Dynamic graphical user interface for a desktop environment

• US 20060095865A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mohamed A. Rostom
• Original Assignee: Mohamed A. Rostom
• Inventors: Rostom, Mohamed A.
• Application Number:
  US10/982,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) for a computer desktop environment that provides access to a plurality of services through a menu that is displayed in a large portion of the desktop environment independent of a taskbar. The menu comprises one or more icons arranged in a pattern and that represent application programs, access to configuration settings, access to data files, and/or access to a submenu. A submenu comprises one or more images arranged in a pattern relative to an associated icon and represent additional services and/or further menu levels. A submenu is displayed when a user hovers a cursor over the associated icon or with other indications. A system configuration cache defines relationships between menu levels and points to graphic data comprising the menu and submenus. A menu manager controls interaction with the menu and enables desktop shortcuts to be toggled on and off.

Claims

1. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

detecting selection of a graphical button displayed within a taskbar, wherein the graphical button enables a user to access a plurality of services of a computer desktop environment; and

displaying a menu of the services in a display area that is visually independent of the taskbar.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the menu comprises displaying the menu in one of:

a central portion of the display area; and

a side portion of the display area that is not occupied by the taskbar.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to drag the menu to any location in the display area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu comprises at least one of an icon and a text description for least one of:

initiating execution of an application program upon selection of the at least one of the icon and the text description;

accessing data upon selection of the at least one of the icon and the text description; and

accessing a next level of the menu upon detection of a cursor over the at least one of the icon and the text description.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the at least one of the icon and the text description are arranged within a background area.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the background area is one of a circular background and an elliptical background.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a cursor over the at least one of the icon and the text description, which corresponds to the next level of the menu; and

displaying the next level of the menu as at least one tab located at a periphery of the background area.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one tab includes at least one of a tab icon and a tab text description for at least one of:

initiating execution of an application program upon selection of the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description;

accessing data upon selection of the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description; and

accessing a further level of the menu upon detection of a cursor over the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting selection of a shortcut option from the menu;

moving all desktop shortcuts from a desktop directory to a temporary directory; and

removing all shortcut icons from the display area that is visually independent of the taskbar, wherein each shortcut icon is associated with a desktop shortcut.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting selection of a shortcut option from the menu;

moving all desktop shortcuts from a temporary directory to a desktop directory; and

displaying all shortcut icons in the display area that is visually independent of the taskbar, wherein each shortcut icon is associated with a desktop shortcut.

11. A machine readable medium storing machine instructions that cause a processor to perform the operations of claim 1.

12. A system for providing a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

a processor;

a display in communication with the processor;

an input device in communication with the processor and enabling a user to control a cursor and select graphical elements displayed in the display; and

a memory in communication with the processor and storing machine instructions that cause the processor to perform the operations of;

detecting selection of a graphical button displayed within a taskbar, wherein the graphical button enables a user to access a plurality of services of a computer desktop environment; and

displaying a menu of the services in a display area that is visually independent of the taskbar.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of displaying the menu in one of:

a central portion of the display area; and

a side portion of the display area that is not occupied by the taskbar.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of enabling a user to drag the menu to any location in the display area.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of displaying in the menu at least one of an icon and a text description for least one of:

initiating execution of an application program upon selection of the at least one of the icon and the text description;

accessing data upon selection of the at least one of the icon and the text description; and

accessing a next level of the menu upon detection of a cursor over the at least one of the icon and the text description.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of arranging the at least one of the icon and the text description within a background area.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operations of:

detecting a cursor over the at least one of the icon and the text description, which corresponds to the next level of the menu; and

displaying the next level of the menu as at least one tab located at a periphery of the background area.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to perform the operation of displaying in the tab at least one of a tab icon and a tab text description for at least one of:

initiating execution of an application program upon selection of the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description;

accessing data upon selection of the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description; and

accessing a further level of the menu upon detection of a cursor over the at least one of the tab icon and the tab text description.

19. A method for toggling access to a desktop shortcut in a computer desktop graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

detecting selection of a shortcut option in the computer desktop GUI;

moving the desktop shortcut from a desktop directory to a temporary directory; and

removing the shortcut icon from a display area of the computer desktop GUI, wherein the shortcut icon is associated with the desktop shortcut.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting selection of the shortcut option in the computer desktop GUI;

moving the desktop shortcut from the temporary directory to the desktop directory; and

displaying the desktop shortcut icon in the display area.