Method and apparatus for accessing information and items across workspaces
First Claim
1. A method of accessing information across multiple workspaces displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) executing in a computer system comprising the steps of:
- associating a first sliding panel with an application;
defining in said GUI a first closed representation of said first sliding panel along an edge of said GUI and a second closed representation of a second sliding panel along said edge of said GUI;
displaying an open representation of said first sliding panel in said GUI when a panel activation event occurs, output from said application being displayed in said open representation of said first sliding panel, said open representation of said first sliding panel remaining extended along said edge of said GUI while active, said first closed representation of said first sliding panel disappearing, said second closed representation of said second sliding panel remaining visible along said edge of said GUI.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A sliding panel configured along an edge of a GUI is associated with an application. When a panel activation event occurs, the panel slides into view, allowing the user to view the information generated by the application and to interact with the configured application. The panel automatically closes when a panel deactivation event occurs. Multiple panels can be attached to each edge of the GUI. The GUI is maintained such that the GUI representation of the sliding panel is always visible and accessible in a first portion of the GUI. A second portion of the GUI can be used to display workspace output. The content of the first portion of the GUI remains constant as a user switches from one workspace to another. The content of the first portion of the GUI therefore remains accessible from any workspace.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of accessing information across multiple workspaces displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) executing in a computer system comprising the steps of:
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associating a first sliding panel with an application; defining in said GUI a first closed representation of said first sliding panel along an edge of said GUI and a second closed representation of a second sliding panel along said edge of said GUI; displaying an open representation of said first sliding panel in said GUI when a panel activation event occurs, output from said application being displayed in said open representation of said first sliding panel, said open representation of said first sliding panel remaining extended along said edge of said GUI while active, said first closed representation of said first sliding panel disappearing, said second closed representation of said second sliding panel remaining visible along said edge of said GUI. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a configuration module capable of generating a sliding panel configuration that includes a specification of an application to run in said sliding panel; a selector module coupled to said configuration module configured to manage a sliding panel across multiple workspaces; a GUI coupled to said selector module for displaying said sliding panel and a plurality of windows of one of said multiple workspaces, when said sliding panel is selected, said GUI including an open representation of said sliding panel remaining extended along an edge of said GUI while active and closed representations of deactivated sliding panels, a closed representation of said sliding panel disappearing from said GUI when said sliding panel is activated. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An article of manufacture comprising:
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a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for accessing information across multiple workspaces displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to associate a sliding panel with an application; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to define in said GUI a first portion in which a GUI representation of said sliding panel is displayed and a second portion to display output from said multiple workspaces; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to activate said application when a panel activation event occurs, output from said application being displayed in an open representation of said sliding panel remaining extended along an edge of said GUI while active, said closed representation of said sliding panel disappearing from said GUI when said panel activation event occurs. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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Specification