John William Power

US Patent:

5428731, Jun 27, 1995

Filed:

May 10, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/059542

Inventors:

John Power - Monte Sereno CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G09B 1904

US Classification:

395154

Abstract:

An engine for the interactive delivery and presentation of multimedia data. The delivery mechanism is premised on a topic and panel metaphor. A topic is comprised of a series of panels. Each panel further defines the multimedia data which will be used when the panel is displayed. Each panel may also contain control and qualifier elements which are used to determine the next panel to be displayed. Control elements are used to solicit information from the user. The information is then used by the qualifier elements in determining the next panel to be displayed. Each element is stored in a database as a discrete object. This allows sharing of objects amongst different panels or topics. Prior to delivery and presentation of the data, the topic must be set-up. Set-up occurs by retrieving all the necessary panel, control qualifier and data descriptor objects.

US Patent:

5469540, Nov 21, 1995

Filed:

Jan 27, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/010064

Inventors:

John Power - Monte Sereno CA
James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA
Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
Jeffrey A. Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

395158

Abstract:

The display system includes at least one central processing unit (CPU) which is coupled through appropriate input/output (I/O) circuitry to input devices, such as a keyboard, digital pad, mouse and/or trackball. The CPU is coupled to a hard disk drive for the storage of programs and data, and may also be coupled to a network through which the CPU may communicate with a variety of other system resources and devices. The CPU is further coupled to a display device such as a CRT or liquid crystal display, on which the present invention is displayed. The windows include defined areas having window features such as menu bars, command options, text, icons and/or button functions to be executed by the CPU. The help system includes an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined which results in the CPU generating and displaying a presentation window on the display.

US Patent:

5488685, Jan 30, 1996

Filed:

Jan 27, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/010062

Inventors:

James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA
John Power - Monte Sereno CA
Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
Gregory S. Brewer - Pleasanton CA
Jeffrey A. Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 314

US Classification:

395157

Abstract:

A user interface includes an object oriented graphic user interface having overlapping windows and provides an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined. The selection of one of the button functions results in the generation and display of entries in a predefined area of the access window. Upon the selection of one of the entries by a user, phrases related to the selected entry are displayed in a working area of the access window. The selection of one of the phrases results in the display of a presentation window containing help instruction data to guide the user in the particular help task specified by the entry and phrase selection. To further assist the user, visual cues in the form of coach marks are generated for identifying features on the display which relate to the information disposed within the presentation window, but may identify any feature on the display. The coach marks are displayed generally concurrently with the display of the presentation window.

US Patent:

5550966, Aug 27, 1996

Filed:

Dec 28, 1994

Appl. No.:

8/365339

Inventors:

Samuel Drake - San Jose CA
Allan D. Griefer - San Jose CA
John Power - Morgan Hill CA
John G. Thomas - Santa Cruz CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06T 1300

US Classification:

395154

Abstract:

A video input device senses a visual portion of a presentation and produces video signal information corresponding to the visual portion. A user interface is provided for inputting presentation identification information relating to a presentation. The audio signal information, video signal information and presentation identification information are stored as a presentation set. The system further includes a presentation management portion in communication with the presentation capture portion. The presentation management portion includes a character recognition device for generating text character information from the presentation set video signal information and adding the text character information to the set. The presentation set is stored in a database that includes a database indexing system for generating an index of text character information from the presentation set, and a database search program for searching the index for selected information contained therein. The presentation playback portion includes an input query system for formulating and directing search requests to the database search program.

US Patent:

5600779, Feb 4, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/483300

Inventors:

James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA
John Power - Monte Sereno CA
Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
Gregory S. Brewer - Pleasanton CA
Jeffrey A. Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 310

US Classification:

395340

Abstract:

A user interface includes an object oriented graphic user interface having overlapping windows and provides an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined. The selection of one of the button functions results in the generation and display of entries in a predefined area of the access window. Upon the selection of one of the entries by a user, phrases related to the selected entry are displayed in a working area of the access window. The selection of one of the phrases results in the display of a presentation window containing help instruction data to guide the user in the particular help task specified by the entry and phrase selection. To further assist the user, visual cues in the form of coach marks are generated for identifying features on the display which relate to the information disposed within the presentation window, but may identify any feature on the display. The coach marks are displayed generally concurrently with the display of the presentation window.

US Patent:

5602996, Feb 11, 1997

Filed:

Jun 7, 1995

Appl. No.:

8/483994

Inventors:

John Power - Monte Sereno CA
James E. Palmer - Redwood City CA
Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
Jeffrey A. Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

395344

Abstract:

The display system includes at least one central processing unit (CPU) which is coupled through appropriate input/output (I/O) circuitry to input devices, such as a keyboard, digital pad, mouse and/or trackball. The CPU is coupled to a hard disk drive for the storage of programs and data, and may also be coupled to a network through which the CPU may communicate with a variety of other system resources and devices. The CPU is further coupled to a display device such as a CRT or liquid crystal display, on which the present invention is displayed. The windows include defined areas having window features such as menu bars, command options, text, icons and/or button functions to be executed by the CPU. The help system includes an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined which results in the CPU generating and displaying a presentation window on the display.

US Patent:

5825355, Oct 20, 1998

Filed:

Jan 27, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/010063

Inventors:

James Edward Palmer - Redwood City CA
Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
Jeffrey Alan Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA
John Power - Monte Sereno CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

345336

Abstract:

The system includes at least one central processing unit (CPU) which is coupled through appropriate input/output (I/O) circuitry to input devices, such as a keyboard, digital pad, mouse and/or track ball. The CPU is coupled to a hard disk drive for the storage of programs and data, and may also be coupled to a network through which the CPU may communicate with a variety of other system resources and devices. The CPU is further coupled to a display device such as a CRT or liquid crystal display, on which the present invention is displayed. The user interface of the present invention includes an object oriented graphic user interface having overlapping windows. The present invention includes an access window having topics, index and look for button functions for selection by a user. Through the use of the topics, index or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined. The selection of one of the button functions results in the CPU generating and displaying entries in a predefined area of the access window.

US Patent:

5828374, Oct 27, 1998

Filed:

Mar 14, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/818288

Inventors:

Patricia J. Coleman - Menlo Park CA
James Edward Palmer - Redwood City CA
Matthew Justin Powers - Monte Sereno CA
Jeffrey Alan Herman - Palo Alto CA
Eli Cochran - Menlo Park CA
John Power - Monte Sereno CA

Assignee:

Apple Computer, Inc. - Cupertino CA

International Classification:

G06F 300

US Classification:

345341

Abstract:

An object oriented graphic user interface having overlapping windows and an access window having topics, index and look for button functions may be selected by the user. Through the use of the topics, index, or look for functions, a help inquiry is defined. The access window includes an alpha scroll bar horizontally spanning a defined area of the access window. Characters are displayed along the length of the alpha scroll bar and a slider is provided which may be selectively positioned over a character displayed on the alpha scroll bar. The placement of the slider over a character on the alpha scroll bar results in the CPU displaying help data entries corresponding to the selected character.