Collapsible dialog window

• US 20030011639A1
• Filed: 07/12/2001
• Published: 01/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autodesk, Inc.
• Inventors: Webb, Mark Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 7,620,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/808
• 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, apparatus, and article of manufacture of the invention provide for collapsing a dialog window of an application. A complete dialog window of a currently active application is displayed on a display device. A location of a cursor with respect to the dialog window is determined. A collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves outside of the complete dialog window, wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window consumes a smaller area of the display device than the complete dialog window. A complete version of the dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for collapsing a dialog window of an application, comprising:

displaying a complete dialog window of a currently active application on a display device;

determining a location of a cursor with respect to the dialog window;

displaying a collapsed version of the dialog window when the cursor moves outside of the complete dialog window, wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window consumes a smaller area of the display device than the complete dialog window; and

displaying the complete dialog window when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a title bar of the dialog window.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a size that exactly encompasses a title of the dialog window and system buttons.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed in response to the cursor moving outside of the complete dialog window without additional action by a user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed such that system buttons are in a same position in the collapsed version of the dialog window as when the complete dialog window is displayed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the complete dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window without additional action by a user.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising reverting focus to another window of the currently active application without additional action by a user when the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves outside of the dialog window for a minimum time period.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the ability to display a collapsed version of a dialog window is controlled by a selectable system icon displayed in a title bar of the dialog window.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the dialog window is a modeless dialog window.

11. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for collapsing a dialog window of an application executing on the computer, the method comprising:

displaying a complete dialog window of a currently active application on a display device;

determining a location of a cursor with respect to the dialog window;

displaying a collapsed version of the dialog window when the cursor moves outside of the complete dialog window, wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window consumes a smaller area of the display device than the complete dialog window; and

displaying the complete dialog window when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a title bar of the dialog window.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a size that exactly encompasses a title of the dialog window and system buttons.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed in response to the cursor moving outside of the complete dialog window without additional action by a user.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed such that system buttons are in a same position in the collapsed version of the dialog window as when the complete dialog window is displayed.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the complete dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window without additional action by a user.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 11, the method further comprising reverting focus to another window of the currently active application without additional action by a user when the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves outside of the dialog window for a minimum time period.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the ability to display a collapsed version of a dialog window is controlled by a selectable system icon displayed in a title bat of the dialog window.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 11 wherein the dialog window is a modeless dialog window.

21. A system for collapsing a dialog window of an application in a computer system comprising:

(a) a computer;

(b) a display device connected to the computer; and

(c) a currently active application executing on the computer, the application configured to;

(i) display a complete dialog window of the currently active application on the display device;

(ii) determine a location of a cursor with respect to the dialog window;

(iii) display a collapsed version of the dialog window when the cursor moves outside of the complete dialog window, wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window consumes a smaller area of the display device than the complete dialog window; and

(iv) display the complete dialog window when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a title bar of the dialog window.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window comprises a size that exactly encompasses a title of the dialog window and system buttons.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed in response to the cursor moving outside of the complete dialog window without additional action by a user.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed such that system buttons are in a same position in the collapsed version of the dialog window as when the complete dialog window is displayed.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein the complete dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves within the collapsed version of the dialog window without additional action by a user.

27. The system of claim 21, the application further configured to revert focus to another window of the currently active application without additional action by a user when the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed.

28. The system of claim 21 wherein the collapsed version of the dialog window is displayed when the cursor moves outside of the dialog window for a minimum time period.

29. The system of claim 21 wherein the ability to display a collapsed version of a dialog window is controlled by a selectable system icon displayed in a title bar of the dialog window.

30. The system of claim 21 wherein the dialog window is a modeless dialog window.