System and method for visually expressing user interface elements

• US 20060224986A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ligameri, Mark R., Lindsay, Donald J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,661,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/766
• 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

A method of visually expressing user interface elements on a display is provided which emphasizes those user interface elements which a user would be more interested in and deemphasizes those user interface elements which a user would be less interested in. Certain user interface elements, such as active elements, can be rendered in a sharp manner and be within a depth of field while other elements, such as inactive elements, can be rendered in a blurry manner and outside the depth of field.

Claims

1. A method for concurrently displaying a plurality of graphical user interface elements on a display screen, the method comprising:

rendering a first user interface element in a sharp, crisp manner; and

rendering a second user interface element in a blurry manner

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element is within a depth of field and the second user interface elements is outside the depth of field.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the depth of field is user configurable.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element is at the top of the Z-order of the user interface elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein after rendering the first and second user interface elements, the method further comprising responsive to a command, rendering the second user interface element in a sharp, crisp manner and rendering the first user interface element in a blurry manner without changing the Z-order of user interface elements.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a user interface element rendered in a sharp, crisp manner is an active user interface element and a user interface element rendered in a blurred manner is an inactive user interface element.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein rendering the first and second user interface elements in response to the command includes changing a focal point of a depth of field, wherein the second user interface element is within the depth of field and the first user interface element falls outside the depth of field, and wherein user interface elements within the depth of field are rendered in a sharp, crisp manner and user interface elements outside the depth of field are rendered in a blurred manner.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user interface element is at the top of Z-order of the user interface elements.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising rendering a third user interface element in a sharp, crisp manner.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first and third user interface elements fall within a depth of field and the second user interface element falls outside the depth of field.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein responsive to a command, changing the focal point of the depth of field, wherein the second user interface element is within the depth of field and at least one of the first and third user interface elements falls outside the depth of field, wherein user interface elements within the depth of field are rendered in a sharp, crisp manner and user interface elements outside the depth of field are rendered in a blurred manner.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein changing the focal point includes receiving a user input.

13. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for performing the method of claim 1.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element is an active window and the second user interface element is an inactive window.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element is a system generated dialog.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the system generated dialog is generated in response to an error condition.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface element is an alert.

18. A method for concurrently displaying a plurality of graphical user interface elements on a display screen, the method comprising:

rendering each interface element for which user interaction is currently permissible in a sharp manner and rendering each user interface element for which user interaction is currently impermissible in a blurry manner.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of rendering occur in response to receiving a command selecting an object, and wherein each user interface element for which user interaction is currently permissible is a target destination for the selected object.

20. A control for a graphical user interface for setting a depth of field for rendering user interface elements.