Application selection window in a windows operation system
First Claim
1. A computer system for advancing application programs from available status to active status, comprising:
- a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs;
availability roster for maintaining a roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status;
display monitor responsive to the operating system, for displaying a stack of application windows having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, for displaying an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows of the presently active application program, and for displaying a selection window floating in front of the active window;
symbol generator responsive to the availability roster for generating activation symbols representing at least a portion of the available application programs the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor;
input device for permitting a user to select available application programs for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and
application advancer responsive to the input device selection for advancing the selected application programs to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window, wherein the floating selection window is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position just in front of the active window and is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status in which the activation symbols are always responsive to the input device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Computer system 10 advances application programs from available status to active status. Operating system 12A manages a stack of windows, one for each application running on the system. Availability roster 12A maintains a roster of the application programs which have available status. Display monitor 14 displays the stack of application windows, one of which is an active window which is displayed at the forefront of the stack. The monitor also displays a selection window floating in front of the active window, containing task switch 14T menu of applications for selection. Activation symbols are generated which represent the available application programs and are displayed on the monitor within the task switch. Input device 18D permits the user to select a program for advancement from available status to active status. The selected program is advanced to active status at the forefront of the display stack directly behind the floating selection window.
115 Citations
24 Claims
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1. A computer system for advancing application programs from available status to active status, comprising:
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a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs;
availability roster for maintaining a roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status;
display monitor responsive to the operating system, for displaying a stack of application windows having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, for displaying an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows of the presently active application program, and for displaying a selection window floating in front of the active window;
symbol generator responsive to the availability roster for generating activation symbols representing at least a portion of the available application programs the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor;
input device for permitting a user to select available application programs for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and
application advancer responsive to the input device selection for advancing the selected application programs to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window, wherein the floating selection window is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position just in front of the active window and is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status in which the activation symbols are always responsive to the input device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
some of the available application programs are from a RAM and have in-RAM availability status;
others of the available application programs are from other storage and have other-storage availability status, which other-storage status for an available application program may become in-RAM status by loading that program from other storage into a RAM; and
both the in-RAM status programs and the other-storage status programs are available for advancement and appear in the availability roster.
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8. The system for advancing of claim 7, wherein as additional programs become currently running or become available for running, the activation symbol representing each of these additional programs is displayed in the selection window.
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9. The system for advancing of claim 7, wherein the activation symbol representing each of the available application programs indicates whether that program is actually running or has in-RAM status and is available for running or has other-storage status and is available for running.
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10. A computer apparatus for advancing application programs from available status to active status, comprising:
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a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs and displaying a stack of application windows on a display monitor, the stack having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, one window of which is an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows for the presently active application program, and displaying a selection window which is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status and dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position in front of the active window;
availability roster for maintaining a roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status;
symbol generator responsive to the availability roster for generating activation symbols representing at least a portion of the available application programs, the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor, which activation symbols are responsive to an input device for permitting a user to select available application programs for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and
application advancer responsive to the input device selection for advancing the selected application programs to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of permitting a user to advance any application program within a Group of N applications from available status to active status, using a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs, comprising the steps of:
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displaying a stack of application windows on a display monitor, the stack having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, one window of which is an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows for the presently active application program;
displaying a selection window on a display monitor, which selection window is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status and dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position in front of the active window;
maintaining an availability roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status;
generating activation symbols in response to the availability roster for at least a portion of the available application programs, the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor, which activation symbols are responsive to a user input device;
selecting an available application program using the input device, for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and
advancing the selected application program to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window in response to the input device selection. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A computer readable medium containing a computer program that advances application programs within a Group of N applications from available status to active status, by directing a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs to execute the steps of:
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displaying a stack of application windows on a display monitor, the stack having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, one window of which is an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows for the presently active application program;
displaying a selection window on a display monitor, which selection window is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status and dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position in front of the active window;
maintaining an availability roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status;
generating activation symbols in response to the availability roster for at least a portion of the available application programs, the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor, which activation symbols are responsive to a user input device;
selecting an available application program using the input device, for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and
advancing the selected application program to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window in response to the input device selection.
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Specification