Adaptive user interface pane manager
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of automatically managing panes in relation to an application canvas in a user interface having a width, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication from an application of a minimum width for the application canvas;
receiving a request to add a selected persistent pane in the user interface of the application, wherein a persistent pane comprises a pane that is displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas;
determining that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas;
based on the determination that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas, determining if any persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface;
based on a determination that two or more persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface;
closing a sufficient number of the two or more persistent panes, in order of least priority, that are currently displayed, so that the selected persistent pane is able to be displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and
displaying the selected persistent pane as an opened persistent pane;
based on a determination no persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface;
opening a transient pane, wherein a transient pane comprises a pane that exists above the canvas enabling overlapping the canvas; and
displaying the selected persistent pane as the transient pane;
based on a determination that only one persistent pane is currently displayed in the user interface;
determining if the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, wherein a criticality of the persistent pane is previously designated by the application;
based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a non-critical pane, closing the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and
based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, temporarily closing or suspending display of the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of a system for automatically managing panes in relation to the application canvas in a user interface. The system includes a pane manager that works in conjunction with applications to provide access to panes while keeping a minimum amount of user content visible. The system allows an application to define a protected canvas size. When a pane is needed, the system determines if sufficient room for the pane exists or can be created by dismissing another pane. If so, the pane is added. If not, the pane may be displayed in a temporary manner. The system also responds to changes in the user interface size. If the user interface size decreases to a point where sufficient room for existing panes is no longer available, one or more of the existing panes are dismissed.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of automatically managing panes in relation to an application canvas in a user interface having a width, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication from an application of a minimum width for the application canvas; receiving a request to add a selected persistent pane in the user interface of the application, wherein a persistent pane comprises a pane that is displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas; determining that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; based on the determination that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas, determining if any persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; based on a determination that two or more persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; closing a sufficient number of the two or more persistent panes, in order of least priority, that are currently displayed, so that the selected persistent pane is able to be displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and displaying the selected persistent pane as an opened persistent pane; based on a determination no persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; opening a transient pane, wherein a transient pane comprises a pane that exists above the canvas enabling overlapping the canvas; and displaying the selected persistent pane as the transient pane; based on a determination that only one persistent pane is currently displayed in the user interface; determining if the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, wherein a criticality of the persistent pane is previously designated by the application; based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a non-critical pane, closing the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, temporarily closing or suspending display of the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A computer-implemented system for automatically managing application panes in relation to the application canvas in a user interface, the computer-implemented system comprising:
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a computing device comprising a processor, a minimum canvas size memory, and an output device for presenting a visual output to a user, the visual output comprising the user interface of an application, wherein the computing device is caused to; receive an indication from an application of a minimum width for the application canvas; receive a request to add a selected persistent pane in the user interface of the application, wherein a persistent pane comprises a pane that is displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas; determine that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; based on the determination that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas, determine if any persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; based on a determination that two or more persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; close a sufficient number of the two or more persistent panes, in order of least priority, that are currently displayed so that the selected persistent pane is able to be displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and display the selected persistent pane as an opened persistent pane; based on a determination no persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; open a transient pane, wherein a transient pane comprises a pane that exists above the canvas enabling overlapping the canvas; and display the selected persistent pane as the transient pane; based on a determination that only one persistent pane is currently displayed in the user interface; determine if the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, wherein a criticality of the persistent pane is previously designated by the application; based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a non-critical pane, close the critical pane and determine if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, temporarily close or suspend display of the critical pane and determine if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A computer readable storage medium, implemented in hardware, containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method of automatically managing panes in relation to the application canvas in a user interface of an application, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication from an application of a minimum width for the application canvas; receiving a request to add a selected persistent pane in the user interface of the application, wherein a persistent pane comprises a pane that is displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas; determining that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; based on the determination that the selected persistent pane cannot be displayed while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas, determining if any persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; based on a determination that two or more persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; closing a sufficient number of the two or more persistent panes, in order of least priority, that are currently displayed so that the selected persistent pane is able to be displayed along with the canvas without overlapping the canvas while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and displaying the selected persistent pane as an opened persistent pane; based on a determination no persistent panes are currently displayed in the user interface; opening a transient pane, wherein a transient pane comprises a pane that exists above the canvas enabling overlapping the canvas; and displaying the selected persistent pane as the transient pane; based on a determination that only one persistent pane is currently displayed in the user interface; determining if the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, wherein a criticality of the persistent pane is previously designated by the application; based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a non-critical pane, closing the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas; and based on the determination that the currently displayed persistent pane is a critical pane, temporarily closing or suspending display of the critical pane and determining if the selected persistent pane can now be displayed along with the canvas, without overlapping the canvas, while maintaining the minimum width of the canvas. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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Specification