MANAGING GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE OBJECTS IN A COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090241031A1
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kleks, Amir, Klein, Ilan Israel Nahum, Gamaley, Vladimir
• Granted Patent: US 8,479,105 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/736
• 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: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Systems and methods for managing graphical user interface objects in a computing environment are provided. The method comprises monitoring activity status associated with a graphical user interface object instantiated in a computing environment in response to establishment of a communication session with a remote party; and changing display status of the graphical user interface object when a time threshold expires in relation to the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object.

Claims

1. A method for managing graphical user interface objects in a computing environment, the method comprising:

monitoring activity status associated with a graphical user interface object instantiated in a computing environment in response to establishment of a communication session with a remote party; and

changing display status of the graphical user interface object when a time threshold expires in relation to the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a first number of user interface objects are instantiated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a second number of instantiated user interface objects are in an inactive status.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is dependent on engagement status of the remote party in the communication session.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is busy for a predetermined time period.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is away for a predetermined time period.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is logged off for a predetermined time period.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising assigning a first remote party to a first class and a second remote party to a second class, wherein a first time threshold is assigned to the first class and a second time threshold is assigned to the second class.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising displaying status of one or more graphical user interface objects when the time threshold expires in relation to the activity status associated with said one or more graphical user interface object, so that a user may select at least one of said one or more graphical user interface objects to be closed.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising closing a respective communication session associated with the graphical user interface object when the time threshold expires.

11. A system for managing graphical user interface objects in a computing environment, the system comprising:

logic unit for monitoring activity status associated with a graphical user interface object instantiated in a computing environment in response to establishment of a communication session with a remote party; and

logic unit for changing display status of the graphical user interface object when a time threshold expires in relation to the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a first number of user interface objects are instantiated.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a second number of instantiated user interface objects are in an inactive status.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is dependent on engagement status of the remote party in the communication session.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is busy for a predetermined time period.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is away for a predetermined time period.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object is determined as inactive, if the remote party is logged off for a predetermined time period.

18. A computing program product comprising logic code for execution on a computing system, wherein execution of the logic causes the computing system to:

monitor activity status associated with a graphical user interface object instantiated in a computing environment in response to establishment of a communication session with a remote party; and

change display status of the graphical user interface object when a time threshold expires in relation to the activity status associated with the graphical user interface object.

19. The computing program product of claim 18 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a first number of user interface objects are instantiated.

20. The computing program product of claim 18 wherein at least one of the monitoring and the changing processes are activated in response to determining that a second number of instantiated user interface objects are in an inactive status.