System and method for moving computer displayable content into a preferred user interactive focus area

• US 20050195217A1
• Filed: 09/28/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Baudisch, Patrick Markus, Robertson, George G.
• Granted Patent: US 7,460,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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

According to the present invention, a system for displaying content, such as a computer'"'"'s displayed desktop, to a user such that remote content may be easily accessed, is presented. An exemplary display system includes a preferred interaction area through which the user interacts with the displayed content. The display system detects a user'"'"'s reposition action and repositions the displayed content on the display system according to the detected reposition action. A user may reposition any portion of the displayed content to any location within the preferred interaction area. That portion of the displayed content falling outside of the preferred interaction area is displayed according to the available display area outside of the preferred interaction area. The displayed content outside of the preferred interaction area may be scaled according to the available display area. Display areas uncovered by repositioning the displayed content may be displayed with empty space.

Claims

1. In a computer system having a display system displaying desktop content and having a defined preferred interaction area on the display system in which the user interacts with the computer system, a method for relocating the desktop content on the display system, the method comprising:

detecting a reposition action indicating that the desktop content is to be repositioned with respect to the preferred interaction area;

repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action, such that a portion of the desktop content previously outside of the preferred interaction area is now located within the preferred interaction area; and

displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein any portion of the desktop content can be repositioned to any location within the preferred interaction area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying a portion of the desktop content in a scaled manner according to the available display area for that portion of the desktop content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an incremental manner according to a predetermined increment.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an absolute manner, such that a predetermined portion of the desktop content is positioned to a specific location in the preferred interaction area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the desktop content fills the entire display area of the display system when the desktop content is unscaled.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying the desktop content in an unscaled manner and clipping that portion of the desktop content that extends beyond the available display area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred interaction area is selectively repositionable on the display area according to a user interaction.

11. A computer-readable medium bearing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a computer system including a display system displaying desktop content and having a preferred interaction area, carries out a method for relocating the desktop content on the display system, the method comprising:

detecting a reposition action indicating that the desktop content is to be repositioned with respect to the preferred interaction area;

repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action, such that a portion of the desktop content previously outside of the preferred interaction area is now located within the preferred interaction area; and

displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein any portion of the desktop content can be repositioned to any location within the preferred interaction area.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying a portion of the desktop content in a scaled manner according to the available display area for that portion of the desktop content.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an incremental manner according to a predetermined increment.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected reposition action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an absolute manner, such that a predetermined portion of the desktop content is positioned to a specific location in the preferred interaction area.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the desktop content fills the entire display area of the display system when the desktop content is unscaled.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying the desktop content in an unscaled manner and clipping that portion of the desktop content that extends beyond the available display area.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the preferred interaction area is selectively repositionable on the display area according to a user interaction.

21. A computer system for displaying desktop content to a user, the computer system comprising:

a user interaction means for detecting a repositioning action from a user, and for controlling the repositioning of desktop content displayed on a display system; and

a display system, the display system having a preferred interaction area through which a user interacts with the desktop content via the user interaction means;

wherein the computer system, upon detecting a repositioning action from a user;

repositions the desktop content according to the detected repositioning action, such that a portion of the desktop content previously outside of the preferred interaction area is now located within the preferred interaction area; and

displays the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area.

22. The computer system of claim 21, wherein any portion of the desktop content can be repositioned to any location within the preferred interaction area.

23. The computer system of claim 21, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying a portion of the desktop content in a scaled manner according to the available display area for that portion of the desktop content.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

25. The computer system of claim 21, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying empty space in display areas that the desktop content no longer covers.

26. The computer system of claim 21, wherein displaying the desktop content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area comprises displaying the desktop content in an unscaled manner and clipping that portion of the desktop content that extends beyond the available display area.

27. The computer system of claim 21, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected repositioning action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an incremental manner according to a predetermined increment.

28. The computer system of claim 21, wherein repositioning the desktop content according to the detected repositioning action comprises repositioning the desktop content in an absolute manner, such that a predetermined portion of the desktop content is positioned to a specific location in the preferred interaction area.

29. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the desktop content fills the entire display area of the display system when the desktop content is unscaled.

30. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the display system is comprised of a plurality of display units.

31. The computer system of claim 21, wherein the preferred interaction area can be selectively located on the display system according to user input.

32. A display system for displaying content to a user, the display system comprising:

a preferred interaction area, the preferred interaction area comprising a subset of the display area of the display system, through which a user may interact with the display system to reposition the content; and

a user interaction means through which a user repositions the content displayed on the display system;

wherein the display system, upon detecting a repositioning action from a user;

repositions the content within the display system according to the detected repositioning action, such that a portion of the content previously outside of the preferred interaction area is now located within the preferred interaction area; and

displays the content falling outside of the preferred interaction area according to the available display area for displaying content outside of the preferred interaction area.