Suppressing Dialog Boxes

• US 20070294627A1
• Filed: 06/16/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sauve, Aaron J., Huang, Li-Hsin, Schreiner, Tony E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,873,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/760
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for browser software with a tabbed interface to suppress, or delay, the display of a dialog box that is initiated by an inactive, or background, tab. An indication may be provided to the user that a dialog box needing user attention may be provided. When that tab becomes active, and the web page on that tab becomes visible, the dialog box is then displayed. This suppression method may be applied to a variety of application programs.

Claims

1. A method of suppressing a user interface element comprising:

assigning a plurality of treads to a plurality of tabs displayed in a tabbed application such that an inactive tab attempting to display user interface element, of the plurality of tabs has a unique thread associated with it;

examining the unique thread to determine that an attempt to display a user interface element is being made;

suppressing display of the user interface element with a modal message loop; and

later displaying the user interface element in response to a signal.

2. The method of suppressing a user interface element of claim 1 in which the user interface element is a dialog box.

3. The method of suppressing a user interface element of claim 1 in which the tabbed application is a web browser.

4. A method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display comprising:

intercepting a request to display the user interface element;

determining the source of the request; and

deciding to display or delay the user interface element based on the source of the request.

5. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 4 in which the display is a tabbed interface web browser.

6. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 4 in which the user interface element is a dialog box.

7. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 4 in which the user interface element will be delayed if the source is an inactive tab.

8. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 4 in which the user will be signaled if the user interface element will be delayed.

9. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 8 in which the signal is a flashing tab.

10. The method of suppressing a user interface element from an inactive display of claim 5 in which the tabbed interface web browser uses a plurality of threads and a plurality of tabs such that each of the plurality of tabs has a unique thread.

11. The method of claim 10 in which the thread ID of the source of the request is used to determine the source of the request.

12. One or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon, comprising:

intercepting a request to display a user interface element from a display;

determining the source of the request; and

deciding to display or delay the user interface element based on the source of the request.

13. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 12 in which the display is a tabbed interface web browser.

14. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 12 in which the user interface element is a dialog box.

15. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 12 in which the user interface element will be delayed if the source is an inactive tab.

16. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 13 in which the tabbed interface web browser uses a plurality of threads and a plurality of tabs such that each of the plurality of tabs has a unique thread.

17. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 16 in which the thread ID of the source of the request is used to determine the source of the request.

18. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 12 in which the user will be signaled if the user interface element will be delayed.

19. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 18 in which the signal is a flashing tab.

20. The one or more computer-readable media having executable instructions stored thereon of claim 18 in which the signal is an audible beep.