Intelligent windows bumping method and system

• US 20040066408A1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Published: 04/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Greg, Meyers, Brian, Czerwinski, Mary, Regan, Tim
• Granted Patent: US 7,176,943 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A system and method for bumping graphical components between display regions of a graphical computer interface are provided. The present invention bumps a selected graphical component in response to a signal from an input device. Bumping involves locating a destination location for the graphical component to be bumped, and moving the graphical component to the destination. The destination can be determined in any one of a number of different manners. Destinations can be located at a predetermined distance from an original location of a graphical component, at an “analogous” location on another display region, or at an open location in the same display region or another display region.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of moving a graphical component in a graphical computing interface, the method comprising:

obtaining a selection of said graphical component;

determining that said graphical component is to be moved;

locating a destination for said graphical component; and

moving said graphical component to said destination.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a desired direction for said destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said graphical component is a window.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining that said destination is located in a display region with a new resolution, and resizing said window in proportion to said new resolution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting said graphical component comprises receiving a signal from an input device to select said graphical component.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining that said graphical component is to be moved comprises receiving a signal from an input device to move said graphical component.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said signal from an input device includes a desired direction to move said graphical component.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein locating a destination for said graphical component comprises determining a destination at a predetermined distance from a graphical component'"'"'s current location.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein locating a destination for said graphical component comprises determining a current location of the graphical component on a current display region, and designating an analogous location of another display region as said destination.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said current display region is located on one display and said other display region is located on another display.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said analogous location is located at substantially the same pixel coordinates as the graphical component at said current location.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said analogous location is proportionately distant from the edges of said other display region as said graphical component is from the edges at said current display region.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising shifting said graphical component if said graphical component does not fit within said other display region.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein locating said destination for said graphical component comprises locating an open location.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said open location is a portion of a display region having no blocking graphical components.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said open location is at least the size of said graphical component.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising resizing said graphical component to fit within said open location.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said blocking components include the information bearing portions of other graphic components.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said blocking components include graphical components accessed within a predetermined time period.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication of said destination.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein moving comprises animating the movement of said graphical component to said destination.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein locating said destination for said graphical component comprises weighting a plurality of possible locations on their characteristics and selecting said destination based said destination'"'"'s weight.

23. A computer readable media containing computer executable instructions for performing the method of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 14, 20 or 22.

24. A computer system having a processor and a memory storing computer executable instructions operative to perform the method of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 14, 20 or 22.

25. A graphical user interface of a computer with a plurality of display regions, the graphical interface comprising:

a graphical component displayed on a first display region; and

automatically moving said graphical component to a destination on a second display region in response to a determination that said graphical component should be moved.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 25, wherein said graphical component is moved to an optimal destination in said second display region.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 26, wherein said optimal destination is located according to predetermined criteria.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 27, wherein said optimal destination is located according to weighted values of potential destinations.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 27, wherein said optimal destination covers and area of said second display and said graphical component expands to fill said optimal destination area.