Embedded windows in background image

• US 6,654,037 B1
• Filed: 11/10/1999
• Issued: 11/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Garcia, Jr., Octavio, Majdic, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/437,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 345/802, 345/790, 345/797, 345/781, 345/782, 345/793-796, 345/799-801, 345/779, 345/838, 345/839, 345/848-852, 345/764-768
• US Class Current: 715/802
• 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

Abstract

A method for creating a graphical user interface. The method includes the steps of sizing and locating a process window, which is created by an application. The method creates a graphical representation of the process window and associates information with the process window. The process window is embedded into a background image, creating an embedded process window. Activity with regards to the process window is then monitored, where the activity will indicate that the embedded process window is to become an active window.

Claims

1. A method for creating a graphical user interface for a user, the method comprising:

sizing and locating a process window on a two-dimensional display, wherein sizing is performed by the user and a selected size and location becomes a default for all process windows created by a particular application;

creating a graphical representation of the process window;

associating information with the process window;

embedding the process window into a background image of the two-dimensional display, creating an embedded process window;

monitoring activity with regards to the process window, wherein the activity will indicate that the embedded process window is to become an active window.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein sizing is performed by the user on an embedded process window that overrides the default for that process window.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the graphical representation is a bitmap.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the information further comprises an application that created the process window, a file being operated on by the application and status of the process.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises activating the embedded process window upon a triggering event.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises activating the embedded process window upon a user action.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises updating the embedded process window upon occurrence of a triggering step.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein monitoring further comprises updating the embedded process window at a periodic interval.