Visual expression of a state of an application window

• US 20070016873A1
• Filed: 07/15/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lindsay, Donald
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,918 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 for changing a visual state of an application window representation is described. The method includes steps of displaying an application window representation with a default visual state, and changing the default visual state of the application window representation to one of at least two different visual states. The entirety of the application window representation or a portion of the application window representation may have a change to its visual state. The visual states may be a change in color, pattern, and/or texture. A group of visual states changes may correlate to an animation. Visual states may be defined by a default or user configurable. Visual states may change over time or in response to an event. Visual states may change back to a default state when the application window representation is accessed.

Claims

1. A method for changing a visual state of an application window representation, the method comprising steps of:

displaying an application window representation with a default visual state; and

automatically changing the default visual state of the application window representation to one of at least two different visual states.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the default visual state is defined by a user configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of changing the default visual state includes changing the default visual state of at least a portion of the application window representation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least two different visual states include a first visual state and a second visual state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first visual state is configured to express a higher need for attention than the second visual state.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of changing the one different visual state of the application window representation to another one of the at least two different visual states.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of changing the one different visual state of the application window representation occurs when a time threshold has been reached.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of at least two different visual states includes one of a different color, a different pattern, and a different texture from the default visual state.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of determining whether a first time threshold has been reached, wherein the step of changing the default visual state includes changing the default visual state based upon the determination that the first time threshold has been reached.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising steps of:

determining whether a second time threshold has been reached; and

changing the one different visual state of the application window representation to another one of the at least two different visual states based upon the determination that the second time threshold has been reached.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising steps of:

determining whether an input has been received to access an application window associated with the application window representation; and

changing the one different visual state of the application window representation to the default visual state in response.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the application window representation is an application window.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of receiving a command to change the default visual state.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the command correlates to a notification of an event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the event is a scheduled event.

16. A computer readable medium storing computer executable instructions for performing the method of claim 1.

17. A method for changing a visual state of an application window in a desktop space, the method comprising steps of:

displaying first and second application windows in a desktop space, the first application window being active and configured with a default active visual state, and the second application window being inactive and configured with a default inactive visual state;

receiving a first command to change the default inactive visual state of the second application window;

changing the default inactive visual state of the second application window to a different inactive visual state;

receiving a second command to change the different inactive visual state of the second application window; and

changing the different inactive visual state of the second application window to a second different inactive visual state, the second different inactive visual state being different from the default inactive visual state.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the step of changing the different inactive visual state of the application window representation occurs when a time threshold has been reached.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising steps of:

receiving a third command to access the second application window; and

redisplaying the first and second application windows in the desktop space, the first application window being inactive and configured with the default inactive visual state, and the second application window being active and configured with the default active visual state.

20. A software architecture stored on one or more computer-readable media for processing data representative of a visual state of an application window representation, comprising:

at least one component configured to change a default visual state of an application window representation to one of at least two different visual states; and

at least one application program interface to access the component.