Patent ID: 6918092
Filing Date: 2005-07-12
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for logically segmenting a list of elements in a graphical user interface, comprising: means for selecting a first set from the list of elements; means for defining the first set as a first group of contiguous elements with a first associated boundary having a first upper limit and a first lower limit; means for modifying the first group in response to moving a selected entity across said first associated boundary wherein the selected entity is an element, a second set, a second group, a plurality of groups, and combinations thereof within the list of elements; means for modifying the first associated boundary based upon the modified first group, wherein moving the selected entity across said first associated boundary occurs when any element of the selected entity is moved across the first upper limit or the first lower limit in a direction from outside the first group to within the first group, and wherein moving the selected entity across said first associated boundary occurs when any element of the selected entity is moved across the first upper limit or the first lower limit in a direction from within the first group to outside of the first group; means for adding all elements of the selected entity which are not already part of the first group to the first group; means for expanding said first associated boundary to include all elements of the selected entity which were not already part of the first group; means for undefining the second group and plurality of groups entirely contained within the selected entity by removal of their associated boundaries; means for subtracting a selected subset from any of the second group and the plurality of groups, included in the selected entity, from its corresponding group; means for contracting each group's associated boundary to include only those objects remaining in that group; means for subtracting all elements of the selected entity from the first group; means for contracting said first associated boundary to include only those elements remaining in the first group; means for moving the first group including the first associated boundary, as a whole when the selected entity contains all elements of the first group, wherein only contiguous elements can be selected, and wherein moving the selected entity within the list of elements occurs with one-element shift increments, only when the entity is not crossing any group's associated boundary.