PROVIDING ALTERNATIVE CONTENT IN A WINDOWED ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080155576A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Lili, Flake, Gary W., Chickering, David M., Horvitz, Eric J., Gounares, Alexander G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture or extension to a window manager. In particular, the extension can provide for a window rotation feature that can be exposed as a rotate button. Additionally or alternatively, the rotation feature can be activated based upon a diverse set of conditions, events, and/or commands. Upon activation of the rotation feature, the window manager can rotate a window about an axis to expose a secondary surface that can be populated with alternative content that is distinct from the content of the primary surface of the window. In addition, the architecture provides techniques for identifying both double-sided graphical objects and potentially double-sided objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system that extends an operating system window manager Application Programming Interface (API), comprising:

an operating system window manager configured to display a window and window contents associated with and included within a primary surface of the window; and

a rotation API that rotates the window about 180 degrees to expose a secondary surface of the window.

2. The system of claim 1, the window is a two-dimensional window with the primary surface initially visible and the secondary surface initially occluded entirely by the primary surface.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection component that selects alternative content for the window.

4. The system of claim 3, at least one of the window manager or the rotation API adapts the alternative content for display within the secondary surface of the window.

5. The system of claim 3, the alternative content is at least one of an advertisement, additional information associated with the window contents, the window contents according to a different format or schema, information associated with a product, service, or entertainment, a reward, an incentive, trivia, a game, or a puzzle.

6. The system of claim 3, the selection component selects the alternative content based upon at least one of a size or dimensions of the window, demographic information associated with a user, privacy-centric demographic information, historical data associated with a user, window contents, a location, a time, an advertising bidding model, or preferences selected by a user.

7. The system of claim 1, the window is rotated based upon an occurrence of an event.

8. The system of claim 7, the event is at least one of a command to minimize the window, a command to maximize the window, a command to close the window, a command to move the window, or a command to resize the window.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising an intelligence component that infers the event based upon at least one of a mouse position, a quantum of time, a determination of an active window, a percentage of the window that is occluded, or interaction with the window.

10. The system of claim 1, the rotation API instructs the window manager to display a rotate icon within the window.

11. The system of claim 1, the rotation API instructs the window manager to output an audio object as the window rotates.

12. A computer-implemented system that facilitates display of alternative content, comprising:

an analysis component that identifies a computer-based graphical object that is double-sided or potentially double-sided; and

a content component that selects alternative content to be displayed on a secondary side of the graphical object.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a rendering component that displays the alternative content on the secondary side of the graphical object.

14. The system of claim 13, the rendering component overwrites original content displayed on the secondary side with the alternative content.

15. The system of claim 12, the double-sided graphical object is a graphical representation of a playing card associated with a computer-based card game.

16. The system of claim 12, the potentially double-sided graphical object is a single-sided, two-dimensional window.

17. The system of claim 16, the window is displayed in a computer-based desktop environment.

18. A computer-implemented method for extending an operating system window manager API, comprising:

selecting alternative content to be displayed on a secondary surface of a graphical object; and

overlaying the secondary surface with the alternative content.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

identifying double-sided graphical objects;

identifying potentially double-sided graphical objects;

adapting the alternative content for display within the secondary surface of the graphical object;

or

rotating the graphical object to expose the secondary surface.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

implementing in an operating system window manager a window rotation feature;

exposing the window rotation feature by way of a rotation icon;

or

activating the window rotation feature based upon receiving an event, the event is at least one of a command or an inference.