User interface with multiple workspaces for sharing display system objects
DCFirst Claim
1. A system comprising:
- a display;
first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display;
display object means for generating first and second display objects;
the first workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the first display object is in the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;
the second workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the second display object is in the respective set of display objects of the second workspace; and
control means for accessing the first workspace data structure to cause the display to present the first workspace including the first display object;
the control means further being for accessing the second workspace data structure to cause the display to present the second workspace including the second display object;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the second display object is perceptible as the same tool as the first display object when the second workspace is presented after the first workspace.
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Abstract
Workspaces provided by an object-based user interface appear to share windows and other display objects. Each workspace'"'"'s data structure includes, for each window in that workspace, a linking data structure called a placement which links to the display system object which provides that window, which may be a display system object in a preexisting window system. The placement also contains display characteristics of the window when displayed in that workspace, such as position and size. Therefore, a display system object can be linked to several workspaces by a placement in each of the workspaces'"'"' data structures, and the window it provides to each of those workspaces can have unique display characteristics, yet appear to the user to be the same window or versions of the same window. As a result, the workspaces appear to be sharing a window. Workspaces can also appear to share a window if each workspace'"'"'s data structure includes data linking to another workspace with a placement to the shared window. The user can invoke a switch between workspaces by selecting a display object called a door, and a back door to the previous workspace is created automatically so that the user is not trapped in a workspace. A display system object providing a window to a workspace being left remains active so that when that workspace is reentered, the window will have the same contents as when it disappeared. Also, the placements of a workspace are updated so that when the workspace is reentered its windows are organized the same as when the user left that workspace. The user can enter an overview display which shows a representation of each workspace and the windows it contains so that the user can navigate to any workspace from the overview.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1. A system comprising:
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a display; first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display;display object means for generating first and second display objects;
the first workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the first display object is in the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;
the second workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the second display object is in the respective set of display objects of the second workspace; andcontrol means for accessing the first workspace data structure to cause the display to present the first workspace including the first display object;
the control means further being for accessing the second workspace data structure to cause the display to present the second workspace including the second display object;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the second display object is perceptible as the same tool as the first display object when the second workspace is presented after the first workspace. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of operating a system that includes:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;the method comprising the steps of; causing the display to present a first set of the display objects, the display objects of the first set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the first set of display objects including a switching display object and a first tool display object;while the first set of display objects is being presented, receiving a switch request signal from the input means, the switch request signal indicating selection of the switching display object; and responding to the switch request signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects and to begin presenting a second set of the display objects, the display objects of the second set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the second set of display objects including a second tool display object, the first and second tool display objects being perceptible as the same tool. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a system that includes:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display; anddisplay object means for generating first and second display objects;
the first workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the first display object is in the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;
the second workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that the second display object is in the respective set of display objects of the second workspace;the method comprising the steps of; causing the display to present the first workspace, the step of causing the display to present the first workspace comprising the substep of accessing the first workspace data structure so that the first workspace includes the first display object generated by the display object means; receiving a switch signal from the input means while the first workspace is being presented, the switch signal requesting a switch from the first workspace to the second workspace; responding to the switch signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first workspace and to begin presenting the second workspace, the step of responding to the switch signal comprising the substep of accessing the second workspace data structure so that the second workspace includes the second display object;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the second display object is perceptible as the same tool as the first display object. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A system comprising:
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a display; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects, each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features when presented on the display;
the plurality of display objects including first and second display objects;first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of the display objects;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display;first and second linking data structures;
the first linking data structure linking the first workspace data structure to the display object means so that the first display object is one of the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;
the second linking data structure linking the second workspace data structure to the display object means so that the second display object is one of the respective set of display objects of the second workspace;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the first and second display objects are perceptible as the same tool; andcontrol means for accessing the first workspace data structure and the first linking data structure to cause the display object means to generate the first display object when the first workspace is presented and for accessing the second workspace data structure and the second linking data structure to cause the display object means to generate the second display object when the second workspace is presented. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A method of operating a system that includes:
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a display; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects, each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features when presented on the display;
the plurality of display objects including first and second display objects;first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of the display objects;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display; andfirst and second linking data structures;
the first linking data structure linking the first workspace data structure to the display object means so that the first display object is one of the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;
the second linking data structure linking the second workspace data structure to the display object means so that the second display object is one of the respective set of display objects of the second workspace;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the first and second display objects are perceptible as the same tool;the method comprising the steps of; accessing the first workspace data structure and the first linking data structure to cause the display object means to generate the first display object when presentation of the first workspace begins; and accessing the second workspace data structure and the second linking data structure to cause the display object means to generate the second display object when presentation of the second workspace begins. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A system comprising:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features; andcontrol means for causing the display to present a first set of the display objects, the display objects of the first set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the first set of display objects including a switching display object and a first tool display object;
the signals from the user including a switch request signal indicating selection of the switching display object;
the control means further being for receiving the switch request signal from the input means;
the control means further being for responding to the switch request signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects and to begin presenting a second set of the display objects, the display objects of the second set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the second set of display objects including a second tool display object, the first and second tool display objects being perceptible as the same tool. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of operating a system that includes:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;first and second workspace data structures relating respectively to first and second workspaces that can be presented on the display;
each of the first and second workspaces including a respective set of the display objects;
the display objects of each respective set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when the respective workspace is presented on the display; and
the first workspace data structure being linked to the display object means so that a first one of the display objects is in the respective set of display objects of the first workspace;the method comprising the steps of; causing the display to present the first workspace, the step of causing the display to present the first workspace comprising the substep of accessing the first workspace data structure so that the first workspace includes the first display object generated by the display object means; while presenting the first workspace, receiving from the input means a switch signal requesting a switch from the first workspace to the second workspace and requesting a transfer of the first display object between the first workspace and the second workspace; and responding to the switch signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first workspace and to begin presenting the second workspace, the step of responding to the switch signal comprising the substeps of linking the second workspace data structure to the display object means so that a second one of the display objects is in the respective set of display objects of the second workspace and then accessing the second workspace data structure so that the second workspace includes the second display object;
the display object means generating the first and second display objects so that the second display object appears to be the same tool as the first display object. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
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56. A system comprising:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features; andcontrol means for causing the display to present a first set of the display objects, the display objects of the first set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the first set of display objects including a first tool display object;
the signals that can be received by the input means including a switch request signal requesting a switch from the first set of display objects to a second set of display objects;
the control means further being for responding to the switch request signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects and to begin presenting a second set of the display objects, the display objects of the second set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the second set of display objects including a second tool display object, the first and second tool display objects being perceptible as the same tool;
the control means further being for responding to the switch request signal by storing data indicating display characteristics of the first display object before causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. A method of operating a system that includes:
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a display; input means for receiving signals from a user; display object means for generating a plurality of display objects;
each of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;the method comprising the steps of; causing the display to present a first set of the display objects, the display objects of the first set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the first set of display objects including a first tool display object;while presenting the first set of the display objects, receiving from the input means a switch request signal requesting a switch from the first set of display objects to a second set of display objects; and responding to the switch request signal by causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects and to begin presenting the second set of the display objects, the display objects of the second set being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented on the display;
the second set of display objects including a second tool display object, the first and second tool display objects being perceptible as the same tool;
the step of responding to the switch request signal comprising the substep of storing data indicating display characteristics of the first display object before causing the display to cease presenting the first set of display objects. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62)
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Specification