System and method for queues and space activation for toggling windows

• US 6,300,951 B1
• Filed: 01/12/2000
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Robyck, Frank J., Timon, Vincent T. III, Filetto, Thomas M., Martino, Gilford F.
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/481,621
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 345/343, 345/344, 345/345, 345/346, 345/326, 345/340, 345/348, 345/352-359, 345/145-146, 345/356-357, 345/327
• US Class Current: 715/797
• 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

Abstract

Rapid toggling of application windows to the forefront of a computer monitor. One or more queues are established by a user comprising indicia representative of a sequence of a plurality of open application windows. Sequential toggling among the windows of a given sequence is accomplished by actuating a mouse pointer positioned to the white space of any window within the given sequence.

Claims

1. Method for controlling the operation of a television display, comprising the steps of:

establishing in a first queue a first sequence of a plurality of open windows selectively containing computer applications and video displays;

establishing in at least one additional queue at least a second sequence of a plurality of open windows selectively containing computer applications and video displays;

responding to user first type activation of a selection device positioned to the white space of any window of either of said sequences to select and bring to the forefront the next window of said selected sequence; and

responding to user second type activation of said selection device positioned within the white space of any window in said sequence to bring to the forefront of said television display the previous window of said sequence.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said establishing step comprises the steps of:

responding to user input to establish a plurality of sequences and include within each of said sequences one or more window indicia.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising the further steps of:

responding to user activation of a selection device positioned to the white space of a window of a first sequence selectively to position to the forefront a previous or next window of said first sequence; and

responding to user activation of a selection device positioned to the white space of a window of a second sequence selectively to position to the forefront a previous or next window of said second sequence.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said activation is selected from the group consisting of a single click of a mouse button, a double click of said mouse button, at least one click of a first mouse button, at least one click of a second mouse button, a TV set button, a remote control device button, and keyboard key.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said sequence includes a main application window of a suite of video displays and application windows and a plurality of open windows associated with said main application window.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said main application window is one of a suite of applications.

7. System for controlling the operation of a TV monitor as computer monitor and TV display, comprising the steps of:

means for establishing in a queue at least one sequence of a plurality of open windows selectively containing running video and computer application displays; and

means responsive to user first type activation of a selection device positioned within the white space of any window of said sequence to bring to the forefront the next window of said sequence

means responsive to user second type activation of said selection device positioned within the white space of any window in said sequence to bring to the forefront the previous window of said sequence.

8. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for controlling the operation of a TV and computer monitor, said method steps comprising:

establishing in a queue at least one sequence of a plurality of open windows, each said window selectively containing a computer application or running video display;

responding to user first type activation of a selection device positioned to the white space of any window of said sequence to bring to the forefront the next window of said sequence; and

responding to user second type activation of said selection device positioned to the white space of any window in said sequence to bring to the forefront the previous window of said sequence.

9. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for controlling the operation of a TV monitor, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to establish in a queue at least one sequence of a plurality of open windows;

computer readable program code means for causing a computer to respond to user first type activation of a selection device positioned to the white space of any window of said sequence to bring to the forefront the next window of said sequence; and

respond to user second type activation of said selection device positioned to the white space of any window in said sequence to bring to the forefront the previous window of said sequence.

10. Method for controlling a TV display monitor, comprising the steps of:

establishing in a plurality of queues a plurality of sequences of open windows,

selecting and bringing to the forefront of said monitor a next window within a selected sequence by a first type activation of a pointing device positioned on the white space of any window in said selected sequence, and

selecting and bringing to the forefront of said monitor a previous window within a selected sequence by a second type activation of said pointing device positioned on the white space of any window in said selected sequence.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of selectively obtaining audio output from a source other than the window brought to the forefront.

12. The method of claim 10, said windows selectively presenting running video and computer application displays.