Patent ID: 6563514
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A method of providing information to a user of a processing system, the method comprising:providing a set of user-selectable options, including a plurality of information retrieval options, each information retrieval option corresponding to a different type of information; determining a position of a user-controlled pointer displayed on a display device of the processing system; when the position of the pointer coincides with a specified item displayed on the displayed device, sending a request for information relating to the specified item, wherein a plurality of types of information are available to said processing system for the specified item, each of the types of information corresponding to a different one of the user-selectable information retrieval options; receiving information to the specified item from an information source in response to the request, wherein the received information is of a type that corresponds to currently selected one of the information retrieval options; and presenting the received information to the user in association with the specified item.