SIMULTANEOUS INPUT SYSTEM FOR WEB BROWSERS AND OTHER APPLICATIONS

• US 20150200985A1
• Filed: 11/13/2014
• Published: 07/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T1V, Inc.
• Original Assignee: T1Visions, Inc.
• Inventors: FELDMAN, Michael R., MORRIS, James E., GILSON, Ron, EAGLIN, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,596,319 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display

Abstract

In a computing environment having a multiple input detection system including a detector that detects and transmits multiple simultaneous user inputs from different users at a same time, a method for processing inputs from different users across multiple application windows of one or more applications displayed on a single display of a user interface, resulting in a multi-user graphical user interface (GUI), the computing environment running an operating system (OS) designed to run with a single user GUI, the method including determining, in a primary application, separate from the OS, that a first user input corresponds to a first window and a second user input corresponds to a second window, the primary application sending the first and second user inputs to first and second secondary applications that run in parallel with the primary application, the first and second secondary applications being designed to run with the OS.

Claims

1. In a computing environment, the computing environment having a multiple input detection system including a detector that detects and transmits multiple simultaneous user inputs from different users at a same time, a method for processing inputs from different users across multiple application windows of one or more applications displayed on a single display of a user interface, resulting in a multi-user graphical user interface (GUI), the computing environment running an operating system (OS) designed to run with a single user GUI, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input from the detector;

simultaneous to receiving the first user input from the detector, receiving a different second user input from the detector;

determining, in a primary application, separate from the OS, that the first user input corresponds to a first window;

the primary application sending the first user input to a first secondary application that runs in parallel with the primary application, the first secondary application being designed to run with the OS;

determining a first user input event from the first user input;

displaying a result of the determined first user input event in the first window associated with the first secondary application;

determining, in the primary application, that the second user input corresponds to a second window;

the primary application sending the second user input to a second secondary application that runs in parallel with the primary application, the second secondary application being designed to run with the OS;

determining a second user input event from the second user input; and

displaying a result of the determined second user input event on the second window associated with the second secondary application.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second secondary applications are a same type of application.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second secondary applications are web browser applications.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary application distributes user inputs to the first and second secondary applications while bypassing the OS.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary application receives user inputs from the detector before the OS receives the first user input.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the primary application distributes user inputs to the first and second secondary applications through the OS.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising starting up the first and second secondary applications in invisible windows by the primary application.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, further comprising providing a first user account and corresponding login information for the primary application, the primary application running in the first user account, the primary application logging into a second user account for the first secondary application within the second user account and starting the first secondary application, display information from the first secondary application or an entirety of a desktop for the second user being transferred to the primary application to be displayed by the primary application in a window on the display and input information is transferred by the primary application to the first secondary application or to the desktop for the second user.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the primary application is in a first computer running a first operating system and the first and second secondary applications are in a second computer running a second operating system.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first operating system and second operating system are different types of operating systems.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input includes moving or resizing the first window and the second user input includes moving or resizing the second window.

12. In a computing environment, the computing environment having a multiple input detection system including a detector that detects and transmits multiple simultaneous user inputs from different users at a same time, a method for processing inputs from different users across multiple application windows of one or more applications displayed on a single display of a user interface, resulting in a multi-user graphical user interface (GUI), the single display having a canvas displaying multiple application windows, the method comprising:

dividing the single display into at least two section, each section providing an independent view of the canvas, wherein a canvas maneuver within a section affects only a view within that section.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the canvas maneuver includes at least one of panning, pinching and zooming.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein a window maneuver of a window within a section affects a view of the window for all sections viewing that window.

15. A system, including:

an interactive display including a sensor and a display; and

a computer in communication with the display, the computer including a sensor driver that responds to inputs from the sensor, wherein a gesture associated with maneuvering items on a canvas of the display performs the maneuvering depending on a location of the gesture and a state of the items, wherein;

the maneuvering is applied to an entirety of the canvas when the gesture is not adjacent the item,

the maneuvering is applied to the item itself when the gesture is adjacent the item and the item is not in select mode, and

the maneuvering is applied to contents of the item when the gesture is adjacent the item and the item is in select mode.