Secondary user interface

• US 6,330,010 B1
• Filed: 11/13/1998
• Issued: 12/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ostendo Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: xSides Corporation
• Inventors: Nason, David D, OʼRourke, Thomas C, Campbell, Scott J
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/191,322
• Time in Patent Office: 1,124 Days
• Field of Search: 345/127, 345/339, 345/343-345, 345/346, 345/802, 345/805, 345/790
• US Class Current: 715/802
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/16 the pattern of rectangular co-ordinates extending over the whole area of the screen, i.e. television type raster
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/165 Details of a display terminal using a CRT, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto details suitable for both CRT and flat panel G09G5/003; specific for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2310/061 for resetting or blanking
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/02 Graphics controller able to handle multiple formats, e.g. input or output formats
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3611 Control of matrices with row and column drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/397 Arrangements specially adapted for transferring the contents of two or more bit-mapped memories to the screen simultaneously, e.g. for mixing or overlay G09G5/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for creating and accessing a graphical user interface in the overscan area outside the area of the display normally utilized by the common operating systems. This normal display area is generally known as the “desktop”. The desktop serves as a graphical user interface to the operating system. The desktop displays images representing files, documents and applications available to the user. The desktop is restricted in the common environments to a predetermined set of resolutions (e.g., 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768) as defined by VGA and SVGA standards. Displayable borders outside this area are the overscan area.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data on a video display system in conjunction with a user interface that occupies at least a portion of a first display area, the fist display area being accessible by a computer operating system, the video display system having a total displayable area of which the first display area is a part, comprising:

modifying the total displayable area of the video display system by adjusting the parameters of the video display system to include a second display area that is inaccessible by the computer operating system;

allocating the modified displayable area between the first display area and the second display area;

writing the data to the second display area in accordance with the allocation of the modified displayable area so that the data is displayed on the video display system in conjunction with the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the allocating of the modified displayable area decreases the size of the portion of the displayable area that is accessible by the operating system relative to the size of the total displayable area.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the modified displayable area is larger than before modification.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the modified displayable area is larger than before modification and the allocating of the modified displayable area increases the size of the first display area that is accessable by the operating system.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the increased size of the first display area accessible by the opening system is not a standard video resolution mode size.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifying of displayable area further comprises adjusting the parameters of the video display system to increase the number of displayable pixels in at least one dimension of the displayable area to less than or equal to the maximum number of pixels that can be effectively displayed by the video display system.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusting the parameters of the video display system is performed using techniques that address pixels in an overscan area of the video display system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the data is displayed in at least a portion of pixels in the overscan area and includes a movable pointer that moves in relation to user input.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the pointer has an associated tip that is positioned outside of a cursor activation point associated with the tip, the cursor activation point remaining within the first display area while the pointer is displayed within the image.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the adjusted parameters are control parameters for a controller of a cathode ray tube display.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the modified displayable area is enlarged to include a second display area by increasing the number of displayable pixels in at least one dimension of the displayable area.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is vertical and the data is displayed below the user interface.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is vertical and the data is displayed above the user interface.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is horizontal and the data is displayed to the left of the user interface.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is horizontal and the data is displayed to the right of the user interface.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is both horizontal and vertical and the data is displayed on a vertical side of the user interface and on a horizontal side of the user interface.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the modifying of the total displayable area by adjusting the parameters of the video display system to include the second display area increases the displayable area to a standard resolution supported by the video display system.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting of the parameters and the allocating of the modified displayable area further comprises:

intercepting a request from the operating system to use a first higher video resolution mode;

requesting the video display system to use a second higher video resolution mode that is higher than the first higher video resolution mode;

allocating to the first display area the portion of the displayable area that corresponds to the first higher video resolution mode; and

allocating to the second display area for displaying the data the increased displayable area between the first higher video resolution mode and the second higher video resolution mode.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting of the parameters and the allocating of the modified displayable area further comprises:

intercepting a request from the operating system to use a higher video resolution mode that is higher than a current resolution mode;

allocating to the first display area the displayable area that corresponds to the current resolution mode; and

allocating to the second display area for displaying the data the increased displayable area between the higher video resolution mode and the current video resolution mode.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting of the parameters and the allocating of the modified displayable area further comprises:

intercepting a request from the operating system to use a first higher video resolution mode;

requesting the video display system to use the first higher video resolution mode, thereby resulting in an increased total displayable area;

allocating to the first display area a portion of the increased displayable area; and

allocating to the second display area for displaying the data the remaining portion of the increased displayable area.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the data is displayed along with the user interface in a manner that prohibits the operating system from overwriting the portion of the data.

22. A display controller for enabling the display of a secondary user interface on a video display system in conjunction with a primary user interface presented by a separately controlled program on a first display area of the video display system, the video display system having a total displayable area, comprising:

display adjustment facility that modifies the total displayable area of the video display system by adjusting the parameters of the video display system to include a second display area that is inaccessible to the separately controlled program;

display allocation facility that allocates the modified displayable area between the first display area and the second display area; and

display transfer mechanism that writes the secondary user interface to the second display area in accordance with the allocation of the modified displayable area so that the secondary user interface is displayed in conjunction with the primary user interface.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the display allocation facility decreases the size of the portion of the displayable area that is accessible to the separately controlled program relative to the size of the total displayable area.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the display adjustment facility enlarges the total displayable area.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility enlarges the total displayable area and the display allocation facility increases the size of the display area that is accessible to the separately controlled program.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the increased size of the display area allocated to the first display area is not a standard video resolution mode size.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility modifies the displayable area by adjusting the parameters of the video display system to increase the number of displayable pixels in at least one dimension of the displayable area to less than or equal to the maximum number of pixels that can be effectively displayed by the video display system.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the display adjustment facility adjusts the parameters of the video display system using techniques that address pixels in an overscan area of the video display system.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the display transfer mechanism displays the secondary user interface in at least a portion of pixels in the overscan area with a movable pointer that moves in relation to user input.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the movable pointer has an associated tip that is positioned outside of a cursor activation point associated with the tip, the cursor activation point remaining within the first display area while the pointer is displayed within the secondary user interface.

31. The system of claim 27 wherein the parameters adjusted by display adjustment facility are control parameters for a controller of a cathode ray tube display.

32. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility enlarges the total displayable area to include a second display area by increasing the number of displayable pixels in at least one dimension of the displayable area.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is vertical and the secondary user interface is displayed below the primary user interface.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is vertical and the secondary user interface is displayed above the primary user interface.

35. The system of claim 32 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is horizontal and the secondary user interface is displayed to the left of the primary user interface.

36. The system of claim 32 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is horizontal and the secondary user interface is displayed to the right of the primary user interface.

37. The system of claim 32 wherein the dimension in which the number of displayable pixels is increased is both horizontal and vertical and the secondary user interface is displayed on a vertical side of the primary user interface and on a horizontal side of the primary user interface.

38. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility modifies the total displayable area to include the second display area by adjusting the parameters to increase the displayable area to a standard resolution supported by the video display system.

39. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility and display allocation facility further comprise

hooking mechanism that

intercepts a request form the separately controlled program to use a first higher video resolution mode;

requests the video display system to use a second higher video resolution mode that is higher than the first higher video resolution mode;

allocates to the first display area the portion of the displayable area that corresponds to the first higher video resolution mode; and

allocates to the second display area the increased displayable area between the first higher video resolution mode and the second higher video resolution mode.

40. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility and display allocation facility further comprise

hooking mechanism that

intercepts a request from the separately controlled program to use a higher video resolution mode that is higher than a current resolution mode;

allocates to the first display area the displayable area that corresponds to the current resolution mode; and

allocates to the second display area the increased displayable area between the higher video resolution mode and the current video resolution mode.

41. The system of claim 22 wherein the display adjustment facility and display allocation facility further comprise

hooking mechanism that

intercepts a request form the separately controlled program to use a first higher video resolution mode;

requests the video display system to use the first higher video resolution mode, thereby increasing the total displayable area;

allocates to the first display area a portion of the increased displayable area; and

allocates to the second display area the remaining portion of the increased displayable area.

42. The system of claim 22 wherein the display transfer mechanism displays at least a portion of the secondary user interface along with the primary user interface in a manner that prohibits the primary user interface from overwriting the portion of the secondary user interface.

43. The system of claim 22, wherein the display adjustment facility adjusts the parameters of the video display system by performing function calls to driver software of the video display system.

44. A computer readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor to display a secondary user interface on a video display system in conjunction with the display of a primary user interface of a separately controlled program presented on a first display of the video display system, the video display system having a total displayable area, by:

modifying the total displayable area of the video display system by adjusting the parameters of the video display system to include a second display area;

allocating the modified displayable area between the first display area and the second display area;

writing the secondary use interface to the second display area in accordance with the allocation of the modified displayable area so that the secondary user interface is displayed in conjunction with the primary user interface and is inaccessible to the separately controlled program.

45. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the allocating of the modified displayable area decreases the size of the portion of the displayable area that is allocated to the first display area relative to the size of the total displayable area.

46. The computer readable memory medium of claim 45 wherein the modified displayable area is enlarged.

47. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the modified displayable area is larger than before modification and the allocating of the modified displayable area increases the size of the first display area.

48. The computer readable memory medium of claim 47 wherein the increased size of the first display area is not a standard video resolution mode size.

49. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the modifying of displayable area further comprises adjusting the parameters of the video display system to increase the number of displayable pixels in at least one dimension of the displayable area to less than or equal to the maximum number of pixels that can be effectively displayed by the video display system.

50. The computer readable memory medium of claim 49 wherein the adjusting the parameters of the video display system is performed using techniques that address pixels in an overscan area of the video display system.

51. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the secondary user interface is displayed in at least a portion of pixels in the overscan area and includes a movable pointer that moves in relation to user input.

52. The computer readable memory medium of claim 51 wherein the pointer has an associated tip that is positioned outside of a cursor activation point associated with the tip, the cursor activation point remaining within the display area controlled by the primary user interface while the pointer is displayed within the secondary user interface.

53. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the modifying of the total displayable area of the video display system by adjusting the parameters to include the second display area increases the displayable area to a standard resolution supported by the video display system.

54. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein the adjusting of the parameters and the allocating of the modified displayable area is performed by:

intercepting a request from the primary user interface;

requesting the video display system to use different video resolution mode, thereby modifying the size of the displayable area; and

allocating the modified display area between the primary user interface and the secondary user interface.

55. The computer readable memory medium of claim 44 wherein at least a portion of the secondary user interface is displayed along with the primary user interface in a manner that prohibits the primary user interface from overwriting the portion of the secondary user interface.