User interface and method for maximizing the information presented on a screen

• US 6,512,529 B1
• Filed: 11/17/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kongsberg Geospatial Ltd. (Government of Norway)
• Original Assignee: Gallium Software Inc.
• Inventors: Gottstein-Puri, Annette, Janssen, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thai, Cuong T.
• Application Number:
  US09/367,677
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 345/781, 345/790, 345/794, 345/797, 345/802, 345/803, 345/808, 345/835, 345/840, 345/779, 345/837, 345/804, 345/856, 345/859, 345/860, 345/862, 345/806
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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

Abstract

A system provides a user interface for maximizing an amount of information presented on a computer generated display. The system includes a user interface management system (UIMS) that works with an operating system that manages the computer resources including a display screen and a user input device for tracking position. The UIMS is responsive to the user input device to effect changes in the computer generated display. The UIMS communicates with an application program using the user interface. The user interface has at least a first layer for displaying a primary dynamic image and a second layer for displaying a secondary dynamic image. The second layer has a plurality of display modes including a first mode corresponding to at least a portion of the second layer assuming an invisible state in the computer generated display. Selection of the display modes is effected by signals received from the user input device. Both the first and second layers are updated regardless of the mode of the second layer. The user interface is particularly applicable to air traffic control where the first layer is used for displaying a map plotting aircraft locations and the second layer is used for displaying various data concerning the aircraft, both being updated continuously.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a first display layer for presenting a primary dynamic image;

a display position indicator responsive to a user input device; and

a second display layer for presenting a secondary dynamic image related to the primary dynamic image and positionable relative thereto, the second display layer having visible and transparent modes and assuming the visible mode in accordance with a predetermined user selection, wherein the primary and secondary dynamic images are automatically updated regardless of position or mode of the second display layer.

2. The graphic user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mode of the second display layer is selected according to a position of a display position indicator.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 2, wherein the mode of the second display layer is visible when the position of the display position indicator is within a boundary of a display window of the second display layer.

4. The graphic user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user selection is one of a normally transparent mode, a timed mode, a locked mode, and a timed-icon mode, wherein for the normally transparent mode the second display layer is normally transparent, for the timed mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined period of time and then becomes transparent, for the locked mode the second display layer is locked in the visible mode, and for the timed-icon mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined period of time and then changes to an icon.

5. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 4, wherein the user selection is performed by depressing a prescribed button of the user input device.

6. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 5, wherein the user input device comprises buttons labeled normal, timed, locked, and timed-icon that correspond to the modes.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 4, wherein during the normally transparent mode, the second display layer becomes visible when a position of the display position indicator is within a boundary of a display window of the second display layer.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the is the primary dynamic image and the secondary dynamic image are updated without requiring a user command.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein a window of the second display layer is in the visible mode when the display position indicator is placed within a boundary of the window of the second display layer, and is in the transparent mode when the display position indicator is not within a boundary of the window of the second display layer.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein the window of second display layer remains in the visible mode for a prescribed period of time after the display position indicator has moved without the boundary of the window of the second display layer, and subsequently changes to the transparent mode.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the second display layer is normally displayed as a visible icon, wherein the second display layer is visible when the display position indicator is positioned over at least a portion of the visible icon, and remains visible for a prescribed period of time after the display position indicator is no longer positioned over at least a portion of the visible icon.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible title bar.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible window border.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible title bar and a visible window border.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible title bar.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible window border.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein the transparent mode of the second display layer comprises a visible title bar and a visible window border.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein when the second display layer is in the transparent mode, a title bar and a window frame are displayed to indicate where a contour of the second display layer will be located when the second display layer is in the visible mode.

35. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of display modes further comprises a locked mode in which the second display layer is locked in a visible state.

19. A system for providing a user interface for maximizing an amount of information presented on a computer generated display, comprising:

a user interface management system for receiving messages from an operating system that manages computer resources including a display screen and a user input device for tracking position, and in particular, messages in response to the user input device, and for sending messages to the operating system effecting changes in the computer generated display, and for receiving messages from and sending messages to an application program using the user interface;

wherein the user interface comprises at least a first display layer for displaying a primary dynamic image and a second display layer for displaying a secondary dynamic image, the second layer having a plurality of display modes including a first mode corresponding to at least a portion of the second layer assuming a transparent state in the computer generated display, and wherein the display mode is selected according to signals received from the user input device.

20. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the mode of the second display layer is selected according to a position of a display position indicator.

21. The graphical user interface of claim 20, wherein the mode of the second display layer is visible when the position of the display position indicator is within a boundary of a display window of the second display layer.

22. The system as claimed in claim 19, wherein the plurality of modes further comprises a normally transparent mode, a timed mode, a locked mode, and a timed-icon mode, wherein for the normally transparent mode the second display layer is normally transparent, for the timed mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined period of time and then becomes transparent, for the locked mode the second display layer is locked in the visible mode, and for the timed-icon mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined period of time and then changes to an icon.

23. The system as claimed in claim 22, wherein the user selection is performed by depressing a prescribed button of the user input device.

24. The system as claimed in claim 23, wherein the user input device comprises buttons labeled normal, timed, locked, and timed-icon that correspond to the modes.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 22, wherein during the normally transparent mode, the second display layer becomes visible when a position of the display position indicator is within a boundary of a display window of the second display layer.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein the primary dynamic image and the secondary dynamic image are updated without requiring a user command.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 26, wherein the primary and secondary dynamic images are updated independent of the display mode of the second layer, and independent of a position of the secondary dynamic image relative to the primary dynamic image.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein at least one of the plurality of display modes comprises a normal mode, wherein the second display layer is opaque when a position indicator is coincident with the second display layer, and wherein the second display layer is transparent when a position indicator is not coincident with the second display layer.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein at least one of the plurality of display modes comprises a timed mode, wherein the second display layer is opaque when the position indicator is coincident with the second display layer, wherein the second display layer remains opaque for a prescribed time period after the position indicator has changed from being coincident with the second display layer, and wherein the second display layer is transparent after the prescribed period of time has elapsed and the position indicator is not coincident with the second display layer.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 19, wherein at least one of the plurality of display modes comprises a timed-icon mode, wherein the second display layer is normally displayed as an opaque icon and changes to an opaque window when the position indicator is positioned over the opaque icon.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 30, wherein the second display layer remains in the opaque window state for a prescribed time period after the position indicator has been repositioned off of the opaque icon, and wherein the second display layer is displayed as the opaque icon after the prescribed time period has passed.

32. A graphical user interface for air traffic control, comprising:

a first display layer for presenting aircraft tracking display data;

a second display layer for presenting auxiliary data related to the aircraft tracking display data; and

a display position indicator responsive to a user interface device;

wherein

the second display layer has a plurality of display modes comprising a first mode in which at least a portion of the second display layer is transparent and a second mode in which the second displayer layer is opaque.

33. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 32, wherein the plurality of display modes further comprises a normally transparent mode in which at least a portion of the second display layer is transparent until the display position indicator is coincident with the second display layer.

34. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 32, wherein the plurality of display modes further comprises a timed mode in which the portion of the second display layer is transparent until the display position indicator is positioned coincident with the second display layer, the second display layer then remaining visible for a predetermined period of time after the display position indicator is no longer positioned coincident therewith, and the portion of the second display layer then becoming again transparent.

36. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 32, wherein the plurality of display modes further comprises a timed icon mode in which the second display layer is normally represented as a visible icon, and wherein the second layer is in a visible state when a position of the position indicator is coincident with the icon, and becomes transparent after a predetermined time period after the position of the position indicator is moved from the icon.

37. The graphical user interface of claim 32, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to dynamically update the first display layer and the second display layer without a user command.

38. The graphical user interface of claim 37, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to update the first and second display layers independent of the display mode of the second layer, and independent of a position of the second layer relative to information on the first layer.