COMPUTER INTERFACE HAVING A VIRTUAL SINGLE-LAYER MODE FOR VIEWING OVERLAPPING OBJECTS

• US 20130232445A1
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Louch, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,650 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/790
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A computer-human interface provides a mechanism to manage the available space of a computer display in a manner that facilitates navigation, among multiple windows that are overlaid upon one another. The interface includes a user-selectable mode in which the windows are rearranged, and resized if necessary, so that all open windows can be simultaneously viewed within the area of the display, thereby enabling any one of the windows to be easily selected for access. In effect, the presentation of the windows is “flattened” so that all windows appear at the same virtual depth, rather than overlapping one another. With this approach, there is no need to minimize windows in order to access one that is overlaid by another, thereby enabling the user to keep the content of all windows visible and accessible. Subsets of windows can be repositioned in the same manner, or all windows can be removed from the display area for access to desktop objects.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of displaying windows in a user interface for a computing device, the method comprising:

generating, for display, a plurality of windows arranged in a layered view such that at least two of the windows are generated for display at different virtual depths and such that at least one of the windows obscures at least a portion of at least one other of the windows;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a flattened view such that all of the windows are generated for display at the same virtual depth; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the flattened view, generating, for display, the windows in the layered view with the selected window at the forefront of the windows.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the windows are generated for display in the layered view at respective sizes and positions, and further comprising maintaining the proportional sizes of the windows, relative to one another, in the flattened view.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, for display, an animation in which the windows transition from the layered view to the flattened view.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, in response to the selection of the one of the windows in the flattened view, generating, for display, an animation in which the windows transition from the flattened view to the layered view with the selected window at the forefront of the windows.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the windows are generated for display in the flattened view such that none of the windows obscure one another.

7. The method according to claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of windows is associated with one of a plurality of application programs, and wherein a window associated with one of the plurality of application programs is currently active, and further comprising:

in response to receiving a second command, generating, for display, the windows in a second flattened view such that all of the windows associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are generated for display at the same virtual depth.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second flattened view such that all of the windows of the plurality of windows that are not associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are displayed at an opacity level that is less than the opacity level of the windows that are associated with the one of the plurality of application programs.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the windows are generated for display in the flattened view such that all of the windows of the plurality of windows that are not associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are displayed with zero opacity.

10. A computing device comprising:

computer-readable storage medium storing instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

generating, for display, a plurality of windows arranged in a layered view such that at least two of the windows are generated for display at different virtual depths and such that at least one of the windows obscures at least a portion of at least one other of the windows;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a flattened view such that all of the windows are generated for display at the same virtual depth; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the flattened view, generating, for display, the windows in the layered view with the selected window at the forefront of the windows.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the windows are generated for display in the layered view at respective sizes and positions, and further comprising maintaining the proportional sizes of the windows, relative to one another, in the flattened view.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the windows are generated for display in the flattened view such that none of the windows obscure one another.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of windows is associated with one of a plurality of application programs, and wherein a window associated with one of the plurality of application programs is currently active, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving a second command, generating, for display, the windows in a second flattened view such that all of the windows associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are generated for display at the same virtual depth.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second flattened view such that all of the windows of the plurality of windows that are not associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are displayed at an opacity level that is less than the opacity level of the windows that are associated with the one of the plurality of application programs.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the windows are generated for display in the flattened view such that all of the windows of the plurality of windows that are not associated with the one of the plurality of application programs are displayed with zero opacity.

16. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, are operable to cause one or more processors of a computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating, for display, a plurality of windows arranged in a layered view such that at least two of the windows are generated for display at different virtual depths and such that at least one of the windows obscures at least a portion of at least one other of the windows;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a flattened view such that all of the windows are generated for display at the same virtual depth; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the flattened view, generating, for display, the windows in the layered view with the selected window at the forefront of the windows.

17. A method of displaying windows in a user interface for a computing device, the method comprising:

generating, for display, a plurality of windows in a first view at respective sizes and positions, wherein at least one of the windows obscures another of the windows, and wherein each of the windows is associated with one of a plurality of application programs;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a second view such that at least a portion of each of the windows is visible and such that any of the windows that are associated with the same application program of the plurality of application programs are grouped together; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the second view, generating, for display, a third view returning the windows to the respective sizes and positions of the first view with the selected window moved to the forefront of the windows.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are located in a common area.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are generated for display at different virtual depths and in overlapping relationship to one another.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are arranged to allow for selection of any one of the windows.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

in response to receiving an indication that a cursor is arranged over at least a portion of one of the windows in the second view, generating, for display, a visual indication associated with the one of the windows.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein the received command comprises at least one of an indication of selection of at least one key of a keyboard, an indication of selection of a mouse button, an indication of movement of a cursor to a particular location, and a spoken command.

23. A computing device comprising:

computer-readable storage medium storing instructions; and

one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising;

generating, for display, a plurality of windows in a first view at respective sizes and positions, wherein at least one of the windows obscures another of the windows, and wherein each of the windows is associated with one of a plurality of application programs;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a second view such that at least a portion of each of the windows is visible and such that any of the windows that are associated with the same application program of the plurality of application programs are grouped together; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the second view, generating, for display, a third view returning the windows to the respective sizes and positions of the first view with the selected window moved to the forefront of the windows.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are located in a common area.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are generated for display at different virtual depths and in overlapping relationship to one another.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein the windows are generated for display in the second view such that any of the windows associated with the same application program are arranged to allow for selection of any one of the windows.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:

in response to receiving an indication that a cursor is arranged over at least a portion of one of the windows in the second view, generating, for display, a visual indication associated with the one of the windows.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the received command comprises at least one of an indication of selection of at least one key of a keyboard, an indication of selection of a mouse button, an indication of movement of a cursor to a particular location, and a spoken command.

29. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, are operable to cause one or more processors of a computing device to perform operations comprising:

generating, for display, a plurality of windows in a first view at respective sizes and positions, wherein at least one of the windows obscures another of the windows, and wherein each of the windows is associated with one of a plurality of application programs;

in response to receiving a command, generating, for display, the windows in a second view such that at least a portion of each of the windows is visible and such that any of the windows that are associated with the same application program of the plurality of application programs are grouped together; and

in response to selection of one of the windows in the second view, generating, for display, a third view returning the windows to the respective sizes and positions of the first view with the selected window moved to the forefront of the windows.