Robert D. Dickinson, filed Jan. 22, 1993, and assigned to Taligent, Inc., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference; and

(c) the application entitled, "Place Object Display System", by Robert D. Dickinson, filed Jun. 3, 1993, and assigned to Taligent, Inc., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

1. Field of the Invention

This invention generally relates to a method for accessing various resources of a computer through an object oriented operating system, and more particularly, to the access and selection of various resources of a network for implementing desired tasks.

2. Background of the Invention

A name service directory or hierarchy is a collection of objects within a networked computer system. Presently, no universal name service directory exists among networked computers. That is, no common framework for names and representations of objects exist within current networks of computers. As a consequence, networks are filled with a multitude of name service directories for differing objects, and a plethora of user interfaces.

Name service directories are typically organized hierarchically and contain collections of resources. Each collection refers to a distinct portion of a name service. Resources are sources of information that supply or support user interactions. For instance, resources can include people, places, and things such as printers, workstations, facsimile machines, as well as other services that are available to a user.

Current computer systems disperse information concerning resources over multiple name service directories and present them to a user in various inconsistent interfaces. Accordingly, a user is required to independently search through multiple name service directories before locating a desired resource. Such searches usually demand a user to expend large amounts of time in allocating a resource. A typical computer user is, however, usually unable to invest a substantial period of time in searching a resources before an appropriate name service directory and resource can be selected.

In addition to the lengthy and complex procedures for accessing a resource, current computer systems also do not provide for the implementation of a desired task through a resource. Thus, a user is required to first locate a resource and then implement the resource through a separate application. In sum, the prior art that the applicant is aware of provides a computer system that is overly complex and tedious for accessing typical resources that are located on a network. Moreover, the prior art that the applicant is aware of provides no manner by which a desired task can be implemented through an accessed resource within the same application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention overcomes the aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art by providing a method and apparatus for accessing and invoking resources from a window.

A system and method are used for selecting a particular resource from a plurality of networked computer resources in an object oriented operating system resident in a storage under the control of a processor with an attached display. A window is displayed containing one or more phonebooks. A phonebook is selected and computer resources associated with the particular phonebook are displayed along with tabs representative of types of computer resources.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages of a preferred embodiment will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart depicting the general operation of a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 3 illustrates a resource book upon a display interface in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 illustrates a resource book with tabs on the selection of the class of phonebooks in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 5 illustrates a single phonebook employing scrolling in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 6 illustrates a single phonebook using paging in accordance with a preferred embodiment;

FIG. 7 illustrates the opening of a second directory from within a first directory in accordance with a prefer