Controlling application windows in an operating system

• US 10,235,040 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2016
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zotov, Alexander J., Duncan, Richard J., Szilagyi, Zoltan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Salomon, Phenuel S
• Application Number:
  US15/160,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20170131892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,033 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling the appearance of application windows on a computer display screen. A user identifies either an application window currently running on the computer or a new application to be started. The user also identifies a size, shape, and screen location by inputting a geometric shape, such as by drawing a rectangle with a pen or stylus input device, on the display screen. The appearance of the application window is set based on the geometric shape. The application window is resized and moved, for a currently running application, or created, for a new application, on the display screen.

Claims

1. A method for defining a size and a screen location of an application window on a display screen of a computer, comprising:

receiving a first user input identifying a target application;

receiving a second user input comprising a geometric shape drawn on the display screen, the geometric shape drawn by a user with a computer input device, and the geometric shape indicating a desired size and a desired screen location on the display screen to implement the target application;

determining the size of the application window based on one or more of a height or a width of the geometric shape;

determining the screen location of the application window based on a geometric position associated with the geometric shape; and

launching the target application in the application window on the display screen based on the size and the screen location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the launching comprises instantiating a new application on the computer and associating the new application with the application window on the display screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computer input device comprises a pen input device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the geometric shape comprises a rectangle drawn on the display screen with said pen input device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the rectangle is drawn on the display screen before the first user input is received, and wherein the first user input comprises an application name written inside the rectangle by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising initiating a window definition mode on the computer prior to receiving the second user input, wherein while the computer is in the window definition mode any geometric shape drawn on the display screen over an application window is not handled by the application associated with the application window.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second user input comprises a geometric shape overlapping at least a portion of at least one existing application window on the display screen.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein initiating the window definition mode comprises receiving a third user input, the third user input comprising information associated with pressing a designated window definition mode button positioned on one of the computer input device and the computer.

9. A method for changing the appearance of an application window on a display screen, comprising:

receiving a first user input identifying a currently running application;

receiving a second user input describing a configuration of an application window associated with the currently running application on the display screen, wherein the second user input comprises a symbol drawn on the display screen by the user;

determining a desired size of the application window based on one or more of a height or a width of the symbol;

determining a desired screen location of the application window based on a position associated with the symbol; and

changing a size and a screen location of the application window associated with the currently running application on the display screen, based on the desired size and the desired screen location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the symbol is a rectangle drawn on the display screen with a pen input device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rectangle is drawn over an existing application window while the computer is in a window definition mode.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the symbol is a predetermined symbol drawn on the display screen with a pen input device, the predetermined symbol associated with an operating system command to maximize the application window.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the symbol is a predetermined symbol drawn on the display screen with a pen input device, the predetermined symbol associated with an operating system command to minimize the application window.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the symbol is a predetermined symbol drawn on the display screen with a pen input device, the predetermined symbol associated with an operating system command to close said application window.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein said first user input comprises information associated with a pen input device tapping the application window associated with the currently running application while the computer is in a window definition mode.

16. An apparatus comprising non-transitory computer readable media with instructions stored therein, the instructions when executed causing a computing device to perform:

receiving a first user input describing a target application;

receiving a second user input comprising a geometric shape drawn on a display screen, the geometric shape drawn by a user with a computer input device, and the geometric shape indicating a desired size and a desired screen location on the display screen to implement the target application;

determining the size of an application window based on one or more of a height or a width of the geometric shape;

determining the screen location of the application window based on a geometric position associated with the geometric shape; and

launching the target application in the application window on the display screen based on the size and the screen location.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the computer input device comprises a pen input device.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the geometric shape is drawn on the display screen before the first user input is received, and wherein the first user input comprises an application name identifying the target application written inside a rectangle.

19. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising initiating a window definition mode on the computer prior to receiving the second user input, wherein while the computer is in the window definition mode any geometric shape drawn on the display screen over the application window is not handled by an application associated with the application window.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein initiating the window definition mode comprises receiving a third user input, the third user input comprising information associated with pressing a designated window definition mode button on one of the computer input device or the computer.