Importance

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Abstract

A method quickly identifies an irregular graphic shape displayed on a video terminal. In an 'off-line' operation, the method associates transparent regular graphic shapes, such as boxes, with the irregular graphic shapes. The regular graphic shapes do not overlap one another and are shaped, sized, and located so that one or more of the regular graphic shapes together approximate each irregular graphic shape. The regular graphic shapes are defined in a data table which includes a single data node for each of the regular graphic shapes. During the execution of an application computer program, the irregular graphic shapes are displayed at the video terminal, but the regular graphic shapes are not displayed. In addition, the application computer program manages a video pointer in real time so that a user may move the video pointer to any location on the display of the video terminal. The program investigates the table of regular graphic shapes to select a node corresponding to a regular graphic shape. The selected regular graphic shape is the one which is defined to overlay the area of the display where the video pointer resides. A corresponding irregular graphic shape is then identified through its association with the selected regular graphic shape. Once the irregular graphic shape has been identified, a predetermined activity, such as displaying a name, may take place with respect to that irregular graphic shape.

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First Claim