Method and apparatus for a multi-state window

• US 6,252,595 B1
• Filed: 06/28/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATI International SRL (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.), Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilks, Barry, Birmingham, Blair B. A.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US09/340,755
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339, 345/340, 345/343, 345/344, 345/345, 345/346, 345/348, 345/113, 345/114, 345/435
• US Class Current: 715/803
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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 and apparatus for a multi-state window is accomplished by presenting a multi-state window on a computer screen in various states. In a given state, or ghost state, the multi-state window for providing video and/or graphics is provided on screen in a translucent form. In the translucent form, a window overlapped by the multi-state window will be shown and remain in focus. When a user input is received in the overlapped portion, a multi-state window driver associated with the multi-state window will provide the input to the overlaid window, i.e., to its associated window driver or to the multi-state window driver depending upon the message type. If the user decides to activate the multi-state window, the multi-state window driver transforms the multi-state window from the translucent state to an in-focus state. When in the in-focus state, the user inputs are processed by the multi-state window driver and not provided to the overlaid window.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message via an interface, wherein the message identifies a multi-state window;

determining whether the message is a request to change state of the multi-state window;

when the message is not a request to change the state of the multi-state window, determining the state of the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a first state, and a cursor location is in a first region of the multi-state window, providing the message to a window driver for the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a second state,

providing the message to the window driver for another window when the cursor location is in a second region of the multi-state window, and

providing the message to the window driver for the multi-state window when the cursor is in the first region of the multi-state window,

wherein the second region at least partially overlies another window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-state window is for displaying video.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first region is a control location associated with the multi-state window.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the control location is a graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the graphical user interface is for controlling video to be displayed in the multi-state window.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the control location overlies the another window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the message includes the cursor location.

8. A digital storage medium that stores programming instructions that perform the following operations:

receiving a message via an interface, wherein the message identifies a multi-state window;

determining whether the message is a request to change state of the multi-state window;

when the message is not a request to change the state of the multi-state window, determining a state of the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a first state, and a cursor location is in a first region of the multi-state window, providing the message to a window driver for the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a second state,

providing the message to the window driver for another window when the cursor location is in a second region of the multi-state window, and

providing the message to the window driver for the multi-state window when the cursor is in the first region of the multi-state window,

wherein the second region at least partially overlay another window.

9. A computer system comprising:

a central processing unit;

a memory coupled to the central processing unit;

video graphics processor coupled to the central processing unit;

a video graphics processor coupled to the central processing unit;

wherein the system includes commands for;

receiving a message via an interface, wherein the message identifies a multi-state window;

determining whether the message is a request to change state of the multi-state window;

when the message is not a request to change the state of the multi-state window, determining a state of the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a first state, and a cursor location is in a first region of the multi-state window, providing the message to a window driver for the multi-state window;

when the multi-state window is in a second state,

providing the message to the window driver for another window when the cursor location is in a second region of the multi-state window, and

providing the message to the window driver for the multi-state window when the cursor is in the first region of the multi-state window,

wherein the second region at least partially overlies another window.

10. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a message via an interface, wherein the message identifies a first window and a cursor location associated with the first window;

determining whether the cursor location is in a first region or a second region of the first window;

when the message is in the first region;

processing the message by a first window driver associated with the first window;

when the message is in the second region;

providing the message to a second window driver for processing,

wherein the second window driver is different than the first window driver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of determining is performed by the first window driver.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second window driver is associated with a second window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first region and the second region of the first window translucently overlay at least a portion of the second window.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first window is for displaying video data.