Method to provide for virtual screen overlay
DCFirst Claim
1. In a computer system, a method for displaying user-created objects over images on a computer screen to simulate annotations and pointers over said images by one or more users, wherein said images are generated, controlled, and manipulated by one or more active application programs and the user-created objects include annotation objects and pointer objects where the annotation objects and pointer object for a particular user is of a particular color wherein an annotation object highlights a part of said images and a pointer objects directs to an area of said images, comprising the steps of:
- a) creating a transparent window appearing to be displayed over said images, said transparent window providing an environment for creation, manipulation, and deletion of user-created objects;
b) creating and displaying one or more of said user-created objects at user specified locations in said transparent window and storing data representing said user-created objects;
c) determining any overlapping portion of said user-created objects and displaying said overlapping portion of said user-created objects according to a predetermined hierarchy;
d) repeating step b and c until a first user command to close said transparent window is received; and
e) responding to said first user command by closing said transparent window and returning to said application programs.
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Abstract
The present invention in the form of a computer software program provides for a method for annotating over static images or annotating over active application programs. In the case of static images, user-created objects can be created, manipulated and placed over static images. In the case of annotating over application programs in a structured system environment such as in a windows environment, an overlay program embodying the present invention provides an overlaying method allowing the user to switch back and forth between the active application programs and the overlay program. When the overlay program has control, a screen-size, transparent window is created and annotations are created in this window. This transparent window allows the user to see the application programs on the screen. Thus, when creating annotations on this window, a visual perception is created that the annotations are on the images displayed by the application programs. When the user finishes annotating, the user can switch back to the active application programs with the option to hide the annotations or to display the annotations over the active application programs.
2285 Citations
24 Claims
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1. In a computer system, a method for displaying user-created objects over images on a computer screen to simulate annotations and pointers over said images by one or more users, wherein said images are generated, controlled, and manipulated by one or more active application programs and the user-created objects include annotation objects and pointer objects where the annotation objects and pointer object for a particular user is of a particular color wherein an annotation object highlights a part of said images and a pointer objects directs to an area of said images, comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a transparent window appearing to be displayed over said images, said transparent window providing an environment for creation, manipulation, and deletion of user-created objects; b) creating and displaying one or more of said user-created objects at user specified locations in said transparent window and storing data representing said user-created objects; c) determining any overlapping portion of said user-created objects and displaying said overlapping portion of said user-created objects according to a predetermined hierarchy; d) repeating step b and c until a first user command to close said transparent window is received; and e) responding to said first user command by closing said transparent window and returning to said application programs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In a teleconferencing system providing an environment on a host computer wherein at least one remote computer at a different site can be electronically and communicative linked to pass data between said remote computer and said host computer, and including means for establishing at least one communication link between said host computer and said remote computer, user-interface means responsive to user commands for loading previously created frames of data for transmission to the remote computer and for allowing user creation of new frames of data, means for transmitting said frames of data from the host computer to said remote computer via said communication link, an improved control means for controlling said user-interface means, said improved control means implementing a method comprising the steps of:
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a) creating a transparent window appearing to be displayed over said images, said transparent window providing an environment for creation, manipulation, and deletion of one or more user-created objects; b) creating and displaying one or more of said user-created objects at user specified locations in said transparent window and storing data representing said user-created objects; c) determining any overlapping portion of said user-created objects and displaying said overlapping portion of said user-created objects according to a predetermined hierarchy; d) repeating step b and c until a first user command to close said transparent window is received; and e) responding to said first user command by closing said transparent window and returning to said application programs. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification