Changing the alpha levels of an application window to indicate a status of a computing task

• US 7,019,757 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 03/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick, Hately, Andrew Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Bella, Matthew C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CUNNINGHAM, GREGORY F
• Application Number:
  US10/059,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 345/589, 345/592, 345/593, 345/768
• US Class Current: 345/592
• 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

Abstract

A method, system, and program for changing the alpha levels of an application window to reflect the status of a non-interactive computing task are provided. An alpha level is determined to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task. A transparency of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with the non-interactive computing task is graphically adjusted according to the alpha level, such that the status of the non-interactive computing task is displayed by the associated displayable object, where one type of displayable object includes an application window.

Claims

1. A method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task;

determining a color level to represent said non-interactive computing task;

graphically adjusting a transparency of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level, such that said status of said non-interactive computing task is displayed by said associated displayable object; and

graphically adjusting a color with said transparency according to said color level of said at least said selected portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

2. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

graphically displaying concurrently a plurality of displayable objects independent of whether any of said plurality of displayable objects is active.

3. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

detecting said status for at least one from among usage of a processor, memory, a sound card, a graphics card, a storage device, and network bandwidth.

4. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of determining an alpha level further comprising the step of:

determining said alpha level according to a user preference for said transparency associated with said non-interactive computing task.

5. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of determining an alpha level further comprising the step of:

determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency is uniform within said displayable object.

6. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of determining an alpha level further comprising the step of:

determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object.

7. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

presenting a user with an interface for selecting transparency preferences, wherein said transparency preferences are utilized for determining said alpha level.

8. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of graphically adjusting a transparency further comprising the step of:

only graphically adjusting a transparency of transparency adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selected portion of said displayable object.

9. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of graphically adjusting a transparency further comprising the step of:

graphically adjusting a transparency of said displayable object comprising at least one of an application window, an icon, a video representation, and a graphical representation.

10. The method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

graphically adjusting a transparency of at least said selected portion of a displayable object associated with a progress of an installation program.

11. A system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface for displaying a displayable object;

means for determining an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task;

means for determining a color level to represent said non-interactive computing task;

means for graphically adjusting a transparency of at least a selected portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level; and

means for graphically adjusting said color with said transparency according to said color level of said at least said selected portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

12. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said system further comprising:

means for graphically displaying concurrently a plurality of displayable objects within said graphical user interface independent of whether any of said plurality of displayable objects is active.

13. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable abject according to claim 11, said system further comprising:

means for detecting said status for at least one from among usage of a processor, memory, a sound card, a graphics card, a storage device, and network bandwidth.

14. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said means for determining an alpha level further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level according to a user preference for said transparency associated with said non-interactive computing task.

15. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said means for determining an alpha level further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency is uniform within said displayable object.

16. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said means for determining an alpha level further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object.

17. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said system further comprising:

means for presenting a user with an interface for selecting transparency preferences, wherein said transparency preferences are utilized for determining said alpha level.

18. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said means for graphically adjusting a transparency further comprising:

means for only graphically adjusting a transparency of transparency adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selected portion of said displayable object.

19. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said means for graphically adjusting a transparency further comprising:

means for graphically adjusting a transparency of said displayable object comprising at least one of an application window, an icon, a video representation, and a graphical representation.

20. The system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 11, said system further comprising:

means for graphically adjusting said transparency of at least said selected portion of a displayable object associated with a progress of an installation program.

21. A program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for computing an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task;

means for determining a color level to represent said non-interactive computing task;

means for controlling a graphical adjustment to a transparency of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level; and

means for controlling a graphical adjustment of said color with said transparency according to said color level of said at least said selected portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task.

22. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for concurrently controlling a graphical display of a plurality of displayable objects independent of whether any of said plurality of displayable objects is active.

23. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for detecting said status for at least one from among usage of a processor, memory, a sound card, a graphics card, a storage device, and network bandwidth.

24. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level according to a user preference for said transparency associated with said non-interactive computing task.

25. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency is uniform within said displayable object.

26. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for determining said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object.

27. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for controlling output of a user interface for selecting transparency preferences, wherein said transparency preferences are utilized for determining said alpha level.

28. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for controlling graphical adjustment of only a transparency of transparency adjustable sections of said displayable object within said selected portion of said displayable object.

29. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for controlling graphical adjustment of a transparency of said displayable object comprising at least one of an application window, an icon, a video representation, and a graphical representation.

30. The program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object according to claim 21, said program further comprising:

means for controlling graphical adjustment of a transparency of at least said selected portion of a displayable object associated with a progress of an installation program.

31. A method for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, said method comprising the steps of:

determining an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task; and

graphically adjusting a transparency of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object, such that said status of said non-interactive computing task is displayed by said associated displayable object.

32. A system for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface for displaying a displayable object;

means for determining an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task; and

means for graphically adjusting a transparency of at least a selected portion of said displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object.

33. A program for changing alpha levels of a displayable object, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for computing an alpha level to represent a status of a non-interactive computing task; and

means for controlling a graphical adjustment to a transparency of at least a selected portion of a displayable object associated with said non-interactive computing task according to said alpha level, wherein said resulting transparency oscillates within said displayable object according to a frequency spectrum of a sound intended for output in association with said displayable object.