Unified interest layer for user interface
First Claim
1. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
- detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a plurality of layer elements;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein at least one layer element comprises one selected from the group consisting of;
a flight tracker element;
a movie listings element;
a rental queue management element;
a translation element;
a unit conversion element;
a weather element; and
a stock quote element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A user-activatable dashboard (also referred to as a unified interest layer) contains any number of user interface elements, referred to herein as “widgets,” for quick access by a user. In response to a command from a user, the dashboard is invoked and the widgets are shown on the screen. The user can activate the dashboard at any time, causing the dashboard to temporarily replace the existing user interface display on the user'"'"'s screen. Once the dashboard has been activated, the user can interact with any or all of the widgets, and can configure the dashboard by adding, deleting, moving, or configuring individual widgets as desired. When the user wishes to return to the normal user interface he or she was working with, the user issues a command causing the dashboard to be dismissed. Once the dashboard has been dismissed, the previous user interface state is restored, allowing the user to resume normal interactions with the operating system.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a plurality of layer elements;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein at least one layer element comprises one selected from the group consisting of;
a flight tracker element;
a movie listings element;
a rental queue management element;
a translation element;
a unit conversion element;
a weather element; and
a stock quote element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a plurality of layer elements;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein at least one layer element comprises an animation. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A computer program product for presenting a unified interest layer in a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, the computer program product comprising:
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a computer-readable medium; and
computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;
detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a plurality of layer elements;
wherein at least one layer element comprises one selected from the group consisting of;
a flight tracker element;
a movie listings element;
a rental queue management element;
a translation element;
a unit conversion element;
a weather element; and
a stock quote element. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A system for presenting a unified interest layer in a computer system including a display screen, the system comprising:
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an input device for detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
a processor, for processing user input received from the user input device; and
a display screen, coupled to the processor and comprising an area displaying a user interface, the display screen for, responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a plurality of layer elements;
wherein at least one layer element comprises one selected from the group consisting of;
a flight tracker element;
a movie listings element;
a rental queue management element;
a translation element;
a unit conversion element;
a weather element; and
a stock quote element.
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19. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a flight tracker layer element for an airplane flight;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the flight tracker layer element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
airline;
flight number departure city;
arrival city;
scheduled departure time;
actual departure time;
scheduled arrival time;
actual arrival time;
gate;
flight status;
speed; and
altitude. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a movie information element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the movie information element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
movie titles;
movie descriptions;
theaters;
showtimes;
MPAA ratings;
quality ratings;
trailers; and
ticket purchasing functionality.
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25. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising an online rental queue management element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the online rental queue management element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
movie titles;
recommendations;
MPAA ratings;
quality ratings;
queue status;
movie availability;
trailers; and
queue management functionality.
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26. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a translation element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the translation element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
source and destination language selectors;
a first area for receiving text to be translated; and
a second area for displaying translated text.
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27. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a unit conversion element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the unit conversion element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
a selector for receiving a selection of the type of unit conversion to apply;
source and destination unit selectors;
a first area for receiving a value to be converted; and
a second area for displaying a converted value. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a weather element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the weather element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
a graphical representation of current weather conditions;
a textual representation of current weather conditions;
a graphical representation of a weather forecast; and
a textual representation of a weather forecast.
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30. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a method for presenting a unified interest layer, comprising:
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detecting a first trigger event for activating a unified interest layer;
responsive to the first trigger event;
temporarily inactivating the user interface; and
displaying, in the area of the display screen, a unified interest layer comprising a directory element;
detecting a second trigger event for dismissing the unified interest layer; and
responsive to the second trigger event;
dismissing the unified interest layer; and
reactivating the user interface;
wherein the directory element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of;
an input field for accepting input comprising at least one of a business name or category; and
an output field for presenting listing corresponding to the accepted input.
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31. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a flight tracker layer element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the flight tracker layer element comprising:
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at least one selected from the group consisting of;
airline;
flight number departure city;
arrival city;
scheduled departure time;
actual departure time;
scheduled arrival time;
actual arrival time;
gate;
flight status;
speed; and
altitude; and
a graphical representation of a current position of the airplane.
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32. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a movie information layer element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the movie information layer element comprising:
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movie titles;
showtimes; and
at least one selected from the group consisting of;
movie descriptions;
theaters;
MPAA ratings;
quality ratings;
trailers; and
ticket purchasing functionality.
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33. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, an online rental queue management element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the online rental queue management element comprising:
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movie titles;
queue management functionality; and
at least one selected from the group consisting of;
recommendations;
MPAA ratings;
quality ratings;
queue status;
movie availability; and
trailers.
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34. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a translation element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the translation element comprising:
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source and destination language selectors;
a first area for receiving text to be translated; and
a second area for displaying translated text.
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35. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a unit conversion element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the unit conversion element comprising:
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a selector for receiving a selection of the type of unit conversion to apply;
source and destination unit selectors;
a first area for receiving a value to be converted; and
a second area for displaying a converted value. - View Dependent Claims (36)
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37. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a weather element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the weather element comprising:
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a graphical representation of current weather conditions;
a textual representation of current weather conditions;
a graphical representation of a weather forecast; and
a textual representation of a weather forecast.
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38. In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a directory element for presentation in a unified interest layer selectively overlaying the user interface, the directory element comprising:
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an input field for accepting input comprising at least one of a business name or category; and
an output field for presenting listing corresponding to the accepted input.
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Specification