Method and apparatus for displaying translucent overlapping graphical objects on a computer monitor

• US 6,356,281 B1
• Filed: 02/09/1995
• Issued: 03/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation
• Inventors: Isenman, Colin C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US08/386,033
• Time in Patent Office: 2,588 Days
• Field of Search: 395/135, 345/113, 345/114, 345/435, 345/443, 345/444, 345/419, 345/426, 345/427, 345/428, 345/629, 345/630, 345/631, 345/632
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method and apparatus for displaying translucent, overlapping graphical objects, e.g., windows, on a computer monitor. In the system, a graphical representation of a first object is displayed on the monitor of the computer. Then, a graphical representation of a second object is displayed on the monitor overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the first object. The system displays a vestigial representation of a portion of the first object obscured by the second object through the second object. Typically, the vestigial representation comprises an outline of the object, although other graphical representations could also be used. Moreover, multiple such overlapping objects may be displayed on the monitor in a similar manner. The system accepts a command from the user to identify and designate a lower level object as a top level object. In pen-based PCs, the command is a pen gesture, and preferably, the drawing of the Greek “gamma” character or γ.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information in a computer having a monitor attached thereto, comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a graphical representation of a first object on the monitor of the computer;

(b) displaying a graphical representation of a second object on the monitor of the computer overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the first object;

(c) altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the first object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(d) displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the second object.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 above, further comprising the steps of:

(e) displaying a graphical representation of a third object on the monitor of the computer overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the second object;

(f) altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the second object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(g) displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the second object through the third object.

3. The method as set forth in claim 2 above, further comprising the step of displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the third object.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 above, further comprising the step of entering a command to the computer to designate a lower level object as a top level object.

5. The method as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the command is a pen gesture.

6. The method as set forth in claim 4 above, wherein the step of entering a command further comprises the step of cycling the objects in response to the entered command.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6 above, wherein the step of cycling further comprises the steps of designating the lower-level object as the top level object and sequentially rotating other objects to a position as the lower-level object.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the top level object executes in the foreground of the system.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 above, wherein the lower level objects execute in the background of the system.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1 above, wherein the vestigial representation comprises an outline of the object.

11. An apparatus for displaying information in a computer with a monitor attached thereto, comprising:

(a) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a graphical representation of a first object on the monitor;

(b) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a graphical representation of a second object on the monitor overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the first object;

(c) means performed by the computer, for altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the first object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(d) means, performed by the computer, for displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the second object.

12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising:

(e) means, performed by the computer, for displaying a graphical representation of a third object on the monitor overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the second object;

(f) means, performed by the computer, for altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the second object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(g) means, performed by the computer, for displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the second object through the third object.

13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 12 above, further comprising means, performed by the computer, for displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the third object.

14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 above, further comprising means, performed by the computer, for entering a command to the computer to designate a lower level object as a top level object.

15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14 above, wherein the command is a pen gesture.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 above, wherein the means for entering a command further comprises means for cycling the objects in response to the entered command.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 above, wherein the means for cycling further comprises means for designating the lower-level object as the top level object and sequentially rotating other objects to a position as the lower-level object.

18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein the top level object executes in the foreground of the system.

19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 18 above, wherein the lower level objects execute in the background of the system.

20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 above, wherein the vestigial representation comprises an outline of the object.

21. A program storage medium readable by a computer having a monitor attached thereto, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for graphically displaying information in one or more windows on the monitor attached to a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) displaying a graphical representation of a first object on the monitor of the computer;

(b) displaying a graphical representation of a second object on the monitor of the computer overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the first object;

(c) altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the first object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(d) displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the second object.

22. The program storage medium of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

(d) displaying a graphical representation of a third object on the monitor of the computer overlaying and obscuring at least a portion of the second object;

(e) altering the graphical representation of the obscured portion of the second object to create a vestigial representation thereof; and

(f) displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the second object through the third object.

23. The program storage medium of claim 22, further comprising the step of displaying the vestigial representation of the obscured portion of the first object through the third object.

24. The program storage medium of claim 21, further comprising the step of entering a command to the computer to designate a lower level object as a top level object.

25. The program storage medium of claim 24 above, wherein the command is a pen gesture.

26. The program storage medium of claim 24 above, wherein the step of entering a command further comprises the step of cycling the objects in response to the entered command.

27. The program storage medium of claim 26 above, wherein the step of cycling further comprises the steps of designating the lower-level object as the top level object and sequentially rotating other objects to a position as the lower-level object.

28. The program storage medium of claim 21 above, wherein a top level object executes in the foreground of the system.

29. The program storage medium of claim 28 above, wherein lower level objects execute in the background of the system.

30. The program storage medium of claim 21 above, wherein the vestigial representation comprises an outline of the object.