Graduated Visual and Manipulative Translucency for Windows

• US 20080155438A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Silverman, Kim, Bonura, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,949,728 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/768
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing graphical user interfaces are described. Overlaid, information-bearing windows whose contents remain unchanged for a predetermined period of time become translucent. The translucency can be graduated so that, over time, if the window'"'"'s contents remain unchanged, the window becomes more translucent. In addition to visual translucency, windows also have a manipulative translucent quality. Upon reaching a certain level of visual translucency, user input in the region of the window is interpreted as an operation on the underlying objects rather than the contents of the overlaying window.

Claims

1. A method for rendering a window in a graphical user interface, comprising:

rendering the window at a first level of translucency; and

in response to a passage of a predetermined length of time during which no user input was received, rendering the window at a second level of translucency, wherein the second level of translucency is greater than the first level of translucency.

2. A method for rendering a window in a graphical user interface, comprising:

rendering the window at a first level of translucency; and

in response to a predetermined event, rendering the window at a second level of translucency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second level of translucency is greater than the first level of translucency.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first level of translucency comprises 0% translucency.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined event comprises a passage of a predetermined length of time during which no user input was received.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predetermined length of time is configurable.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the window presents information, and wherein the predetermined event comprises a passage of a predetermined length of time during which the presented information did not change.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the predetermined length of time is configurable.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the second level of translucency is less than the first level of translucency.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second level of translucency comprises 0% translucency.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined event comprises receipt of user input.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the window presents information, and wherein the predetermined event comprises a change in the presented information.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the first level of translucency is configurable.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the second level of translucency is configurable.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined event is configurable.

16. A machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed, perform a method that comprises:

rendering a window at a first level of translucency; and

in response to a predetermined event, rendering the window at a second level of translucency.

17. A computer system for rendering a window in a graphical user interface, the computer system comprising a processor configured to execute a method, the method comprising:

rendering the window at a first level of translucency; and

in response to a predetermined event, rendering the window at a second level of translucency.