Method and Apparatus for Dynamically Resizing Windows

• US 20090144653A1
• Filed: 11/24/2008
• Published: 06/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Randy Ubillos
• Original Assignee: Randy Ubillos
• Inventors: Ubillos, Randy
• Granted Patent: US 7,904,832 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for resizing windows and an apparatus for resizing windows. The method, in one embodiment, involves selecting a seam bordering a window, building a list of windows, and resizing more than one window in response to a single seam movement by a user. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is a computer readable medium comprising a computer program for resizing windows.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for resizing windows, said method comprising:

a) receiving selection of a seam bordering at least a first window;

b) based on the selected seam, identifying at least the first window and a second window that does not border the selected seam; and

c) in response to movement of the selected seam, resizing the identified windows.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said first and second windows are separate windows that do not encompass one another.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving selection of the seam comprises (i) detecting a cursor over the seam, (ii) starting a timer to determine how long the cursor has been over the seam, and (iii) changing a display of the cursor once the cursor has been over the seam for longer than a set period of time.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein said seam is a first seam, the method further comprising identifying a second seam that is continuous with said first seam based on said selection,

wherein identifying the windows further comprises identifying each window that borders said second seam for resizing.

25. The method of claim 21 further comprising identifying the direction of the seam movement,

wherein identifying the windows further comprise identifying any expanding or contracting windows for resizing that have not been identified.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein said first window comprises a display having an aspect ratio, wherein resizing the identified window comprises maintaining the aspect ratio of the display while resizing the first window in response to movement of the selected seam.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein said first and second windows are related windows, wherein resizing the identified windows comprises resizing said first and second windows proportionally to one another in order to maintain the relationship between said first and second windows.

28. A method for resizing windows, said method comprising:

a) receiving selection of a seam bordering at least one window;

b) based on the selected seam, identifying at least a resizable first window and at least a non-resizable second window, wherein said first and second windows are separate windows that do not encompass one another;

c) in response to movement of the selected, resizing the resizable first window while moving the non-resizable second window.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the resizable first window borders the selected seam and the non-resizable window does not border the selected seam.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein receiving selection of the seam comprises (i) detecting a cursor over the seam, (ii) starting a timer to determine how long the cursor has been over the seam, and (iii) changing a display of the cursor once the cursor has been over the seam for longer than a set period of time.

31. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for implementing a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), said GUI comprising;

a) a plurality of windows, wherein at least two windows in the plurality of windows are separate windows that do not encompass one another;

b) a set of seams for resizing multiple separate windows, a particular seam provided in said GUI when any two separate windows border one another, wherein a user selection of said particular seam causes the identification of at least the two separate windows and a user movement of said particular seam causes the identified windows to be resized.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of windows comprises at least a first window that includes a display having an aspect ratio, wherein the aspect ratio of the display is maintained when the first window is resized with a second window in response to movement of the seam.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein the plurality of windows comprises at least two separate windows that are related to one another, and wherein the relationship causes the two separate windows to be resized proportionally when the two separate windows are resized in response to movement of the seam.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 31, wherein said user selection of said particular seam further causes the identification of windows that border another seam that is continuous with said particular seam, wherein said user movement of the said particular seam further causes the windows that borders said continuous seam to be resized.

35. A method of providing a graphical user interface (“

GUI”

), said method comprising;

a) providing a plurality of windows, wherein at least two windows in the plurality of windows are separate windows that do not encompass one another;

b) providing a set of seams for resizing multiple separate windows, a particular seam provided in said GUI when any two separate windows border one another,

wherein a user selection of said particular seam causes the identification of at least the two separate windows and a user movement of said particular seam causes the identified windows to be resized.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the plurality of windows comprises providing at least a first window that includes a display having an aspect ratio, wherein the aspect ratio of the display is maintained when the first window is resized with a second window in response to movement of the seam.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the plurality of windows comprises providing at least two separate windows that are related to one another, and wherein the relationship causes the two separate windows to be resized proportionally when the two separate windows are resized in response to movement of the seam.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising providing a timer for (i) determining how long a cursor has been over the seam and (ii) changing a display of the cursor when the cursor has been over the seam for longer than a set period of time.

39. The method of claim 35, wherein said user selection of said particular seam further causes the identification of windows that border another seam that is continuous with said particular seam, wherein said user movement of the said particular seam further causes the windows that borders said continuous seam to be resized.

40. The method of claim 35, wherein providing the plurality of windows comprises providing at least one non-resizable window, wherein said set of seams is further for moving the non-resizable window.