Adjusting the tint of a translucent window to convey status

• US 20030142140A1
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick, Hately, Andrew Douglas
• Application Number:
  US10/059,027
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142140A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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: G09G 5/026 Control of mixing and/or overlay of colours in general G09G5/022 and G09G5/024 take precedence

Abstract

A method, system, and program for adding various tints to a translucent displayable object to convey a status of a computing task are provided. A tint level is specified to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task. Then, the tint of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with the non-interactive computing task is graphically adjusted according to the tint level, such that the status of the non-interactive computing task is displayed by the associated displayable object.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a tint to a window within a user interface to convey a status, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a status of a non-interactive computing task;

specifying a tint level to represent said status; and

graphically adjusting a tint of at least a selected portion of a displayable object within a display area associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said specified tint level, such that said status of said non-interactive computing task is displayed by said associated displayable object.

2. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of detecting a status further comprising the step of:

detecting said status for at least one from among usage of a processor, memory, a sound card, a graphics card, a storage device, and network bandwidth.

3. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

specifying said status according to at least one from among a failure, a recovery, and an insufficiency.

4. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

specifying a transparency level to represent said status of said non-interactive computing task; and

graphically adjusting said transparency according to said transparency level of said at least said selection portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

5. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of specifying a tint level further comprising the step of:

specifying said tint level according to a user preference for said tint associated with said status of said non-interactive computing task.

6. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of specifying a tint level further comprising the step of:

specifying said tint level, wherein a hue associated with said tint level corresponds to a level of said status.

7. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

presenting a user with an interface for selecting tinting preferences, wherein said tinting preferences are utilized for determining said tint level.

8. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of graphically adjusting a tint further comprising the step of:

only graphically adjusting said tint of tint adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selection portion of said displayable object.

9. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of graphically adjusting a tint further comprising the step of:

graphically adjusting said tint of a selection window portion of said display area to highlight said displayable object.

10. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said step of graphically adjusting a tint further comprising the step of:

graphically adjusting said tint of a said display area, wherein said display area is enabled to adjust in tint.

11. The method for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

graphically displaying a plurality of displayable objects according to said tint independent of which of said plurality of displayable objects is actively selected.

12. A system for adjusting a tint to a window within a user interface to convey a status, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface;

means for detecting a status of a non-interactive computing task;

means for specifying a tint level to represent said status; and

means for graphically adjusting a tint of at least a selected portion of a displayable object within a display area of said graphical user interface associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said specified tint level.

13. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for detecting a status further comprising:

means for detecting said status for at least one from among usage of a processor, memory, a sound card, a graphics card, a storage device, and network bandwidth.

14. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said system further comprising:

means for specifying said status according to at least one from among a failure, a recovery, and an insufficiency.

15. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said system further comprising:

means for specifying a transparency level to represent said status of said non-interactive computing task; and

means for graphically adjusting said transparency according to said transparency level of said at least said selection portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

16. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for specifying a tint level further comprising:

means for specifying said tint level according to a user preference for said tint associated with said status of said non-interactive computing task.

17. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for specifying a tint level further comprising:

means for specifying said tint level, wherein a hue associated with said tint level corresponds to a level of said status.

18. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said system further comprising:

means for presenting a user with an interface for selecting tinting preferences, wherein said tinting preferences are utilized for determining said tint level.

19. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for graphically adjusting a tint further comprising:

means for only graphically adjusting said tint of tint adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selection portion of said displayable object.

20. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for graphically adjusting a tint further comprising:

means for graphically adjusting said tint of a selection window portion of said display area to highlight said displayable object.

21. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said means for graphically adjusting a tint further comprising:

means for graphically adjusting said tint of a said display area, wherein said display area is enabled to adjust in tint.

22. The system for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 12, said system further comprising:

means for graphically displaying a plurality of displayable objects according to said tint independent of which of said plurality of displayable objects is actively selected.

23. A program for adjusting a tint to a window within a user interface to convey a status, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for enabling detection of a status of a non-interactive computing task;

means for specifying a tint level to represent said status; and

means for controlling graphical adjustment of a tint of at least a selected portion of a displayable object within a display area associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said specified tint level, such that said status of said non-interactive computing task is displayed by said associated displayable object.

24. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for specifying said status according to at least one from among a failure, a recovery, and an insufficiency.

25. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for specifying a transparency level to represent said status of said non-interactive computing task; and

means for controlling graphical adjustment of said transparency according to said transparency level of said at least said selection portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

26. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for specifying said tint level according to a user preference for said tint associated with said status of said non-interactive computing task.

27. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for specifying said tint level, wherein a hue associated with said tint level corresponds to a level of said status.

28. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for only controlling graphical adjustment of said tint of tint adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selection portion of said displayable object.

29. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for controlling graphical adjustment of said tint of a selection window portion of said display area to highlight said displayable object.

30. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for controlling graphical adjustment of said tint of a said display area, wherein said display area is enabled to adjust in tint.

31. The program for adjusting a tint to a window according to claim 23, said program further comprising:

means for enabling graphical display a plurality of displayable objects according to said tint independent of which of said plurality of displayable objects is actively selected.