CONTROLLING APPLICATION WINDOWS IN AN OPERATING SYSTEM

• US 20120235946A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Szilagyi, Zoltan C., Zotov, Alexander J., Duncan, Richard J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,066 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling the appearance of application windows on a computer display screen. A user identifies either an application window currently running on the computer or a new application to be started. The user also identifies a size, shape, and screen location by inputting a geometric shape, such as by drawing a rectangle with a pen or stylus input device, on the display screen. The appearance of the application window is set based on the geometric shape. The application window is resized and moved, for a currently running application, or created, for a new application, on the display screen.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

an area on a display screen; and

a user-delineated sub area of the area on the display screen, the user-delineated sub area defining where an application is presented.

2. A user interface as recited in claim 1, the user-delineated sub area including boundaries set by graphical input to the user interface.

3. A user interface as recited in claim 2, wherein the graphical input to the user interface comprises touch input.

4. A user interface as recited in claim 1, the user-delineated sub area including textual input to the user interface.

5. A user interface as recited in claim 4, wherein the textual input to the user interface comprises touch input.

6. A user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the application launches for presentation in the sub area.

7. A user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the user-delineated sub area manipulates a graphical presentation area for the application.

8. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes placing a presentation of the application in the user-delineated sub area.

9. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes replacing an existing presentation of the application with a presentation of the application in the user-delineated sub area.

10. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes moving an existing presentation of the application to the user-delineated sub area.

11. A user interface system configured to recognize input to control a computer and produce output to a display screen through operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a first user input identifying a target application;

receiving an indication of a second user input comprising a geometric shape; and

presenting, on the display screen, the target application running in an application window, the application window being based at least on the geometric shape.

12. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, at least one of the first user input and the second user input being received via a touch input device of the user interface system.

13. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, the first user input including textual input within boundaries of the geometric shape.

14. A user interface system as recited in claim 13, wherein the display screen includes a touch-sensitive display screen and the textual input comprises touch input received via the touch-sensitive display screen.

15. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, the operations further comprising, at least partly in response to receiving the indication of the first user input, launching the target application for presentation in the application window on the display screen.

16. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, wherein the geometric shape manipulates the application window for the target application.

17. A user interface system as recited in claim 16, wherein manipulation of the application window for the target application includes placing a presentation of the target application in the application window.

18. A user interface as recited in claim 16, wherein manipulation of the application window for the target application includes replacing an existing presentation of the target application with a presentation of the target application in the application window.

19. A method comprising:

receiving activation of a window definition mode;

receiving an indication of a selection an application;

receiving an indication of a user input including a graphical shape on a display screen; and

defining an application window corresponding to the graphical shape on the display screen; and

providing the application for display in the application window;

at the location on the display screen in a window corresponding to the geometric shape.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, the indication of user input including touch input.