Displaying Information Using Expandable Widgets

• US 20150089416A1
• Filed: 11/10/2014
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Clic, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Clic, Inc.
• Inventors: ANDERSON, Donna Michelle
• Granted Patent: US 10,969,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• 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 3/0481 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range

Abstract

Displaying information is disclosed. A plurality of widgets is provided within a single interface. At least one widget in the plurality of widgets includes at least one resizing interface element. The one widget is associated with a first set of dimensions. A maximize request is received, through an interaction with the resizing interface element. A second set of dimensions is determined. At least one widget is displayed in an area defined by the second set of dimensions and within the single interface.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information, comprising:

providing, within a single display interface, a plurality of widgets, wherein at least one widget in the plurality of widgets is responsive to at least one resizing interface element, and associating the at least one widget in the plurality of widgets with a first set of predetermined dimensions and performing a single function or plurality of functions;

receiving, through an interaction with the resizing interface element, a widget auto-resizing request;

providing at least a second set of predetermined dimensions; and

in response to a single human interface function associated with the resizing interface element, using computer program instructions to cause the at least one widget to automatically display in an area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions within the existing display interface up to 100% of the provided display and within the single display interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, after displaying to the area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions, the widget retains full performance of the single function or plurality of functions demonstrated in the first set of predetermined dimensions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

upon returning to a size and position the widget occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions the widget retains full performance of the single function or plurality of functions demonstrated in the second set of predetermined dimensions;

or

upon returning to a size and position the widget occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions the widget retains full performance of the single function or plurality of functions originally demonstrated in the first set of predetermined dimensions.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the presenting of the widget in the second set of predetermined dimensions within the single display interface with the plurality of widgets is obstructed only by the change in display of the widget in the area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions without leaving the single display interface or opening a new display interface, and the user is allowed to interact with the content of the widget in both the first and second set of predetermined dimensions and the user is allowed to return the widget to the size and position it occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions by executing a single human interface function within the widget, thereby presenting the user interface with the remaining widgets visible again,

and wherein the at least one widget allows users full interactivity of the at least one widget within the single display interface in the first set of predetermined dimensions and the second set of predetermined dimensions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the presenting of the widget in the second set of predetermined dimensions within the single display interface with the plurality of widgets is obstructed only by the change in display of the widget in the area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions without leaving the single display interface or opening a new display interface, and allowing the user to interact with the content of the widget in both the first and second set of predetermined dimensions and allowing the user to return the widget to the size and position it occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions responsive to said at least one resizing interface element, thereby presenting the user interface with the remaining widgets visible again,

and wherein the at least one widget allows users full interactivity of the at least one widget within the single display interface in the first set of predetermined dimensions and the second set of predetermined dimensions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an auto-maximize request, with the second set of predetermined dimensions up to 100% of the provided display; and

in responsive to the auto-minimize request, displaying the at least one widget with the plurality of widgets simultaneously viewable.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing an auto-minimize request, with the second set of predetermined dimensions smaller than the first set of predetermined dimensions and smaller than the dimensions of the single display interface; and

in response to the auto-minimize request, displaying the at least one widget with the plurality of widgets simultaneously viewable.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an auto-resizing request option, with customization performed by inputting a set of values for the second set of predetermined dimensions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of widgets are fully functional and any content thereof is accessible in the first and second sets of predetermined dimensions.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a function to change the position of any of the plurality of widgets through at least one of a maximize, minimize, and restore function; and

providing a function to permit the user to customize the content of any of the plurality of widgets by making the widget hideable or deleteable by selecting resizing interface elements within said widget within the single display interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the human interface function comprises at least one of the interface functions selected from the group consisting of a mouse click, functional interactivity with a screen element, functional interactivity with a device element, a toggle button, and a computer programmed screen feature.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing said single display interface as a shared display interface.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the widget comprises a functional display element capable of responding to a human interface function by resizing from a first set of dimensions to a predetermined second set of dimensions.

14. A method for displaying information, comprising:

providing, within a single shared display interface, a plurality of widgets

wherein updates to at least one of the plurality of widgets causes new content to be displayed in at least one other of the widgets while simultaneously visible in the same single display interface.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein updates to any of the plurality of widgets generate a interface indication in at least one of the widgets.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the interface indication comprises an alert, a notification or the equivalent.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing said single display interface as a shared display interface.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the widget comprises a functional display element capable of responding to a human interface function by resizing from a first set of dimensions to a predetermined second set of dimensions.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the widget comprises a functional display element capable of responding to a human interface function by resizing from a first set of dimensions to a predetermined second set of dimensions.

19. A system for displaying information, comprising:

a processor configured to;

provide, within a single shared display interface, a plurality of widgets, wherein at least one widget in the plurality of widgets includes at least one resizing interface element and wherein the at least one widget in the plurality of widgets is associated with a first set of predetermined dimensions and performs a single function or plurality of functions;

receive, through an interaction with the resizing interface element, a widget auto-resizing request;

determine a second set of predetermined dimensions; and

responsive to the auto-widget resizing request, use computer program instructions to cause the at least one widget to automatically display in an area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions within the existing display interface up to 100% of the provided display and within the single display interface as a single human interface function, and, after displaying to the area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions, to retain full performance of the single function or plurality of functions demonstrated in the first set of predetermined dimensions by returning to a size and position it occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions while retaining full performance of the single function or plurality of functions demonstrated in the second set of predetermined dimensions, thereby presenting the widget in the second set of predetermined dimensions within the single display interface with the plurality of widgets obstructed only by the change in display of the widget in the area defined by the second set of predetermined dimensions without leaving the single display interface or opening a new display interface, and allowing the user to interact with the content of the widget in both the first and second set of predetermined dimensions and allowing the user to return the widget to the size and position it occupied in the first set of predetermined dimensions by executing a single human interface function, thereby presenting the user interface with the remaining widgets visible again,

wherein the at least one widget allows users full interactivity of the at least one widget within the single display interface in the first set of predetermined dimensions and the second set of predetermined dimensions; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.