Method and apparatus for configuring sliding panels

• US 20010028365A1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Published: 10/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Ludolph, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 6,664,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/764
• 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

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) is configurable in an embodiment of the invention. A user configures sliding panels located on the edges of the GUI. A sliding panel is configured with an application that runs in the sliding panel. The sliding panel is present in the GUI in either a closed or an open representation. The sliding panel'"'"'s GUI representation is determined based on the position of the user'"'"'s cursor. When the cursor is within a closed sliding panel'"'"'s closed representation, the sliding panel is expanded to its open representation. By moving the cursor outside the sliding panel, the user can close the panel. There is no need for the user to consciously manage the elements in the GUI. The elements are managed based on the configuration information supplied by the user and the information available at runtime.

Claims

1. A method of using a sliding panel in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising the steps of:

interacting with a configuration dialog to perform the following;

selecting an edge of said GUI for said sliding panel;

identifying an application to run in said sliding panel;

displaying in said GUI a closed representation of said sliding panel;

opening said application in said sliding panel when a cursor is moved within said closed representation of said sliding panel.

2. The method of

claim 1

further comprising the step of deactivating said application in said sliding panel when said cursor is moved outside said sliding panel.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of opening said application in said sliding panel further comprises the steps of:

determining whether said sliding panel is to be open using said sliding panel'"'"'s configuration;

retrieving said sliding panel'"'"'s configuration;

opening said sliding panel when said sliding panel is to be open;

activating said application on said sliding panel.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein said closed representation is always visible in said GUI.

5. The method of

claim 1

wherein said closed representation is displayed in front of another open sliding panel.

6. The method of

claim 5

wherein said step of opening further comprising the steps of:

deactivating the application running in said another open sliding panel;

closing said another open sliding panel.

7. The method of

claim 1

wherein said application contains elements of said GUI.

8. The method of

claim 1

wherein said step of interacting further comprises the steps of determining a background color for said sliding panel.

10. The system of

claim 8

wherein said configuration module further comprises one or more dialogs that contain configuration selections.

11. The system of

claim 8

wherein said selector module is further configured to modify the state of said sliding panel using said sliding panel configuration and said current cursor position.

9. A system comprising:

a configuration module capable of generating a sliding panel configuration that includes a specification of an application to run in said sliding panel;

a selector module coupled to said configuration module configured to manage said sliding panel using said sliding panel configuration and a current cursor position;

a GUI coupled to said selector module for displaying said sliding panel.

12. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for configuring a sliding panel in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to select an edge of said GUI for said sliding panel;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to identify an application to run in said sliding panel;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display in said GUI a closed representation of said sliding panel;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to open said application in said sliding panel when a cursor is moved within said closed representation of said sliding panel.

13. The article of manufacture of

claim 12

further comprising computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to deactivate said application in said sliding panel when said cursor is moved outside said sliding panel.

14. The article of manufacture of

claim 12

wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to open said application in said sliding panel further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to determine whether said sliding panel is to be open using said sliding panel'"'"'s configuration;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve said sliding panel'"'"'s configuration;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to retrieve open said sliding panel when said sliding panel is to be open;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to activate said application on said sliding panel.

15. The article of manufacture of

claim 12

wherein said closed representation is always visible in said GUI.

16. The article of manufacture of

claim 12

wherein said closed representation is displayed in front of another open sliding panel.

17. The article of manufacture of

claim 16

wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to open said application in said sliding panel further comprises:

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to deactivate the application running in said another open sliding panel;

computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to close said another open sliding panel.

18. The article of manufacturing of

claim 12

wherein said application contains elements of said GUI.

19. The article of manufacturing of

claim 12

further comprising computer readable code configured to cause a computer to determine a background color for said sliding panel.