Method and apparatus for displaying and accessing control and status information in a computer system

• US 6,493,002 B1
• Filed: 03/20/1997
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Christensen, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/821,004
• Time in Patent Office: 2,091 Days
• Field of Search: 395/345, 395/350, 395/352, 395/354, 395/326, 395/339, 395/340, 395/341, 395/973, 395/974, 345/348, 345/350, 345/352, 345/354, 345/326, 345/339, 345/340, 345/341, 345/973, 345/974, 345/700, 345/764, 345/771-772, 345/776-779, 345/781, 345/784, 345/788, 345/791, 345/798-800, 345/833, 345/856
• US Class Current: 715/779
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels

Abstract

An interactive computer-controlled display system having a processor, a data display screen, a cursor control device for interactively positioning a cursor on the data display screen, and a window generator that generates and displays a window on a data display screen. The window region provides status and control information in one or more data display areas. The individiual data display areas may be controlled through the use of controls and indicators on the control strip itself using cursor control keys.

Claims

1. An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising:

a processor;

a data display screen coupled to the processor;

a cursor control device coupled to said processor for positioning a cursor on said data display screen;

a window generation and control logic coupled to the processor and data display screen to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window region having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and

an indicia generation logic coupled to the data display screen to execute at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is sensitive to user input, and further wherein the window generation and control logic and the indicia generation logic use message-based communication to exchange information to coordinate activities of the indicia generation logic to enable interactive display activity.

2. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

3. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one display area is variably sized.

4. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein size of the first window region is variable.

5. The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that none of the plurality of display areas is visible.

6. The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that all of the plurality of display areas are visible.

7. The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that a portion of the plurality of display areas is visible.

8. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of the display areas only displays information.

9. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the display areas acts to provide access to control information when selected.

10. The display system defined in claim 9 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas displays an additional display element.

11. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

12. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

13. The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

14. An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising:

a processor;

a data display screen coupled to the processor;

a cursor control device coupled to said processor for positioning a cursor on said data display screen;

window generation and control logic coupled to the processor and data display screen to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window-region having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and

at least one indicia graphics generation logic coupled to the processor and the window generation and control logic, wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic generates user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area by executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules;

wherein the window generation and control logic determines when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user and signals said at least one indicia graphics generation logic in response to user selection, and further wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic initiates a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

15. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region is always visible to the user.

16. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

17. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein said at least one display area is variably sized.

18. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

19. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

20. The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

21. A method for generating control information comprising:

creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions;

generating a first window sized to accommodate a plurality of display areas for indicia resulting from executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules, wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, and wherein the first window is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated;

displaying the indicia in each of said plurality of display areas by executing one of a plurality of individual programming modules corresponding to each indicia;

selecting one of the indicia, wherein the selecting comprises a first programming module determining which of said plurality of display areas is selected and sending a message to a programming module of said plurality of individual programming modules responsible for generating a display of a selected indicia;

said programming module performing a function in response to a selection.

22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein one of said plurality of indicia comprises status information.

23. The method defined in claim 21 wherein one of said plurality of indicia comprises control information.

24. The method defined in claim 21 further comprising:

the first programming module requesting a set of features supported by said programming module, wherein said requesting comprises sending a first message to said programming module; and

said programming module returning a second message indicative of features supported by said programming module, such that said first programming module interacts with said programming module in response to user interaction with the first programming module based on indicated features as set forth by said programming module.

25. A system comprising:

a window generation and control logic to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window region having a plurality of display areas, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated;

an indicia generation logic coupled to the data display screen to execute at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is sensitive to user input, and further wherein the window generation and control logic and the indicia generation logic use message-based communication to exchange information to coordinate activities of the indicia generation logic to enable interactive display activity.

26. An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising:

a means for positioning a cursor on a data display screen;

a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and

a means for executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is-sensitive to user input, wherein an interactive display activity is enabled.

27. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

28. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas is variably sized.

29. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein size of the first window region is variable.

30. The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window region is sized such that none of the plurality of display areas is visible.

31. The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window regions is sized such that all of the plurality of display areas are visible.

32. The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window regions is sized such that a portion of the plurality of display areas is visible.

33. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas only displays information.

34. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas acts to provide access to control information when selected.

35. The display system defined in claim 34 wherein said at least one of the data areas display an additional display element.

36. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

37. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

38. The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all application layers.

39. An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising:

a means for positioning a cursor on said data display screen;

a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated;

a means for generating user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area;

a means for determining when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user; and

a means for initiating a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

40. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region is always visible to the user.

41. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

42. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein said at least one data display area is variably sized.

43. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

44. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

45. The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

46. A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for generating control information comprising:

creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions;

generating a first window sized to accommodate a plurality of display areas for indicia resulting from executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules, wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, and wherein the first window is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated;

displaying the indicia in each of the plurality of display areas by executing one of a plurality of individual programming modules corresponding to each indicia; and

selecting one of the indicia, wherein the selecting comprises a first programming module determining which of the plurality of display areas is selected and sending a message to a programming module of the plurality of individual programming modules responsible for generating a display of a selected indicia, and the programming module performing a function in response to a selection.

47. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 wherein ones of the indicia comprises status information.

48. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 wherein one of the indicia comprises control information.

49. The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 further comprising:

the first programming module requesting a set of features supported by said programming module, wherein requesting comprises sending a first message to said programming module; and

said programming module returning a second message indicative of features supported by said programming module, such that said first programming module interacts with said programming module in response to user interaction with the first programming module based on indicated features as set forth by said programming module.

50. A system comprising:

a means for window generation and control to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the means for window generation and control generates and displays a first window region having a plurality of display areas, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated;

a means for indicia generation coupled to the data display screen to execute at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is sensitive to user input, and further wherein the means for window generation and control and the means for indicia generation use message-based communication to exchange information to coordinate activities of the means for indicia generation to enable interactive display activity.