MANIPULATING THUMBNAILS OF WINDOWS

• US 20100138773A1
• Filed: 02/05/2010
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: SCHECHTER, GREG, FORTIER, CHRIS, SAKS, JEVAN
• Granted Patent: US 9,733,954 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/779
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A dynamic thumbnail corresponding to an application window is displayed that is capable of being modified based on modifications in the application window. The modifications of the dynamic thumbnail may be accomplished in real-time. In some embodiments, a dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to a user hovering a cursor over a taskbar button for a corresponding application window. In some embodiments, modifications to the dynamic thumbnail are reflected in the corresponding application window.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a taskbar with a plurality of taskbar buttons, each taskbar button corresponding to an active application window;

receiving input indicative of a user positioning a cursor over a first taskbar button in the taskbar, the first taskbar button corresponding to a first active application window;

upon receipt of the input, displaying a dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding to content of the first active application window; and

dynamically modifying the content of the dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of the first active application window.

2. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the content of the dynamic thumbnail is modified in real-time as the content of the first active application window is modified.

3. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the first active application window comprises a media player window, wherein the content of the media player window comprises a video being played, and wherein the content of the dynamic thumbnail corresponds to the video being played in the media player window.

4. The one or more computer storage media of claim 3, wherein the method further comprises:

minimizing the media player window, wherein the media player window has an associated media player application that continues to play the video; and

while the media play window is minimized, continuing to display the video in the dynamic thumbnail as the video continues to play in the media player application.

5. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail; and

modifying the first active application window based on the user input to the dynamic thumbnail.

6. The one or more computer storage media of claim 5, wherein receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises receiving user modifications to the content of the dynamic thumbnail;

and wherein modifying the first active application window comprises modifying the content of the first active application window based on the user modifications to the content of the dynamic thumbnail.

7. The one or more computer storage media of claim 5, wherein the first active application window comprises a calculator application window and the content of the dynamic thumbnail comprises a calculator corresponding with the calculator application window, wherein receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail causing a calculation result to be presented in the dynamic thumbnail, and wherein modifying the first active application window based on the user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises modifying the content of the first active application window to display the calculation result.

8. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving user input to minimize the dynamic thumbnail; and

upon receipt of the user input to minimize the dynamic thumbnail, minimizing the dynamic thumbnail.

9. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed adjacent to the first taskbar button.

10. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving further input indicative of the user positioning the cursor over a second taskbar button in the taskbar, the second taskbar button corresponding to a second active application window;

upon receipt of the input, displaying a second dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding to content of the second active application window; and

dynamically modifying the content of the second dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of the second active application window.

11. The one or more computer storage media of claim 1, wherein the dynamic thumbnail and the second dynamic thumbnail are displayed simultaneously.

12. A method implemented by a computing device comprising a processor and one or more computer storage media, the method comprising:

displaying a dynamic thumbnail corresponding with an active application window, the dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding with content of the active application window;

modifying the content of the dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of the active application window;

receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail; and

modifying the active application window based on the user input to the dynamic thumbnail.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises receiving user modifications to the content of the dynamic thumbnail;

and

wherein modifying the active application window comprises modifying the content of the active application window based on the user modifications to the content of the dynamic thumbnail.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the active application window comprises a calculator application window and the content of the dynamic thumbnail comprises a calculator corresponding with the calculator application window, wherein receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail causing a calculation result to be presented in the dynamic thumbnail, and wherein modifying the active application window based on the user input to the dynamic thumbnail comprises modifying the content of the active application window to display the calculation result.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to receiving input indicative of a user pressing a combination of keys on a keyboard

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a plurality of additional dynamic thumbnails corresponding with a plurality of additional active application windows are also displayed in response to receiving input indicative of the user pressing the combination of keys.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to receiving input indicative of a user positioning a cursor over a taskbar button in a taskbar, the taskbar button corresponding to the active application window.

18. One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

displaying a taskbar with a plurality of taskbar buttons, each taskbar button corresponding to an active application window;

receiving input indicative of a user pressing a combination of keys on a keyboard;

upon receipt of the input, displaying a plurality of dynamic thumbnails, each dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding to content of an active application window; and

dynamically modifying the content of at least one dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of a corresponding active application window.

19. The one or more computer storage media of claim 18, wherein the plurality of dynamic thumbnails are initially positioned based on an initial z-order associated with each dynamic thumbnail, and wherein the method further comprises changing the z-order associated with the plurality of dynamic thumbnails.

20. The one or more computer storage media of claim 18, wherein the plurality of thumbnails are cascaded.