Computer windows management system and method for simulating off-screen document storage and retrieval

• US 5,305,435 A
• Filed: 05/07/1993
• Issued: 04/19/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Bronson, Barry
• Primary Examiner(s): Herndon, Heather R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Breene, John E.
• Application Number:
  US08/057,938
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 395/155, 395/-161, 340/712-713, 340/723, 340/709-710, 345/119-121, 345/901
• US Class Current: 715/777
• 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

Abstract

A novel computer display interface which simulates familiar document handling activities based upon a unique display metaphor representative of a standard office filing system and work area of a desk. The display system includes multi-windows which are displayed in a central screen area designated for just active computer windows. The interface further includes designating the edge areas of the screen for displaying window tabs of inactive windows. The window tabs are arranged in a way to simulate an integrated filing system, and to provide a convenient method of organizing and viewing computer files.

Claims

1. A computer windows management system comprising:

a display screen having a central display area and having an edge area between the central display area and a boundary of the display screen, the central display area being designated for displaying computer windows;

means for displaying a window tab upon removal of a computer windows from the display screen that the window tab has an appearance of being attached to the computer window and such that the window tab is arranged along the edge area of the display screen;

cursor means under operator control for selecting among a plurality of windows tabs to display desired computer windows on the central display area of the display screen and for selecting computer windows to be removed from the display screen;

first means responsive to selection of a first window tab by the cursor means for manipulating a first computer window in a manner to simulate popping of the first computer window to the central display area from a non-displayed area completely beyond the boundary of the display screen in an absence of a user dragging the first computer window using the cursor means; and

second means responsive to the cursor means for manipulating a second computer window in a manner to gradually remove the second computer window completely from the display screen by simulating sliding of the second computer window from the central display area to a non-displayed area completely beyond the boundary of the display screen, the second means being in software communication with the means for display a window tab so that a second window tab appears along the edge area of the display screen in place of the completely removed second computer window.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said window tabs each resembles a tab used in an office file system.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising means under user control for modifying an image of each of the window tabs to be displayed, thereby visually distinguishing window tabs.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first memory for storing application programs and for storing files to be displayed upon selecting a computer window.

5. A method of managing computer windows for displaying stored data comprising:

providing a display screen having a plurality of window tabs for identifying computer windows, including a first window tab for identifying a first computer window, each window tab extending from a boundary of the display screen,

initiating an open command to open the first computer window for viewing stored data on the display screen, wherein initiating the open command includes directing a cursor to a window tab for identifying the first computer window, and

in response to the open command, simulating dragging a rectangular document from a non-displayed area completely beyond the boundary of the display screen without a user dragging the first computer window using a cursor device by displaying the first computer window on the display screen such that a first edge of the first computer window enters at a boundary of the display screen and moves in a direction away from the boundary of the display screen, while parallel second and third edges of the first computer window remain a fixed distance apart.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising initiating a close command to remove from the display the first computer window and, in response to the close command, moving the first edge of the first computer window back to the boundary of the display screen.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising displaying stored data within said first computer window during the movement of the first edge, the stored data moving along the display screen simultaneously with said first edge.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first window tab moves along the display screen simultaneously with the first edge during the displaying of the first computer window.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein the response to the open command further comprises removing the window tab corresponding to the first computer window from the display screen.

9. A method of managing computer windows of a computer system having a display screen, each computer window having a capability of being activated wherein information contained therein is displayed on the display screen, each computer window further having a capability of being inactivated wherein the computer window and information therein is removed from the display screen, the method comprising:

operating the computer system such that the display screen is organized into a central display area and an edge display area, including reserving the central display area from activating computer windows and further including displaying window tabs within the edge display area for identifying particular computer windows which have been inactivated, each window tab having an appearance of being coupled to each one of the computer windows;

generating computer files within a memory of the computer system such that each computer file is viewable within one of the computer windows;

viewing a first computer file, including generating an open command by designating a first window tab within the edge area;

activating a first computer window in response to the open command, including displaying the first computer file, further including simulating moving the first window tab from the edge display area toward the central display area from a non-displayed location entirely beyond an edge of the display screen into the central display area without a user dragging the first computer window using a cursor device; and

inactivating the first computer window including simulating moving of the first computer window such that the first computer window appears to move entirely beyond the edge of the display screen so that the window and information therein is removed from the display, and such that first window tab is displayed along the edge display area in place thereof.