Method and system for clustering and grouping taskbar buttons

• US 20010035882A1
• Filed: 03/06/2001
• Published: 11/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Mann, Justin, Stoakley, Richard W., Springfield, James F., Green, Todd J., Kurtz, James B., Andrew, Suzan M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,756,999 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/779
• 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 method and system are provided for organizing, displaying, and accessing representations of one or more running tasks on a graphical user interface in a computer system. The system organizes like application files and clusters the corresponding taskbar buttons and, upon reaching a threshold limit, creates and displays a group button that contains the like application files and removes the like taskbar buttons from the taskbar. Further, upon reaching a second threshold limit, the system ungroups the application taskbar buttons, displays them on the taskbar and removes the group button from the taskbar.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for organizing and displaying taskbar buttons associated with corresponding applications on a display having a taskbar, comprising:

identifying the application file associated with a taskbar button; and

placing all taskbar buttons having like application files together on the taskbar to form a cluster.

2. The method as recited in

claim 1

further comprising:

monitoring the space available for each taskbar button on the taskbar;

comparing the monitored space available value against a first predetermined threshold value; and

grouping, if the space is less than the first predetermined threshold.

3. The method as recited in

claim 2

further comprising:

comparing the monitored space available value against a second predetermined threshold value; and

ungrouping, if the space is more than the second predetermined threshold.

4. The method as recited in

claim 3

, wherein the first predetermined threshold value and the second predetermined threshold value are different.

5. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

monitoring for the application last used longest ago; and

grouping according to the application last used longest ago.

6. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

when two or more groups are formed, monitoring for the application last used; and

ungrouping according to the last application used.

7. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

monitoring for the largest number of application files used; and

grouping according to the largest number of application files used.

8. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

when two or more groups are formed, monitoring for the least number of application files used; and

ungrouping according to the least number of application files used.

9. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

monitoring for a fixed number of application files used; and

grouping when equal to or greater than the fixed number of application files used.

10. The method as recited in

claim 3

further comprising:

when two or more groups are formed, monitoring for a fixed number of application files used; and

ungrouping when less than the fixed number of application files used.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in

claim 1

.

12. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method recited in

claim 1

.

13. A method in a computer system of organizing and displaying running tasks associated with corresponding applications on a display having a taskbar, the method comprising:

clustering a plurality of like application program buttons on the taskbar;

upon meeting a group threshold size, grouping the plurality of like taskbar application buttons to form a group application button; and

upon meeting an ungroup threshold, ungrouping the group application button to display the plurality of like taskbar application buttons.

14. The method as recited in

claim 13

, wherein each of the plurality of like taskbar application buttons have a corresponding application file.

15. The method as recited in

claim 13

, wherein the like taskbar application buttons are executed using the same application.

16. The method as recited in

claim 13

, wherein the group threshold size is approximately the width of an application icon plus three characters of text.

17. The method as recited in

claim 13

, wherein the group threshold size establishes a maximum number of buttons that can fit on the taskbar, and, wherein the ungroup threshold is met when there are the maximum number of buttons minus an ungrouping number on the taskbar and when the taskbar can accommodate a number of buttons equal to or less than the maximum number of taskbar buttons.

18. The method as recited in

claim 17

, wherein the ungrouping number is two.

19. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in

claim 13

.

20. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method recited in

claim 13

.

21. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of providing and selecting clustered and grouped taskbar buttons, said method comprising:

retrieving an application program file, wherein the application program file has a corresponding taskbar application button;

displaying the taskbar application button;

repeating the retrieving step and the displaying step for new applications opened;

clustering like application taskbar application buttons;

upon meeting a predetermined size, retrieving a group application button;

displaying the group application button and removing from the taskbar each of the like taskbar application buttons; and

upon meeting an ungroup threshold, displaying each of the like taskbar application buttons on the taskbar and removing the group application button.

22. The method as recited in

claim 21

further comprising receiving a group entry selection signal indicative of a user selection of the group application button, and, in response to the group entry selection signal, displaying each of the like application program files on the display.

23. The method as recited in

claim 22

, wherein displaying each of the like application program files on the display includes displaying the files in a menu.

24. The method as recited in

claim 21

, wherein the predetermined size is approximately the width of an application icon plus three characters of text.

25. The method as recited in

claim 21

, wherein the predetermined size establishes a maximum number of buttons that can fit on the taskbar, and, wherein the ungroup threshold is met when there are the maximum number of buttons minus an ungrouping number on the taskbar and when the taskbar can accommodate a number of buttons equal to or less than the maximum number of taskbar buttons.

26. The method as recited in

claim 25

, wherein the ungrouping number is two.

27. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in

claim 21

.

28. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method recited in

claim 21

.

29. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of presenting and accessing representations of one or more running tasks, said method comprising:

displaying a cluster, wherein the cluster includes a plurality of like taskbar application buttons;

upon meeting a first predetermined threshold, displaying a group application button on the taskbar and removing the plurality of like taskbar application buttons on the taskbar, wherein the group application button includes the plurality of like taskbar application buttons; and

upon meeting a second predetermined threshold, displaying the plurality of taskbar application buttons on the taskbar and removing the group application button on the taskbar.

30. The method as recited in

claim 29

, wherein the first predetermined threshold is approximately the width of an application icon plus three characters of text.

31. The method as recited in

claim 29

, wherein the first predetermined threshold establishes a maximum number of buttons that can fit on the taskbar, and, wherein the second predetermined threshold is met when there are the maximum number of buttons minus an ungrouping number on the taskbar and when the taskbar can accommodate a number of buttons equal to or less than the maximum number of taskbar buttons.

32. The method as recited in

claim 31

, wherein the ungrouping number is two.

33. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method recited in

claim 29

.

34. A computer system having a processor, a memory, and an operating environment, the computer system operable to execute the method recited in

claim 29

.

35. A computer-readable medium having data stored thereon a button data structure, comprising:

a first data field containing data representing a button application handle to communicate with an application file;

a second data field containing data representing a button application name corresponding to the application file;

a third data field containing data representing a button status to indicate the last access to the application file; and

a fourth data field containing data representing a button state to determine if the button is visible or hidden.

36. A computer-readable medium having data stored thereon a cluster data structure, comprising:

two or more data fields containing data representing like application button data structures, wherein each of the like application button data structures include a button state to determine if the button is visible or hidden;

a group data field containing data representing a group button data structure, wherein the group button data structure includes a button state to determine if the button is visible or hidden; and

a cluster state data field containing data representing a cluster state to determine if the cluster data structure is normal or grouped.