Alternate display content controller
DCFirst Claim
1. A method in a computer system for enabling unobscured display of output on a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display data on a first display area of the video display system under control of the operating system, the output for unobscured display generated from a network associated with the computer system, comprising:
- adjusting the display parameters of the video display system to create a second display area not under control of the operating system, the second display area being capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
writing the output generated from the network to the second display area so that the output generated from the network is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface.
4 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An alternate display content controller provides a technique for controlling a video display separately from and in addition to the content displayed on the operating system monitor. Where the display is a computer monitor, the alternate display content controller interacts with the computer utility operating system and hardware drivers to control allocation of display space and create and control one or more parallel graphical user interfaces adjacent the operating system desktop. An alternate display content controller may be incorporated in either hardware or software. As software, an alternate display content controller may be an application running on the computer operating system, or may include an operating system kernel of varying complexity ranging from dependent on the utility operating system for hardware system services to a parallel system independent of the utility operating system and capable of supporting dedicated applications. The alternate display content controller may also include content and operating software delivered over the internet or any other LAN. The alternate display content controller may also be included in a television decoder/settop box to permit two or more parallel graphical user interfaces to be displayed simultaneously.
-
Citations
42 Claims
-
1. A method in a computer system for enabling unobscured display of output on a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display data on a first display area of the video display system under control of the operating system, the output for unobscured display generated from a network associated with the computer system, comprising:
-
adjusting the display parameters of the video display system to create a second display area not under control of the operating system, the second display area being capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
writing the output generated from the network to the second display area so that the output generated from the network is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
receiving a network search request that has been entered into the input field;
sending the received search request to the search engine;
receiving search results from the search engine; and
displaying the search results on the second display area.
-
-
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the displayed output includes an input field, and further comprising:
-
receiving an address of additional network data entered into the input field, wherein the data is any type of output;
sending the received address over the network to retrieve the additional data;
receiving the additional data; and
displaying the received additional data on the second display area.
-
-
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the network generated output is displayed in both the first display area and the second display area, thereby prohibiting a portion of the network generated output from being overwritten by the operating system user interface.
-
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the adjusting the display parameters of the video display system operates by changing the resolution of the video display system and reducing the size of the first display area available to the operating system user interface.
-
8. A network portal in a computer system for enabling unobscured display of output generated from a network on a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display itself on a first display area of the video display system, comprising:
-
display area adjuster that adjusts the display parameters of the video display system to create a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface and which cannot be controlled by the operating system; and
display transfer facility that writes the output generated from the network to the second display area so that the output generated from the network is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
network search facility that receives a network search request that has been entered into the input field;
sends the received search request to the search engine;
receives search results from the search engine; and
displays he search results on the second display area.
-
-
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the displayed output includes an input field, the system further comprising:
-
network browse facility that receives an address of additional network data that has been entered into the input field, wherein the data comprises any type of output;
sends the received address over the network to retrieve the additional network data;
receives the additional data; and
displays the received data on the second display area.
-
-
13. The system of claim 8 wherein the display transfer facility writes the network generated output to both the first display area and the second display area, thereby prohibiting a portion of the network generated output from being overwritten by the operating system user interface.
-
14. The system of claim 8 wherein the display area adjuster creates the second display area by changing the resolution of the video display system and by reducing the size of first display area available to the operating system user interface.
-
15. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor of a computer system to display unobscured output of a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display itself on a first display area of the video display system, the output for unobscured display generate from a network associated with the computer system, by:
-
adjusting the display parameters of the video display system to create a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface and which cannot be controlled by the operating system; and
writing the output generated from the network to the second display area so that the output generated from the network is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
receiving a network search request that has been entered into the input field;
sending the received search request to the search engine;
receiving search results from the search engine; and
displaying the search results on the second display area.
-
-
19. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 15 wherein the displayed output includes an input field, and further comprising:
-
receiving an address of additional network data entered into the input field, wherein the data is any type of output;
sending the received address over the network to retrieve the additional data;
receiving the additional data; and
displaying the received additional data on the second display area.
-
-
20. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 15 wherein the network generated output is displayed in both the first display area and the second display area, thereby prohibiting a portion of the network generated output from being overwritten by the operating system user interface.
-
21. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 15 wherein the adjusting the display parameters of the video display system operates by changing the resolution of the video display system and reducing the size of the first display area available to the operating system user interface.
-
22. A method in a computer system for displaying designated output on a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display itself on a first display area of the video display system, comprising:
-
adjusting the display parameters of the video display system in a manner transparent to the operating system to create a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
writing the designated output to the second display area so that the designated output is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface, wherein the method is performed by one of a service of the operating system and an application program. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. A display controller in a computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user interface to display itself on a first display area of a video display system, comprising:
-
display adjustment facility that adjusts the display parameters of the video display system in a manner transparent to the operating system to create a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
display transfer mechanism that writes designated output to the second display area so that the designated output is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface wherein the display controller is invoked as one of a service of the operating system and an application program. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
-
-
36. A computer-readable memory medium containing instructions for controlling a computer processor in a computer system to display designated output on a video display system, the computer system having an operating system display interface that enables an operating system user Interface to display itself on a first display area of the video display system, by:
-
adjusting the display parameters of the video display system in a manner transparent to the operating system to create a second display area that is capable of displaying output that is not obscured by output from the operating system display interface; and
writing the designated output to the second display area so that the designated output is displayed in conjunction with the operating system user interface;
wherein the instructions are performed by one of a service of the operating system and an application program.- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
-
Specification