Method and apparatus for handling dismissed dialogue boxes

• US 6,590,593 B1
• Filed: 03/31/2000
• Issued: 07/08/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Czerwinski, Mary P., Robertson, George G., Risden, Kirsten C., Robbins, Daniel C., Hinckley, Kenneth P., van Dantzich, Maarten R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid, Kristine
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, THANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/539,817
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 345/757, 345/782, 345/848, 345/852, 345/850, 345/809, 345/837, 345/798
• US Class Current: 715/782
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for handling a dismissed dialogue box that displays an animation in which the dialogue box moves to an off-screen space beyond the perimeter of a computer display. Based on a later user request to view the dismissed dialogue box, the present invention provides a further animation that brings the off-screen space and the dialogue box into view. Under some embodiments, multiple dismissed dialogue boxes are stored in the off-screen space and the user can manipulate the boxes when viewing the off-screen space. In some embodiments, the off-screen space is brought into view by rotating the space into the user'"'"'s current view. In other embodiments, the user'"'"'s current view is rotated to show the space.

Claims

1. A method of generating a display on a computer screen, the method comprising:

displaying a dialogue box;

receiving input from the user to dismiss the dialogue box;

displaying animated movement of the dialogue box toward an off-screen space beyond a perimeter of the display;

receiving input from the user to view the off-screen space; and

displaying animated movement that brings the off-screen space and dialogue box into view.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying a dialogue box comprises displaying a dialogue box in a three-dimensional environment.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving input from the user to change the point of view of the three-dimensional environment toward the off-screen space;

changing the point of view of the three-dimensional environment toward the off-screen space; and

changing the location of the off-screen space so that it remains beyond the perimeter of the display.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein displaying animated movement that brings the off-screen space into view comprises rotating the off-screen space into view while otherwise maintaining a same view of the three-dimensional environment.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein displaying animated movement that brings the off-screen space into view comprises rotating the view of the three-dimensional environment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying animated movement of the dialogue box toward an off-screen space comprises displaying the dialogue box drifting downward in the display.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying animated movement that brings the off-screen space into view comprises bringing a collection of dismissed dialogue boxes located in the off-screen space into view.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

receiving input from the user to move a dismissed dialogue box within the off-screen space; and

moving the dialogue box within the off-screen space based on the input from the user.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying animated movement that brings the off-screen space and dialogue box into view further comprises displaying other dialogue boxes in the off-screen space, the other dialogue boxes being previously dismissed by the user.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying other dialogue boxes comprises displaying dialogue boxes that were dismissed within a limited period of time from the time the input from the user was received to view the off-screen space.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein displaying other dialogue boxes comprises displaying a limited number of dialogue boxes, the limited number of dialogue boxes representing the latest dialogue boxes to be dismissed.

12. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising:

an application component capable of generating a dialogue window in a computer display to convey information to a user;

a dismissal component capable of receiving input from the user indicating that the dialogue window is to be removed from the display and further capable of displaying the movement of the dialogue window to an off-screen space outside of the display; and

a viewing component capable of displaying the off-screen space based on input from the user.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 further comprising an environment display component capable of displaying a three-dimensional environment such that the dialogue window and the off-screen space are positioned in the three-dimensional environment.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the environment display component displays the three-dimensional environment from the point of view of a virtual camera in the environment and wherein the environment control component changes the position of the virtual camera in the environment based on input from the user.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 further comprising a space movement component that is capable of moving the off-screen space when the environment display component points the virtual camera toward the off-screen space so that the off-screen space remains out of view.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the viewing component is capable of displaying the off-screen space by rotating the off-screen space into view without moving the virtual camera.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the viewing component is capable of displaying the off-screen space by rotating the virtual camera toward the off-screen space.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the dismissal component displays the movement of the dialogue window to the off-screen space by showing the dialogue window drift toward the bottom of the display.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the displaying the off-screen space comprises displaying a collection of dialogue windows in the off-screen space.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19 further comprising a window movement component capable of moving dialogue windows in the off-screen space based on input from the user.