GB2336082A

GB2336082A - Multi-level image display scheme for a computer

Info

Publication number: GB2336082A
Application number: GB9806988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Azi Ahmed
Original assignee: OLIVE Ltd
Current assignee: OLIVE Ltd
Priority date: 1998-04-02
Filing date: 1998-04-02
Publication date: 1999-10-06
Also published as: GB9806988D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a multi-level image display scheme for a computer, which includes, at a first level, a first interactive icon 19/20 displayed permanently on the screen and placed on top, at all times, of any other icons or open windows displayed simultaneously on the screen. The interactive icon comprising a window 19 has an image 20 displayed therein, which is replaced by another image after a predetermined period of time. At another level, a second open window 21, which is opened by selecting and clicking on the first interactive icon 19/20 with the use of the mouse and cursor, the second open window including further icons or images, 22-28 the graphics contained therein being dependant upon the first icon image 20 that is displayed when the second window is opened. This facility would be particularly useful in providing a display medium for commercial organisations wishing to inform people of their goods and/or services. The first interactive icon could be their company name or logo, and, by clicking on their image in the first icon, would can open the second window which would provide further information on their goods and services.

Description

2336082 MULTI-LEVEL IMAGE DISPLAY SCHEME FOR A COMPUTER The present

invention relates to a multi-level image display scheme for a computer.

A typical computer 1, for example, a personal computer (PC), of the prior art is illustrated schematically in Figure 1, and comprises a display 9, a keyboard 11, a mouse 14 and a housing 10 which houses, amongst other things, a central processing unit (CPU) 2, memories 3, 4, io 5, 6, a modem 7, and all the associated circuitry, as is well known to persons skilled in the art. As is also well known to persons skilled in the art, typically, the CPU 2 is coupled to the associated memories 3, 4, 5, 6, and the CPU 2 processes the software and data stored in the memories 3, 4, 5, 6 to operate the computer so as to perform its required tasks. Typically, the memories 3, 4, 5, 6 may comprise a hard disk 3, one or more Random Access Memories (RAM's) 5, 6, including CMOS memory 5 used, for example, to store semi-pennanent data, and one or more Read Only Memories (ROM's) 4, used, for example, to store essential code such as the Basic Input Output System (BIOS). The number and types of memories included will depend upon the functions and requirements of the computer. The modem is used, with appropriate software, for connections to remote servers, for example, for Internet connections. All of this is well known to persons skilled in the art, and as such, need not be described in any further detail herein, except as is relevant to the present invention. The main actions, such as the keyboard 11, display 9, and the hard disk 3 of the computer 1 are controlled by an operating system, that is a machine code program 1 1 1 stored, typically, on the hard disk 3. The operating system controls the actions of other programs, or applications, which are said to run under the operating system, and, in particular, looks after the details of such actions as disk access. Typical operating systems are MS-DOS and windows-based operating systems such as Windows 95 - both developed by the Microsoft Corporation. The mouse 14 controls a cursor 15 displayed on the screen 16. By moving the cursor 15 across the screen using the mouse 14, and by clicking a button provided on the mouse 14, one can select items displayed on the screen 16, thereby operating the io various applications running on the computer 1, and performing other tasks.

According to the present invention, there is provided a multi-level image display scheme for a computer, the computer comprising a central processing unit, a display screen, a mouse for manipulating a cursor displayed on the screen, and a keyboard, characterised in that the image display scheme includes, at a first level, a first interactive icon displayed permanently on the screen and placed on top, at all times, of any other icons or open windows displayed simultaneously on the screen, the interactive icon comprising a window having an image displayed therein, and which is replaced by another image after a predetermined period of time, and at another level, a second open window, which is opened by selecting and clicking on the first interactive icon with the use of the mouse and cursor, the second open window including further icons or images, the graphics contained therein being dependant upon the first icon image that is displayed when the second window is opened. Such a facility would be particularly useful in providing a display 2 1 medium for commercial organisations wishing to infoiTn people of their goods and/or services. The first interactive icon could be their company name or logo, and, by clicking on their image in the first icon, would can open the second window which would provide further 5 information on their goods and services.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

io Figure 1 is a schematic block diagram of the components of a computer of the prior art;

Figure 2 is a schematic view of a display screen of a computer with the first level of the multi-level display scheme displayed thereon; and is Figure 3 is a schematic view of a display screen of a computer with the second level of the multi-level display scheme displayed thereon.

The embodiment of the present invention described herein is designed to run under any PC operating system such as Windows 95, NT or 3.1 or Macintosh operating systems.

In Windows 95, applications designed to run under the operating system, and stored on the hard disk 3, are identified by icons 17 on the display 25 screen 16. Icons can also be displayed on a toolbar 18, which also displays a dedicated key, which can be used to run these application, or to shut down the operating system.

3 In the present invention, the computer 1 is capable of ruming a number of applications, including, for example, Internet connection programs or web browsers -, word processing and computer games. A multilevel s image scheme for a computer display for a computer comprises an application which can also run simultaneously and alongside any other running applications. The first level of this multilevel image scheme comprises an open window 19 with an icon 20 displayed therein. This interactive icon 20 is present on the screen, and remains on top of io any other open windows or icons that are also on the screen. The window parameter is set so that, there is no corresponding icon displayed in the toolbar 18 - if one is present. This means that a user cannot close the window 19, containing the icon 20, and, in fact, the window 19 is not closed until the whole operating system is closed down. The icon 20 is a single-frame image and comprises a bit map of approximately 40 by 40 pixels and is created using any suitable graphics program. The icon 20, can be any required image, for example, a representative icon for a provider of an Intemet web site or other organisation. The icon image is not permanent, but changes after a predetermined length of time, for example, after thirty seconds to display a new image. The number of different icon images which can be displayed can be as many as is required, within the limits set by the computer's operating capabilities. The operator can manipulate the window 19, and therefore the icon 20, so as to be able to drag the window 19 around the screen 16, but it will always remain on top of any other open windows already displayed on the screen 16.

4 A user can open up another window 21 by double-clicking on the icon 20, using the mouse in a known manner, effectively launching a second program component of this multi level image scheme application. This is the socalled second and third levels of the multi-level image display scheme. The second window 21 comprises multi-frame graphics, each frame containing an image or icon comprising a bit map. One image 22 is preferably a larger, more dominant, image, with the other images 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 being smaller. The graphics of the large image 22 will depend upon the actual icon image upon which the user has doubleclicked to open the second window 2 1. So for example, if a first image is being shown when the icon 20 is double-clicked, then the large image 22 displays a first graphical image in the open window 2 1, but if the icon 20 comprises a different image then the large image 22 displayed in the open window 21 will comprise different graphics. The large window 21 can be closed by double-clicking on the icon 20. The large window 21 will cover the whole of the screen 16 and all of the graphics will be centred on a 640 by 480 pixel boundary. By selecting i.e. clicking on, some of the individual smaller images 23, 24, 25, the graphics in the open large window 21 can be changed, that is the selection will cause another script page to be loaded from memory 3 where the present application is stored to reconfigure the large window 21 to show new graphics particularly, in the large frame 22. For example, some of the smaller bit map images 23, 24, 25, may change i.e. highlight, when the cursor rolls over them and, which when a user double-clicks on that particular image, the open window will be reconfigured to show the new graphics, particularly in the larger frame 22. This is the second level. Other smaller images 26, 27, 28 in the smaller frames in the open window 21 can i 1 be double-clicked on to provide a direct link to an Internet web-site via a web browser. This is the third level. Although the so-called '.'web- browset" will be opened to access the web site, the window for the web- browser will not be opened and displayed on the screen.

In order for this multilevel image display system to operate, an initialisation file containing the program settings for the application must be created. These settings include:

a) the initial stored position of the window 19, that is the io position of the window on the screen 16, when the window 19 was last closed; b) the path-name for the program for the level two and level three image display i.e. opening the second window 21 and the web browser; c) the bitmap image files for the graphics; d) the path-narnes for each icon 20; e) duration that each icon image is shown for; dissolve parameters, and transparency level for the images (if required).

The system works as follows:

The program settings - described above - are read from the initialisation file, the transparency level is set, the first window 19 is opened and the first icon image displayed. The timer is set - using the CPU clock - and, when the required duration has passed, then the second icon image is displayed. This continues with different icon 6 1 i images being displayed for 30 second durations. This duration can be amended by changing the value in the initialisation file.

If, at some point, a user double-clicks on this first, open window 19, then the second program is launched, and the second window 21 is opened in a known manner. If the second window 21 is already open, i.e. the second program is running, then double-clicking on the first window 19 will close the second window, and close the second program. The graphics that are displayed in the second window 21 will depend upon the icon image that is double clicked. The graphics in the second window remain as they are, unless the cursor 15 rolls over one of the smaller images 23, 24, 25, whereby that image becomes highlighted. Selecting one of these smaller images can be done by clicking, as is well known to persons skilled in the art, and as described above. Selecting one of these smaller images 23, 24, 25 causes the graphics in the second window 21 to change, for example, and as described above, the graphics in the larger image frame 22 may change. The graphics may include video graphics, sound and animation. Double-clicking on the appropriate smaller images 26, 27, 28 will create a direct link to a corresponding web-site using a launched web browser application. No open window is displayed on the screen 15 when the web browser is opened. The webbrowser can be opened without displaying the window using any suitable known application, such as "Macromind Director".

If required, the application can be programmed to incrementally count the number of times that any given icon or image has been clicked within either of the first or second open windows. In addition, the amount of 7 time spent in any given window, or frame within a window can be monitored.

The application is preferably stored on the hard disk 3 in its own directory.

As will be understood to persons skilled in the art, variations are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, the images and windows can take any shapes forms or dimensions, within the io scope of the computer's operating parameters. The interactive facilities do not need to include links to web-sites, and could also provide e-mail facilities, or direct connections to remote servers using modems.

8

Claims

1. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer, the computer comprising a central processing unit, a display screen, a mouse for s manipulating a cursor displayed on the screen, and a keyboard, characterised in that the image display scheme includes, at a first level, a first interactive icon displayed permanently on the screen and placed on top, at all times, of any other icons or open windows displayed simultaneously on the screen, the interactive icon comprises a io window having an image displayed therein, and which is replaced by another image after a predetermined period or time, and at another level, a second open window, which is opened by selecting and clicking on the first interactive icon with the use of the mouse and cursor, the second open window including further icons or images, the graphics contained therein being dependant upon the first icon image that is displayed when the second window is opened.

2. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer according to claim 1, wherein the second open window includes interactive icons, which when selected and clicked on with the use of the mouse and cursor, create a link to a web site via an Internet connection.

3. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the number of times a particular first icon image is selected can be counted.

4. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer as claimed in 9 any preceding claim, wherein the amount of time that the second open window is kept open can be measured.

5. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the second open window can be closed by selecting and clicking on the first interactive icon.

6. A multi-level image display scheme for a computer as claimed in any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the link to the web site is created io without displaying an open window for the web browser used in creating the link.