Display container cell modification in a cell based EUI

• US 20080189653A1
• Filed: 02/14/2006
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadband Graphics LLC
• Original Assignee: Axel M. Koenig, Steve D. Taylor
• Inventors: Koenig, Axel M., Taylor, Steve D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/792
• 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: G09G 2370/027 Arrangements and methods specific for the display of internet documents
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

In a cell based EUI, existing display container cells nested within a “host” display container cell are automatically shifted and/or downsized, if necessary, to increase available space to facilitate the creation of another display container cell nested within the “host” display container cell, in response to a request to perform the creation. Similar shifting and/or downsizing are performed to facilitate expansion of one of the nested display container cells; and shifting and upsizing are performed to facilitate contraction of one of the nested display container cells. In one embodiment, shifting and/or downsizing/upsizing are performed in view re-sizing priorities of the display container cells and attributes of a host display container cell governing placement and/or alignment of immediately nested display container cells. In one embodiment, an efficient extended boundary method is employed.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, a method of operation comprising:

receiving a request to add a first display container cell with a first container cell size to a cell based end user face of a display device, with the first display container cell being nested within a second display container cell with a second container cell size;

adding the first display container cell within the second display container cell, including at least one of

shifting one or more existing display container cells within the second display container cell to coalesce available space within the second display container cell, and

downsizing one or more of the existing display container cells to increase available space within the second display container cell,

in view of at least one of

re-sizing priorities of said first display container cell and said one or more display container cells of said second display container cell, and

one or more attributes of said second display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said shifting of the one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell comprises shifting the one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell to a corner of the second display container cell.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said downsizing of one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell comprises successively downsizing the existing display container cells of the second display container cell.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said successive downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell comprises successively downsizing the existing display container cells of the second display container cell in order of their relative priorities.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell comprises transforming the one or more of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell to their kernel forms.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell comprises transforming the one or more of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell to display action cells of an image icon type.

11. The method of claim 1, where said adding of the first display container cell within the second display container cell comprises adding the first display container cell with a third container cell size that is smaller than the first container cell size.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises upon adding the first display container cell within the second display container cell, performing at least one of

upsizing one or more downsized existing display container cells of the second display container cell, and

back-shifting one or more shifted existing display container cells of the second display container cell,

in view of at least one of

said re-sizing priorities of said one or more display container cells of said second display container cell, and

said one or more attributes of said second display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

3-4. -4. (canceled)

7-8. -8. (canceled)

13-14. -14. (canceled)

15. In a computing environment, a method of operation comprising:

receiving a request to expand a selected one of a plurality of display container cells nested within a host display container cell of an end user interface of a display device;

expanding the selected one of the nested display container cells, including at least one of

shifting one or more of the other nested display container cells to coalesce available space within the host display container cell, and

downsizing one or more of the other nested display container cells to increase available space within the host display container cell,

in view of at least one of

re-sizing priorities of the other display container cells of said host display container cell, and

one or more attributes of said host display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said shifting of the one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell comprises shifting the one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell to a corner of the host display container cell.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said downsizing of one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell comprises successively downsizing the nested display container cells of the host display container cell.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said downsizing of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell comprises transforming the one or more of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell to their kernel forms.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein said downsizing of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell comprises transforming the one or more of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell to display action cells of an image icon type.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises upon expanding the selected one of the nested display container cells, performing at least one of

upsizing one or more downsized nested display container cells of the host display container cell, and

back-shifting one or more shifted nested display container cells of the host display container cell,

in view of at least one of

said re-sizing priorities of the other display container cells of said host display container cell, and

said one or more attributes of said host display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

18. (canceled)

22-23. -23. (canceled)

24. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor to execute programming instructions; and

storage medium coupled to the at least one processor, having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions to be executed by said at least one processor to enable the apparatus to

receive a request to add a first display container cell with a first container cell size to a cell based end user face of a display device, with the first display container cell being nested within a second display container cell with a second container cell size;

adding the first display container cell within the second display container cell, including at least one of

shifting one or more existing display container cells within the second display container cell to coalesce available space within the second display container cell, and

downsizing one or more of the existing display container cells to increase available space within the second display container cell,

in view of at least one of

re-sizing priorities of said first display container cell and said one or more display container cells of said second display container cell, and

one or more attributes of said second display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said shifting of the one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell by shifting the one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell to a corner of the second display container cell.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of one or more existing display container cells of the second display container cell by successively downsizing the existing display container cells of the second display container cell.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said successive downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell by successively downsizing the existing display container cells of the second display container cell in order of their relative priorities.

28. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell by transforming the one or more of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell to their kernel forms.

29. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell by transforming the one or more of the existing display container cells of the second display container cell to display action cells of an image icon type.

30. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said adding of the first display container cell within the second display container cell by adding the first display container cell with a third container cell size that is smaller than the first container cell size.

31. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to upon adding the first display container cell within the second display container cell, perform at least one of

upsizing one or more downsized existing display container cells of the second display container cell, and

back-shifting one or more shifted existing display container cells of the second display container cell,

in view of at least one of

said re-sizing priorities of said one or more display container cells of said second display container cell, and

said one or more attributes of said second display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

32. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor to executing programming instructions; and

storage medium coupled to the at least one processor, having stored therein a plurality of programming instructions to be executed by said at least one processor to enable the apparatus to

receiving a request to expand a selected one of a plurality of display container cells nested within a host display container cell of an end user interface of a display device;

expanding the selected one of the nested display container cells, including at least one of

shifting one or more of the other nested display container cells to coalesce available space within the host display container cell, and

downsizing one or more of the other nested display container cells to increase available space within the host display container cell,

in view of at least one of

re-sizing priorities of the other display container cells of said host display container cell, and

one or more attributes of said host display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said shifting of the one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell by shifting the one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell to a corner of the host display container cell.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of one or more nested display container cells of the host display container cell comprises successively downsizing the nested display container cells of the host display container cell.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell by transforming the one or more of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell to their kernel forms.

36. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to perform said downsizing of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell by transforming the one or more of the nested display container cells of the host display container cell to display action cells of an image icon type.

37. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein said programming instructions further enable the apparatus to upon expanding the selected one of the nested display container cells, perform at least one of

upsizing one or more downsized nested display container cells of the host display container cell, and

back-shifting one or more shifted nested display container cells of the host display container cell,

in view of at least one of

said re-sizing priorities of the other display container cells of said host display container cell, and

said one or more attributes of said host display container cell governing at least one of placement and alignment of immediately nested display container cells.