Optimal window placement system

• US 10,642,441 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vennam, Belinda M., Vennam, Ramratan, Reynolds, Spencer T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Mark
• Application Number:
  US15/965,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20190332226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for managing windows in a computer system. The computer system tracks a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to a user input from a user. Characteristics are identified by the computer system for a current group of display devices. The computer system displays a group of the windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

managing windows in a computer system by the computer system;

tracking a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement;

is in response to a user input from a user; and

indicates an affinity for scrolling information displayed in a window for an application in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction;

identifying characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

displaying a group of the windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information, the affinity, and the characteristics detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking comprises:

tracking a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking comprises:

detecting a scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

assigning a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

assigning a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking comprises:

tracking the directional movement of the information displayed for the set of applications within a plurality of different configurations for the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to the user input from the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying comprises:

identifying the characteristics for the current group of display devices in response to at least one of starting an application in the set of applications by the user or a change in a configuration of the current group of display devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying comprises:

selecting a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected; and

displaying the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, when an application is started, the current group of display devices is used by the user for a first time.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the affinity is based on a current vertical score, a current horizontal score, a current weight, a prior vertical score, a prior horizontal score, a prior weight, and a number of prior affinities.

9. A window display system comprising:

a computer system that;

tracks a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement;

is in response to a user input from a user; and

indicates an affinity for the user to scroll information displayed in a window in one of a horizontal direction or a vertical direction;

identifies characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

displays a group of windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information, the affinity, and the characteristics detected.

10. The window display system of claim 9, wherein tracking the directional movement comprises the computer system tracking a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

11. The window display system of claim 9, wherein tracking the directional movement comprises the computer system:

detecting a scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

assigning a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

assigning a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time.

12. The window display system of claim 11, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

13. The window display system of claim 9, wherein tracking the directional movement comprises the computer system tracking the directional movement of information displayed for the set of applications within a plurality of different configurations for the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to the user input from the user.

14. The window display system of claim 9, wherein identifying the characteristics for the current group of display devices comprises the computer system identifying the characteristics for the current group of display devices in response to at least one of starting an application in the set of applications by the user or a change in a configuration of the current group of display devices.

15. The window display system of claim 9, wherein displaying the group of windows comprises the computer system:

selecting a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected; and

displaying the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

16. The window display system of claim 9, wherein, when an application is started, the current group of display devices is used by the user for a first time.

17. A computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium including instructions for managing windows displayed in a computer system, wherein the computer-readable storage medium is not a transitory signal per se, and the instructions comprise;

first program code for tracking a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement;

is in response to a user input from a user; and

indicates an affinity for scrolling in a horizontal direction or a vertical direction;

second program code for identifying characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

third program code for displaying a group of windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information, the affinity, and the characteristics detected.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first program code comprises:

fourth program code for tracking a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first program code comprises:

fourth program code for detecting scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

fifth program code for assigning a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

sixth program code for assigning a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein:

the second program code comprises fourth program code for selecting a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected; and

the third program code comprises fifth program code for displaying, by the computer system, the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.