Displaying transparent resource aids

• US 7,046,254 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 05/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• 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:
  US10/059,011
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142109A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,569 Days
• Field of Search: 345/592, 345705-715, 345/768, 345186-188 FOR, 345/188.REF, 345/961.C, 345/961.REF
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/026 Control of mixing and/or overlay of colours in general G09G5/022 and G09G5/024 take precedence

Abstract

A method, system and program for displaying transparent resource aids are provided. A user interface is displayed comprising at least one displayable object within a display area controlled by a computer system. Responsive to an initiating event, a transparent resource aid is placed within the display area in association with the initiating event, such that the at least one displayable object is not obscured by the transparent resource aid. The transparency resource aid may indicate resource usage of hardware, software, and graphical characteristics.

Claims

1. A method for displaying resource aids in a display area, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

displaying a user interface comprising at least one displayable object within a display area with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources; and

responsive to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, placing a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region, such that said at least one displayable object is not obscured by said transparent resource aid.

2. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

responsive to detecting a user input of one of a keystroke or a voice command and detecting said cursor position over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, placing said transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object.

3. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

determining a graphical output format for said transparent resource aid;

adjusting a transparency of said transparent resource aid according to user transparency preferences;

determining a display position for said transparent resource aid; and

adjusting said transparency of said transparent resource aid according to said display position.

4. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the steps of:

monitoring said separate status of said at least one graphical resource from transparency setting for said displayable object displayed within said user interface and a criteria used to specify said transparency setting.

5. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

placing said transparent resource aid to maximize space remaining in said display area.

6. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

placing said transparent resource aid, wherein said transparent resource aid comprises at least one from among text, graphics, video, and audio.

7. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

adjusting a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.

8. The method for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 1, said method further comprising the step of:

placing said transparent resource aid in a background of said display area in association with said at least one displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid is darkened to draw attention to said at least one displayable object.

9. A system for displaying resource aids in a display area, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface;

means for monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

means for displaying at least one displayable object within a display area of said graphical user interface with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

means for comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources; and

means responsive to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, for placing a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region.

10. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, further comprising:

responsive to detecting a user input of one of a keystroke or a voice command and detecting said cursor position over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, placing said transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object.

11. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for determining a graphical output format for said transparent resource aid;

means for adjusting a transparency of said transparent resource aid according to user transparency preferences;

means for determining a display position for said transparent resource aid; and

means for adjusting said transparency of said transparent resource aid according to said display position.

12. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for monitoring said separate status of said at least one graphical resource from a transparency setting for said displayable object displayed within said user interface and a criteria used to specify said transparency setting.

13. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for placing said transparent resource aid to maximize space remaining in said display area.

14. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for placing said transparent resource aid, wherein said transparent resource aid comprises at least one from among text, graphics, video, and audio.

15. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for adjusting a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.

16. The system for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 9, said system further comprising:

means for placing said transparent resource aid in a background of said display area in association with said at least one displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid is darkened to draw attention to said at least one displayable object.

17. A program for displaying resource aids in a display area, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

means for displaying at least one displayable object within a display area of said graphical user interface with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

means for comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources; and

means for controlling placement of a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object in response to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region.

18. The program for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 17, said program further comprising:

means for determining a graphical output format for said transparent resource aid;

means for adjusting a transparency of said transparent resource aid according to user transparency preferences;

means for determining a display position for said transparent resource aid; and

means for adjusting said transparency of said transparent resource aid according to said display position.

19. The program for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 17, said program further comprising:

means for monitoring said separate status of said at least one graphical resource from a transparency setting for said displayable object displayed within said user interface and a criteria used to specify said transparency setting.

20. The program for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 17, said program further comprising:

means for controlling placement of said transparent resource aid to maximize space remaining in said display area.

21. The program for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 17, said program farther comprising:

means for adjusting a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.

22. The program for displaying resource aids in accordance with claim 17, said program further comprising:

means for placing said transparent resource aid in a background of said display area in association with said at least one displayable object.

23. A method for displaying resource aids in a display area, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

displaying a user interface comprising at least one displayable object within a display area with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources;

responsive to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, placing a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region, such that said at least one displayable object is not obscured by said transparent resource aid; and

adjusting a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.

24. A system for displaying resource aids in a display area, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface;

means for monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

means for displaying at least one displayable object within a display area of said graphical user interface with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

means for comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources;

means responsive to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, for placing a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region; and

means for adjusting a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.

25. A program for displaying resource aids in a display area, residing on a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for monitoring a separate status of each of a plurality of computer resources comprising at least one processing resource, at least one storage resource, at least one memory resource, at least one software resource, and at least one graphical resource;

means for displaying at least one displayable object within a display area of said graphical user interface with a plurality of separate cursor position sensitive regions each graphically distinguished within a total display region of said displayable object solely for triggering a transparent resource aid upon detection of a cursor, wherein each of said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions is associated with a separate selection of monitored resources from among said plurality of monitored computer resources;

means for comparing said separate status of each of said plurality of computer resources with at least one user specified threshold for each of said plurality of computer resources; and

means for controlling placement of a transparent resource aid within said display area in association with said displayable object in response to detecting at least one from among said separate status for at least one of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with a particular cursor position sensitive region exceeding said threshold and said cursor positioned over said particular cursor position sensitive region from among said plurality of cursor position sensitive regions of said displayable object, wherein said transparent resource aid presents said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources associated with said particular cursor position sensitive region

means for controlling adjustment of a visual indication of a dimensional height of said transparent resource aid to indicate a quantity associated with said separate status of said separate selection of monitored resources being described by said transparent resource aid.