Method of display categorization in a multi-window display

• US 5,796,403 A
• Filed: 09/27/1996
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Iac
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Iac
• Inventors: Adams, James S., Moore, Donald W., Holland, Richard C., Huntington, James C.
• Primary Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/720,347
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 395/343, 395/342, 395/333, 395/334, 395/340-347, 345/340, 345/343
• US Class Current: 715/803
• 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: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method of controlling a computer window display of a display system having a display surface of one or more physical screens, provides an integrated workspace wherein multiple applications are displayed, by category, in a coordinated, predetermined area of the display surface. In response to a request inputted to the display system, the requested application display is created. A category of the requested display is ascertained. A lookup is performed in a configuration file to find a match between the category of the requested display and an entry in the configuration file. When a match of categories is found, the display characteristic data is obtained to get the position and size of the display. A pointer points to the next available area of the display area for the category of interest, and the display is created to be positioned within the selected available window.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a computer window display of a display system having a display surface of one or more physical screens, the method providing an integrated workspace wherein multiple applications are displayed in a specific coordinated and predetermined area of the display surface in accordance to the category of display, comprising the steps of:

a) creating an application display in response to a request inputted to the display system;

b) determining the category of the requested display;

c) finding a match between the category of the requested display and an entry in a configuration file, the configuration file defining display characteristic, including position and size, by category, of predetermined display windows specified for the category of the requested display;

d) when a match is determined, selecting an available display window of predetermined display windows, from the configuration file, and creating data to position the requested display window within the specific area of display surface associated with the category of display.

2. A method of controlling a computer window display according to claim 1, where in the step of finding a match comprises the steps of:

a) searching the configuration file to obtain the match parameter;

b) comparing the match parameter to the category of the requested display;

c) when a match is found,

i) proceeding to step d) of claim 1;

otherwise

ii) repeating step a) of claim 2 until the entire configuration file i s searched.

3. A method of controlling a computer window display according to claim 1, wherein the step of creating an application display comprises the steps of:

a) decoding the request inputted;

b) fetching a display file corresponding to the requested input; and

c) obtaining the data required by the display file to create the application display.

4. A method of controlling a computer window display of a display system having a display surface of one or more physical screens, the method providing an integrated workspace wherein multiple applications are displayed in a specific coordinated and predetermined area of the display surface in accordance to the category of display, comprising the steps of:

a) receiving a request for display in accordance to an operator input, the request including a file name and associated data;

b) retrieving a display file responsive to the file name;

c) creating an application display in response to said display file and associated data;

d) determining the category of the requested display;

e) finding a match between the category of the requested display and an entry in a configuration file, the configuration file defining display characteristic, including position and size, by category, of predetermined display windows specified for the category of the requested display; and

f) when a match is determined, selecting an available display window of predetermined display windows, from the configuration file, and creating data to position the requested display window within the specific area of display surface associated with the category of display.