Random access to properties for lists in user interfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10353548-B2
Application number	US-201615206535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2016
Priority date	Jul 11, 2016
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

Random access to any arbitrary object stored in a database from a displayed virtual object image corresponding to an object wherein some properties of the object are displayed in the virtual object image is provided through manipulation of a drag icon to cause, in sequence, display of a ghost template listing types of properties for which data is stored in a database, select a property type from the ghost template, display all instances of the selected property type and display another virtual object image containing a selected instance of the property type and including other properties of a corresponding object. All properties of the object to which the resulting virtual object image corresponds can be determined from further manipulation of the drag icon to display another ghost template.

First claim

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A method comprising steps of:
receiving a query of a database of a plurality of objects from a user;
displaying a first virtual object image representing a first object of said plurality of objects on an interface, said first object having properties represented by data in said database;
displaying at least two instances of said properties of said first object on said first virtual object image;
determining that at least two objects of said plurality of objects are returned from said query;
displaying a drag icon at a first location associated with said first virtual object image in response to said determining that said at least two objects are returned from said query;
receiving a first input from said user dragging said drag icon to a second location that is different than said first location;
displaying a ghost template in response to said first input, said ghost template displaying a list of types of properties of said first object in said database represented by said first virtual object image;
receiving a second input from said user continuing said dragging of said drag icon in said first input to a property type of said first object displayed by said ghost template;
selecting said property type of said first object in response to said second input;
displaying all instances of said property type selected in said selecting step that are stored in said database;
receiving a third input from said user continuing said dragging of said drag icon in said second input to an instance of said property type and dropping said drag icon on said instance of said property type;
selecting said instance of said property type in response to said third input to define a selected instance; and
displaying a second virtual object image corresponding to a second object of said at least two objects of said plurality of objects different from said first object by substituting said selected instance for a first instance of said at least two instances of said properties of said first object on said first virtual object image and substituting another instance of another property of said second object for a second instance of said at least two instances of said properties of said first object on said first virtual object image.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first virtual object image contains less than all properties of said first object.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first virtual object image is selected from a pictured list or other type of list or collection.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , including a further step of scrolling or panning said ghost template or said instances of said property type.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said first virtual object image remains displayed when said ghost template is displayed.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said ghost template remains displayed when said instances of said property type are displayed.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein a property of a virtual object is a name of a group of virtual objects in which said virtual object is included.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of displaying said second virtual object image includes animation of motion between a location of said selected instance and a location of said first instance of said at least two instances of said properties of said first object on said first virtual object image.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Ragan Jr Richard W
• Sun yu wei

Classifications

• G06F40/174

  Form filling; Merging · CPC title

• G06F40/186

  Templates · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/0486

  Drag-and-drop · CPC title

• G06F3/0485

  Scrolling or panning · CPC title