Optimal Window Placement System

• US 20190332226A1
• Filed: 04/27/2018
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vennam, Belinda M., Vennam, Ramratan, Reynolds, Spencer T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,642,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/452 Remote windowing, e.g. X-Window System, desktop virtualisation protocols for virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for managing windows in a computer system. The computer system tracks a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to a user input from a user. Characteristics are identified by the computer system for a current group of display devices. The computer system displays a group of the windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

Claims

1. A method for managing windows in a computer system, the method comprising:

tracking, by the computer system, a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to a user input from a user;

identifying, by the computer system, characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

displaying, by the computer system, a group of the windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking step comprises:

tracking, by the computer system, a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking step comprises:

detecting, by the computer system, a scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

assigning, by the computer system, a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

assigning, by the computer system, a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the tracking step comprises:

tracking, by the computer system, the directional movement of the information displayed for the set of applications within a plurality of different configurations for the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to the user input from the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying step comprises:

identifying, by the computer system, the characteristics for the current group of display devices in response to at least one of starting an application in the set of applications by the user or a change in a configuration of the current group of display devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying step comprises:

selecting, by the computer system, a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected; and

displaying, by the computer system, the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the current group of display devices is used for a first time by the user when an application is started.

9. A window display system comprising:

a computer system that tracks a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to a user input from a user;

identifies characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

displays a group of windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

10. The window display system of claim 9, wherein in tracking the directional movement, the computer system tracks a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

11. The window display system of claim 9, wherein in tracking the directional movement, the computer system detects a scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

assigns a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

assigns a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time.

12. The window display system of claim 11, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

13. The window display system of claim 9, wherein in tracking the directional movement, the computer system tracks the directional movement of information displayed for the set of applications within a plurality of different configurations for the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to the user input from the user.

14. The window display system of claim 9, wherein in identifying the characteristics for the current group of display devices, the computer system identifies the characteristics for the current group of display devices in response to at least one of starting an application in the set of applications by the user or a change in a configuration of the current group of display devices.

15. The window display system of claim 9, wherein in displaying the group of windows, the computer system selects a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected;

and displays the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

16. The window display system of claim 9, wherein the current group of display devices is used for a first time by the user when an application in the set of applications is started.

17. A computer program product for managing windows displayed in a computer system, the computer program product comprising:

a computer-readable storage media;

first program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for tracking a directional movement of information displayed for a set of applications within a group of display devices to form historical movement information, wherein the directional movement is in response to a user input from a user;

second program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for identifying characteristics for a current group of display devices; and

third program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for displaying a group of windows for the set of applications within the current group of display devices based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first program code comprises:

program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for tracking a scrolling of the information in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction for the set of applications within the group of display devices to form the historical movement information, wherein the scrolling of the information in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction is in response to the user input by the user.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the first program code comprises:

program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for detecting the scrolling of the information for the set of applications in response to the user input;

program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for assigning a set of current display affinities to the set of applications based on the scrolling of the information; and

program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for assigning a set of total display affinities for the set of applications using the set of current display affinities and a group of prior display affinities for the set of applications in which the set of current display affinities and the group of prior display affinities are weighed based on a length of time, wherein a total display affinity in the set of total display affinities for an application in the set of applications comprises a vertical score and a horizontal score.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the second program code comprises:

program code, stored on the computer-readable storage media, for selecting a display device within the current group of display devices for displaying a window for an application in the set of applications based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected; and

displaying, by the computer system, the window on the display device within the current group of display devices, wherein the window has a width and a height based on the historical movement information and the characteristics detected.