Method and system for presenting functionally-transparent, unobstrusive on-screen windows

• US 20060061597A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hui, Alex
• Granted Patent: US 7,429,993 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/629
• 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

Abstract

Selected visual content is unobtrusively presented on a computing system display, so as not to obscure or prevent access to underlying content. The selected visual content may be designated from among various types of visual content by a user or by a program. The selected visual content is maintained as the topmost content so that it is not obscured by other visual content. In addition, the selected visual content is rendered to be at least partially visually transparent and functionally transparent, preferably using functionality already included in an operating system used by the computing system. The selected visual content can thus be viewed by a user while the user is still able to see and work with the other visual content on the display that may underlie the selected visual content, enabling the user to work more efficiently and make better use of the display.

Claims

1. A method for unobtrusively presenting selected visual content on a display that is coupled to a computing system to present an output thereof and on which other visual content is presented, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating the selected visual content from among a plurality of different types of visual content presentable by the computing system on the display;

(b) presenting the selected visual content in a region of the display;

(c) rendering the selected visual content as to enable a user to direct input to the other visual content even when the selected visual content at least partially occupies the region of the display; and

(d) enabling the computing system to respond to the input directed to the other visual content as though the selected visual content were not being presented on the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected visual content is designated by at least one of:

(a) a user input; and

(b) a software program being executed by the computing system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected visual content presented includes at least one of:

(a) text;

(b) graphics;

(c) an open area;

(d) an image; and

(e) a video.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected visual content is presented in an overlay window on the display that is generated by an operating system executed by and controlling the computing system, and wherein the step of presenting the selected visual content on the display comprises the step of directing the operating system to apply attributes when presenting the overlay window to cause the operating system to render the selected visual content as to enable a user to direct input to the other visual content presented within the region and enable the computing system to respond to the input directed to the other visual content as though the selected visual content were not being presented on the display.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of protecting the selected visual content from being masked by the other visual content in the region of the display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the selected visual content is protected from being masked by the other visual content by directing the operating system to apply an attribute that maintains the overlay window as a topmost window so that the other visual content is not presented over the selected visual content when the user directs input to the other visual content.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of rendering the selected visual content so that the selected visual content is at least partially visibly transparent, thereby enabling the user to view the other visual content through the selected visual content.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected visual content is rendered as partially visually transparent by changing at least one of an alpha value and a color key value in the attributes used to present the overlay window on the display.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the color key value is set such that a background color of the overlay window is not displayed.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of a plurality of attributes of the overlay window is not displayed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the attribute of the overlay window not displayed includes at least one of:

(a) a title bar;

(b) a system menu;

(c) a resizable border;

(d) a maximize button; and

(e) a minimize button.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of enabling adjustment of one of the alpha value and the color key value to vary a transparency of the overlay window.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the selected visual content is rendered as at least one of functionally and visually transparent by changing at least one of a layer attribute and a transparency attribute of the overlay window.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of causing the overlay window not to be listed in a list of windows currently available on the display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the list of windows currently available in the display includes a taskbar including taskbar buttons for windows currently available on the display other than the selected content.

16. A memory medium having machine executable instructions stored for carrying out the steps of claim 1.

17. A method for unobtrusively presenting selected visual content in a display under control of a computing system without affecting access to other content included in the display, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating an unobtrusive overlay window for presenting the selected visual content in response to one of a user input and control by a software program that is executing on the computing system;

(b) directing an operating system executed by and controlling the computer system to present the unobtrusive overlay window in a region of the display while enabling the user to engage other visual content presented by the computer system in the region by setting attributes of the unobtrusive overlay window, said attributes causing a plurality of steps to be carried out, including;

(i) protecting the selected visual content included in the unobtrusive overlay window from being masked by the other visual content;

(ii) rendering the selected visual content so as to enable the user to direct input to the other visual content as though the selected visual content were not being presented on the display and enabling the computing system to respond to input directed to the other visual content as though the unobtrusive overlay window were not presented in the display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected visual content presented in the display includes at least one of:

(a) text;

(b) graphics;

(c) an open area;

(d) an image; and

(e) a video.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein steps (b)(i) and (b)(ii) are carried out by functions provided in the operating system being executed by the computing system.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected visual content is protected from being masked by the other visual content by directing the operating system to maintain the unobtrusive overlay window as a topmost window so that the other visual content is not presented over the selected visual content in the display when the user directs input to the other visual content.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of rendering the unobtrusive overlay window as at least partially visually transparent, thereby enabling the user to view the other visual content through the unobtrusive overlay window;

and

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the unobtrusive overlay window is rendered as at least partially visually transparent by changing at least one of an alpha value and a color key value applied when rendering the unobtrusive overlay window.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the color key value of the unobtrusive overlay window is set such that a background color of the overlay window is not displayed.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein at least one of a plurality of attributes of the unobtrusive overlay window is not displayed.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the attribute of the overlay window not displayed includes at least one of:

(a) a title bar;

(b) a system menu;

(c) a resizable border;

(d) a maximize button; and

(e) a minimize button.

26. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of enabling adjustment of one of the alpha value and the color key value to selectively control an extent of the transparency of the unobtrusive overlay window.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the unobtrusive overlay window is rendered as at least one of functionally and visually transparent by changing at least one of a layer attribute and a transparency attribute of the unobtrusive overlay window.

28. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of causing the unobtrusive overlay window not to be listed in a list of windows currently available on the display.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the list of windows currently available in the display includes a taskbar including taskbar buttons for windows currently available on the display other than the selected content.

30. A memory medium having machine executable instructions stored for carrying out the steps of claim 17.

31. A method for presenting an unobtrusive overlay window in a display that is coupled to a computing system, without changing a window having other visual content and deemed as currently active when the unobtrusive overlay window is presented in the display, comprising the steps of:

(a) designating an unobtrusive overlay window for presenting a selected visual content, with one of a user input and a control logic implemented by a software program; and

(b) directing an operating system executed by and controlling the computer system to selectively set characteristics of the unobtrusive overlay window such that a user is able to engage other visual content presented by the computer system in a region occupied by the unobtrusive overlay window as though the unobtrusive overlay window were not present, the characteristics set causing a plurality of steps to be implemented, including;

(i) maintaining the unobtrusive overlay window as a topmost window so that the other visual content is not presented over the selected visual content on the display when the user directs input to the other visual content;

(ii) rendering the unobtrusive overlay window so that the unobtrusive overlay window is at least partially visually transparent by changing at least one of an alpha value and a color key value; and

(iii) passing user program input to the other visual content overlaid by the unobtrusive overlay window, thereby enabling the user to direct input to the other visual content as though the unobtrusive overlay window were not present on the display.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the selected visual content presented in includes at least one of:

(a) text;

(b) graphics;

(c) an open area;

(d) an image; and

(e) a video.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the user program input includes at least one of text, a control interaction, a movement of at least a component of the other visual content, and an interaction with the other visual content using a pointing device.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein at least one of a plurality of attributes of the unobtrusive overlay window is not displayed.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the attribute of the unobtrusive overlay window not displayed includes at least one of:

(a) a title bar;

(b) a system menu;

(c) a resizable border;

(d) a maximize button; and

(e) a minimize button.

36. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of enabling a user to adjust one of an alpha value and a color key value to selectively control a transparency of the unobtrusive overlay window.

37. The method of claim 31, further comprising the step of causing the unobtrusive overlay window not to be listed in a list of windows currently available on the display.

39. A memory medium having machine executable instructions stored for carrying out the steps of claim 31.

38. The method of claim 373, wherein the list of windows currently available in the display includes a taskbar including taskbar buttons for windows currently available on the display other than the selected content.

40. A system for unobtrusively presenting an overlay window on a display screen on which other visual content is presented, the system comprising:

(a) at least one user input device;

(b) a display;

(c) a processor in communication with the input device and the display;

(d) a memory in communication with the processor, the memory storing data and machine instructions that cause the processor to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) designating the selected visual content;

(ii) presenting the selected visual content in a region of the display; and

(iii) rendering the selected visual content as to enable a user to direct input to the other visual content even when the selected visual content at least partially occupies the region of the display; and

(iv) enabling the computing system to respond to the input directed to the other visual content as though the selected visual content were not being presented on the display.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the selected visual content is designated by one of:

(a) a user input; and

(b) a control asserted by a software program executed by the processor.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the selected visual content presented on the display includes at least one of:

(a) text;

(b) graphics;

(c) an open area;

(d) an image; and

(e) a video.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the selected visual content is protected from being masked by the other visual content by instructions in memory directing the processor to present the selected visual content in a topmost window so that the other visual content is not presented over the selected visual content when the user directs input to the other visual content.

44. The system of claim 40, wherein the selected visual content is rendered as at least partially visually transparent in response to instructions in memory directing the processor to set at least one of an alpha value and a color key value of the selected visual content to achieve said at least partially visually transparent rendering.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the instructions in memory further direct the processor to accept input from the at least one user input device to adjust the alpha value and the color key value to control a transparency of the window in which the selected visual content is presented.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the color key value is set such that a background color of the overlay window is not displayed.

47. The system of claim 40, wherein at least one of a plurality of attributes of the overlay window is not displayed.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the attribute of the overlay window not displayed includes at least one of:

(a) a title bar;

(b) a system menu;

(c) a resizable border;

(d) a maximize button; and

(e) a minimize button.

49. The system of claim 40, wherein the window in which the selected visual content is presented is rendered at least one of functionally transparent and partially visually transparent in response to instructions in memory directing the processor to change at least one of a layer attribute and a transparency attribute of the window.

50. The system of claim 40, further comprising instructions in memory directing the processor to cause the window in which the selected visual content is presented not to be listed in a list of windows currently available on the display.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the list of windows currently available in the display includes a taskbar including taskbar buttons for windows currently available on the display other than the selected content.