Patent ID: 6054988
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A system for viewing related objects associated with target objects, wherein each target object includes related objects, as controlled by a computer system having at least a visual operator interface, an operating system for controlling the operation of program applications within the computer system, and memory for storing a program application, the system comprising:means for displaying a first window of at least one target object, wherein a target object includes related objects that are members of a first and second classes of related objects, wherein the related objects associated with the first class have different properties than the related objects associated with the second class;means for graphically dragging and dropping one of a first and second display control functions to the target object, wherein the first display control function is associated with the first class of related objects and the second display control function is associated with the second class of related objects, and wherein the first and second display control functions are capable of being applied to a plurality of the target objects; andmeans for displaying a second window displaying the related objects for the target object to which one of the first and second display control functions was applied that are members of the class of objects associated with the applied display control function in response to applying the display control function to the target object.