Apparatus, system, and method for concurrent window selection

• US 20050257160A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: DeBellis, Craig Michael, Pagan, William Gabriel
• Granted Patent: US 8,230,356 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/754
• 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

An apparatus, system and method of concurrent window selection are provided. The invention communicates a directive to a plurality of window modules. Each window module may enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive. The state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and the state change of each other window module. The invention further communicates a command to each window module in the selected state.

Claims

1. A concurrent selection apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of window modules each configured to enter a selected state responsive to a selection directive, to enter a deselected state responsive to a deselection directive, and to maintain an existing state responsive to a null directive, wherein the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and change of state of the other window modules; and

at least one listener module in communication with at least one window module of the plurality of window modules and configured to receive a command and communicate the command to each window module that is in the selected state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one stroke module configured to receive a selection stroke and direct the selection directive, the deselection directive, and the null directive to each window module responsive to the selection stroke.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one stroke module receives a multi-selection stroke and directs the selection directive to a first window module and the null selection directive to at least one second window module responsive to the multi-selection stroke.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the multi-selection stroke is a plurality of input strokes.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the at least one stroke module receives a uni-selection stroke and directs the selection directive to a first window module and the deselection directive to at least one second window module responsive to the uni-selection stroke.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each window module in the selected state receiving the command executes the command.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of window modules communicates with a separate computer.

8. A concurrent selection module, the module comprising:

a stroke module configured to receive an input stroke and direct a selection directive, a deselection directive, and a null directive to a plurality of window modules responsive to the input stroke, wherein each window module assumes a selected state responsive receiving the selection directive, a deselected state responsive to receiving the deselection directive, and maintains an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive and the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and change of state of the other window modules; and

at least one listener module in communication with each window module and configured to receive a command and communicate the command to the window module if the window module is in the selected state.

9. A concurrent selection system, the system comprising:

a processor module configure to execute a plurality of window modules each configured to enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, to enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and to maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive, wherein the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and change of state of the other window modules, the processor module further configured to receive a command and communicate the command to each window module that is in the selected state;

an input module configured to communicate the command to processor module; and

a display module configured to render each window module.

10. The system of claim 9, the processor module further configured to execute at least one stroke module configured to receive a selection stroke and direct the selection directive, the deselection directive, and the null selection directive to each window module responsive to the selection stroke.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the stroke module receives a multi-selection input stroke and directs the selection directive to a first window module and the null selection directive to at least one second window module responsive to the multi-selection stroke.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the multi-selection directive is a plurality of strokes.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the stroke module receives a uni-selection stroke and directs the selection directive to a first window module and the deselection directive to at least one second window module responsive to the uni-selection stroke.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein at least one of the plurality of window modules communicates with a separate computer.

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable code for concurrent selection configured to:

communicate a directive to a plurality of window modules each configured to enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, to enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and to maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive, wherein the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and the change of state of the other window modules;

input a command; and

communicate the command to each window module that is in the selected state.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer code is further configured to receive a selection stroke.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer code is further configured to direct the selection directive to a first window module and the null directive to at least one second window module responsive to receiving a multi-selection stroke.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the multi-selection stroke is a plurality of input strokes.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer code is further configured to direct a selection directive to a first window module and a deselection directive to at least one second window module responsive to receiving a uni-selection stroke.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the computer code is further configured to direct the deselection directive to a first window module of a plurality of window modules in the selected state responsive to receiving a uni-deselection stroke.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the command is cat a window module management command.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the command is a directed to a plurality of computer processes in communication with each window module.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein at least one of the plurality of window modules communicates with a separate computer.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein each window module receiving the command executes the command if the command is a valid command.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprises receiving a selection stroke.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the multi-selection directive is a plurality of input strokes.

25. A method for concurrent selection, the method comprising:

communicating a directive to a plurality of window modules each configured to enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, to enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and to maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive, wherein the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and the change of state of the other window modules;

inputting a command; and

communicating the command to each window module that is in the selected state.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising directing the selection directive to a first window module and the null directive to at least one second window module responsive to receiving a multi-selection stroke.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising directing the selection directive to a first window module and the deselection directive to at least one second window module responsive to receiving a uni-selection stroke.

30. A concurrent selection apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

means for communicating a directive to a plurality of window modules each configured to enter a selected state responsive to receiving a selection directive, to enter a deselected state responsive to receiving a deselection directive, and to maintain an existing state responsive to receiving a null directive, wherein the state of each window module is independent of and unaffected by the state and the change of state of the other window modules;

means for inputting a command; and

means for communicating the command to each of the window modules that is in the selected state.