User interface enhancement for windows-based operating systems

• US 6,396,487 B1
• Filed: 03/23/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Jameson, David Henry
• Primary Examiner(s): Huynh, Ba
• Application Number:
  US09/046,222
• Publication Number:
  US 20020054133A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,527 Days
• Field of Search: 345/339,340,348,342,349,354
• US Class Current: 715/788
• 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: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A more convenient way to resize an application window on a computer display screen which also facilitates movement of the window are provided new icons, called a “corner” icon and a “scroll” icon, in the title bar of the window. Instead of moving the cursor to an edge or corner of the window to resize the window, the user simply clicks on the new “corner” icon and drags the icon to resize the window. This mechanism allows other enhancements. For example, an optional magnification factor allows the window to be resized in an amount proportional to a multiple factor of the actual cursor movement. Thus, small changes in cursor movement result in large changes in the window size. The reverse is also useful to allow very precise window positioning. Similarly, the user simply clicks on the new “scroll” icon and drags the icon to scroll and pan the displayed content of the window. As with the resizing operation, an optional magnification can be applied to the scrolling operation.

Claims

1. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

corner”

icon used for resizing the window.

2. The user interface enhancement recited in claim 1 wherein the “

corner”

icon is displayed in a title bar of the window and, upon release by the user of said holding control, the cursor is redisplayed in the title bar adjacent the “

corner”

icon to facilitate a movement of the window after resizing the window.

3. The user interface enhancement recited in claim 2 wherein the step of responding is performed by the steps of:

storing coordinate information of the window; and

sending resize messages containing new coordinates of the lower right corner of the window calculated based on changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor.

4. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

scroll”

used for scrolling and panning a content of the window.

5. The user interface enhancement recited in claim 4 wherein the step of responding is performed by the steps of:

storing coordinate information of the window; and

sending scroll messages containing new coordinates of the content of the window calculated based on changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor.

6. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor,

wherein the value is greater than one allowing said continuous change to be more rapid, and

wherein the selected icon is used for positioning the window on the computer display screen.

7. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor,

wherein the value is greater than one allowing said continuous change to be more rapid, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

scroll”

icon for scrolling and panning a content of the window, said value greater than one allowing for rapid scrolling and panning of the content of the window.

8. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor,

wherein the value is greater than one allowing said continuous change to be more precise, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

scroll”

icon for scrolling and panning a content of the window, said values less than one allowing for slow scrolling and panning of the content of the window.

9. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor,

wherein the value is greater than one allowing said continuous change to be more rapid, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

corner”

icon for resizing the window, said value greater than one allowing for rapid resizing of the window.

10. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor,

wherein the value is greater than one allowing said continuous change to be more precise, and

wherein the selected icon is a “

corner”

icon for resizing the window, said value less than one allowing for slow resizing of the window.

11. A user interface enhancemrnt to a windowing display system for a computer operating sysstem in which a cursor is controlled by a mouse, the enhancement being a method comprising the steps of:

displaying one or more icons in a bar of a window on a computer display screen, said bar being just for such icons;

enabling a coninuous change in said window by user selection of one of said icons, said selection being accomplished by pressing a control of said mouse while said cursor is on said icon;

responding to a user holding said selection and moving the mouse controlled cursor to preform said continuous change to the display window, wherein parameter values controlling said continuous change are determined by movement of said mouse controlled cursor, measures of said mouse controlled cursor movement producing corresponding changes in said parameter values, said holding being accomplished by continuing to press said control on said mouse, said icon remaining in place on the bar, said mouse controlled cursor not being fixed during said movement to a location on said window;

upon a release by the user of said holding control, redisplayed a cursor in the bar adjacent the icon to facilitate further selections from the bar by the user,

further including the step of optionally scaling detected changes of the position of the mouse controlled cursor by a value other than one,

wherein the step of responding to a user moving the mouse controlled cursor includes the step of calculating said continuous change based on detected changes in a position of the mouse controlled cursor, and

wherein said one or more icons include a “

corner”

icon used for resizing the window and a “

scroll”

icon for scrolling and panning a content of the window.

12. The user interface enhancement recited in claim 11 wherein the “

corner” and

“

scroll”

icons are displayed in a title bar of the window.