Adjustable user interface

• US 20030090501A1
• Filed: 11/14/2001
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J., McKnight, Russell F.
• Application Number:
  US09/993,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090501A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/700
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

The present invention is directed to an adjustable user interface. A method of configuring a user interface of an information handling system based on utilization of ports included with the information handling system may include monitoring a plurality of ports included on the information handling system. Utilization by a device of a port of the plurality of ports is monitored, the device communicatively coupled to at least one port of the plurality of ports. A user-interface operating on the information handling system is configured based on the determined utilization by the device of the port of the plurality of ports.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a user interface of an information handling system based on utilization of ports included with the information handling system, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of ports included on the information handling system;

determining utilization by a device of a port of the plurality of ports, the device communicatively coupled to at least one port of the plurality of ports; and

configuring a user-interface operating on the information handling system based on the determined utilization by the device of the port of the plurality of ports.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein determined utilization by the device of the port includes which port of the plurality of ports to which the device is communicatively coupled.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein configuring includes arranging content displayed on a display device of the information handling system, the content corresponding to devices communicatively coupled to the ports in a manner corresponding to usage by the devices of the ports.

4. The method as described in claim 3, wherein arranging includes positioning the display of content in a priority based on the utilized ports.

5. The method as described in claim 3, wherein the user-interface is arranged so that content corresponding to a first device and content corresponding to a second device is displayed based upon the ports utilized by the first device and the second device.

6. The method as described in claim 1, wherein priority is assigned to at least a portion of the plurality of ports, the priority utilized to configure the user-interface.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the plurality of ports includes a first port located on a front portion of a chassis of the information handling system and a second port located on a rear-portion of the chassis of the information handling system.

8. The method as described in claim 7, wherein a higher priority is assigned the first port than the second port, the priority utilized to configure the user-interface.

9. The method as described in claim 1, wherein configuring includes at least one of placing a display of information in an order of priority and displaying information corresponding to the location of the ports corresponding to devices connected to the information handling system.

10. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising configuring the user interface based on an output device communicatively coupled to the information handling system.

11. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising configuring the user interface based on applications operating on the information handling system.

12. A method of configuring a user interface of an information handling system based on utilization of ports included with the information handling system, comprising:

monitoring a plurality of ports included on the information handling system;

determining utilization by a first device communicatively coupled to a first port and a second device communicatively coupled to a second port of the plurality of ports; and

configuring a display of a user-interface operating on the information handling system based on the determined utilization of the first port and the second port of the plurality of ports, wherein configuring includes arranging the user-interface so that content corresponding to the first device and content corresponding to the second device is displayed based upon the ports utilized by the first device and the second device.

13. The method as described in claim 12, wherein arranging includes positioning the display of content in a priority based on the utilized ports.

14. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the user-interface is arranged so that content corresponding to a first device and content corresponding to a second device is displayed based upon the ports utilized by the first device and the second device.

15. The method as described in claim 12, wherein priority is assigned to at least a portion of the plurality of ports, the priority utilized to configure the user-interface.

16. The method as described in claim 12, wherein the first port is located on a front portion of a chassis of the information handling system and the second port is located on a rear-portion of the chassis of the information handling system.

17. The method as described in claim 16, wherein a higher priority is assigned the first port than the second port, the priority utilized to configure the user-interface.

18. The method as described in claim 12, wherein configuring includes at least one of placing a display of information in an order of priority and displaying information corresponding to the location of the ports corresponding to devices connected to the information handling system.

19. An information handling system, comprising:

a plurality of ports suitable for communicatively coupling the information handling system to a device;

a memory suitable for storing a program of instructions;

a display device suitable for outputting a display of information; and

a processor suitable for performing a program of instructions, the processor communicatively coupled to the plurality of ports, the memory and the display device wherein the program of instruction configures the processor to monitor the plurality of ports so that utilization of the ports by devices is employed to cause the processor to configure a display of a user interface so that content corresponding to each of the devices is arranged based upon which of the ports is utilized by the devices.

20. The information handling system as described in claim 19, wherein arranging includes positioning the display of content in a priority based on the utilized ports.

21. The information handling system as described in claim 19, wherein the user-interface is arranged so that content corresponding to a first device and content corresponding to a second device is displayed based upon the ports utilized by the first device and the second device.

22. The information handling system as described in claim 19, wherein the plurality of ports includes a first port located on a front portion of a chassis of the information handling system and a second port located on a rear-portion of the chassis of the information handling system.

23. The information handling system as described in claim 22, wherein a higher priority is assigned the first port than the second port, the priority utilized to configure the user-interface.

24. The information handling system as described in claim 19, wherein configuring includes at least one of placing a display of information in an order of priority and displaying information corresponding to the location of the ports corresponding to devices connected to the information handling system.

25. An information handling system, comprising:

means for communicatively coupling the information handling system to a peripheral device;

means for storing a program of instructions;

means for displaying, the display means suitable for outputting a display of information; and

means for processing, the processing means suitable for performing a program of instructions, the processing means communicatively coupled to the communication means, the memory and the display means wherein the program of instruction configures the processing means to monitor the communication means so that utilization of the communication means by peripheral devices is employed to cause the processing means to configure a display of a user interface on the display means so that content corresponding to each of the devices is arranged based upon which of the communication means is utilized by the devices.