Windowed computer display

• US 5,812,132 A
• Filed: 09/09/1996
• Issued: 09/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sage Software Incorporated (Sage Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Prosoft Corporation (Click Start Associates Ltd.)
• Inventors: Goldstein, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/708,798
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 395/340, 395/343, 395/344, 395/345
• US Class Current: 715/797
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1091 Recording time for administrative or management purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1097 Task assignment

Abstract

A method of displaying graphical data on a display device of a computer system and a computer system employing the method. The method comprises the steps of: (1) forming a first window on the display device, the first window capable of displaying data associated with a first task executing on the computer system, the first window occluding a first portion of a total area of the display device, the first window being a currently active window and (2) forming a second window on the display device, the second window capable of displaying data associated with a second task executing on the computer system, the second window occluding a second portion of the total area of the display device and superseding the first window as the currently active window, the first window occluding the second window to an extent that the first portion overlaps the second portion, the first window continuing to present functions associated with the first task to the user while the user interacts with the second task, the first task automatically redesignating the second window as the currently active window when the user is not interacting with the first task.

Claims

1. A system for keeping time, comprising:

a memory device for storing application tasks for execution by said computer system;

a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to said memory device for executing selectable ones of said application tasks;

a display device coupled to said CPU and providing an area for displaying data associated with said selectable ones of said application tasks, said area capable of being divided into a plurality of windows, said plurality of windows providing regions within said area for displaying data associated with corresponding said selectable ones of said application tasks, said plurality of windows capable of occluding one another to denote foreground and background tasks on said computer system; and

a timekeeping task storable on said memory device and executable by said CPU as a background task, said timekeeping task capable of forming an associated timekeeping window in a foreground on said display device that;

is capable of occluding a portion of said plurality of windows, including a portion of a window corresponding to a foreground application task, and

allows a user continued access to a timekeeping function of said timekeeping task that is operating as said background task, said continued access allowed without requiring said timekeeping task to be made a foreground task.

2. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said timekeeping task operating as said background task counts time and said associated timekeeping window in said foreground allows continued access to a timer indicator that displays said counted time.

3. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 2 wherein said timekeeping task operating as said background task counts time with respect to a matter.

4. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 3 wherein said timekeeping task operating as a background task always controls said associated timekeeping window.

5. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said associated timekeeping window in said foreground allows said user to select said function of said timekeeping task operating as said background task.

6. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said associated timekeeping window allows continued access to said timekeeping function to allow said user to set a timer.

7. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said associated timekeeping window allows continued access to a timer indicator that is capable of measuring units of time.

8. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said timekeeping function is a timer and said associated timekeeping window allows continued access to allow said user to establish a timer.

9. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said timekeeping task operating as said background task allows said user to establish said region of said associated timekeeping window.

10. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said timekeeping task operating as said background task allows said user to select said function to be displayed in said associated timekeeping window.

11. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a plurality of timer indicators arranged in a button bar.

12. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 1 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a plurality of timer indicators, said timekeeping system stopping one of said plurality of timer indicators when another of said plurality of timer indicators is started.

13. The timekeeping system as recited in claim 11 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a timer indicator, said timekeeping task operating as said background task capable of allowing said user to label said timer indicator.

14. A method of operating a timekeeping system to display graphical data on a display device of said timekeeping system, comprising the steps of:

forming a first window on said display device, said first window capable of displaying data associated with a timekeeping task executing as a foreground task on said timekeeping system, said first window occluding a first portion of a total area of said display device, said first window being a currently active window; and

making said timekeeping task a background task on said timekeeping system when a second window is formed on said display device, said second window capable of displaying data associated with an application task executing on said timekeeping system, said second window capable of occluding a second portion of said total area of said display device and superseding said first window as said currently active window, said first window occluding said second window to an extent that said first portion overlaps said second portion, said first window continuing to present a timekeeping function associated with said timekeeping task to said user while said user interacts with said application task to allow said user continued access to said timekeeping function of said timekeeping task, still operating as said background task, without requiring said timekeeping task to be redesignated as said foreground task.

15. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said timekeeping task operating as said background task counts time and said method of operation further comprises the step of allowing continued access to a timer indicator that displays said counted time in said associated timekeeping window.

16. The method of operation as recited in claim 15 further comprising the step of counting time with respect to a matter.

17. The method of operation as recited in claim 16 wherein said timekeeping task operating as a background task always controls said associated timekeeping window.

18. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of allowing said user to select said timekeeping function of said timekeeping task operating as said background task.

19. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of allowing continued access to said timekeeping function to allow said user to set a timer.

20. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of allowing continued access to a timer indicator of said associated timekeeping window, said timer indicator capable of measuring units of time.

21. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said timekeeping function is a timer and said method of operation further comprises the step of allowing continued access to said associated timekeeping window to allow said user to establish a timer.

22. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of allowing said user to establish said region of said associated timekeeping window.

23. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 further comprising the step of allowing said user to select said timekeeping function to be displayed in said associated timekeeping window.

24. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a plurality of timer indicators arranged in a button bar.

25. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a plurality of timer indicators, said method of operation further comprising the step of stopping one of said plurality of timer indicators when another of said plurality of timer indicators is started.

26. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said associated timekeeping window contains a timer indicator, and said method of operation further comprising the step of allowing said user to label said timer indicator.

27. The method of operation as recited in claim 14 wherein said method of operation is embodied in a plurality of tasks executable by a computer system.