Windowing systems

• US 7,068,266 B1
• Filed: 09/26/2000
• Issued: 06/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Ruelle, Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US10/089,218
• Time in Patent Office: 2,100 Days
• Field of Search: 345/418, 345629-634
• US Class Current: 345/418
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method of displaying a window on a screen is described, in which the window has a background through which underlying objects are visible. Also described are methods of managing windows when drawing takes place in a window which lies under such a window.

Claims

1. A method of drawing in a window, the method comprising providing a first mode in which a signal is sent to a client of an affected window after the completion of every specific number of more than one drawing operation instructing the client of the affected window to redraw at least part of the affected window, and providing a second mode in which the sending of a signal is suppressed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is sent from a window manager.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the signal is sent from a client of the window, and is sent by the client which carried out the drawing, and sent to a window manager.

4. The method according to claim 2, further comprising making information relating to the transparency of the window available to the window manager.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising storing the information as an attribute of the window.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the sending of a signal is suppressed in dependence on the information.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

defining the size of the window;

drawing foreground objects in the window; and

arranging the background of the window, and further comprising displaying a further window which has a background through which underlying objects are visible, wherein at least a part of the window underlies the further window.

8. The receiver/decoder according to claim 7, further comprising means for displaying a further window, which has a background through which underlying objects are visible.

9. The receiver/decoder according to claim 7, further comprising means for monitoring drawing in a further window so that drawing in the further window affecting said window can be corrected.

10. The receiver/decoder according to claim 7, further comprising:

means for defining a size of the window;

means for drawing foreground objects in the window;

means for arranging the background of the window, and further comprising means for displaying a further window which has a background through which underlying objects are visible, wherein at least part of the first window underlies the further window.

11. A receiver/decoder comprising means for drawing in a window, in first and second modes, wherein in the first mode a signal is sent to a client of an affected window after the completion of every specific number of more than one drawing operation instructing the client of the affected window to redraw at least part of that window, and in the second mode the sending of a signal is suppressed.

12. The receiver/decoder according to claim 11, wherein the signal is sent from a window manager.

13. The receiver/decoder according to claim 12, further comprising means for making information relating to the transparency of the window available to the window manager.

14. The receiver/decoder according to claim 13, further comprising means for storing the information as an attribute of the window.

15. The receiver/decoder according to claim 13, wherein the sending of a signal is suppressed in dependence on the information.

16. The receiver/decoder according to claim 11, wherein the signal is sent from a client of a window, and is sent by the client which carried out the drawing, and is sent to a window manager.

17. A method of displaying a window on a screen, wherein the window has a background through which underlying objects are visible, the method comprising:

determining whether an area underlying the window has changed and, if so, redrawing at least one part of the window, after receiving a signal instructing a client of the window to redraw the at least one part of the window, the method being carried out by a receiver/decoder, the receiver/decoder being for use with a television set;

identifying an area of the window affected by the change in the area underlying said window;

identifying foreground objects in the affected area; and

redrawing at least one part of the foreground objects in the affected area after receiving a signal instructing the client of the window to redraw at least part of the affected window.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein after said redrawing step, said foreground objects obscure, at least in part, the area underlying the foreground objects.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising displaying a further window, which has a background through which underlying objects are visible.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein at least part of the first window underlies the further window.

21. The method according to claim 17, further comprising monitoring drawing in a further window so that drawing in the further window affecting said window can be corrected.

22. A method of displaying a window on a screen, wherein the window has foreground objects and a background through which underlying objects are visible, the method including:

determining that an area underlying the window has changed,

identifying an area of the window affected by the change,

identifying foreground objects in the affected area, and

redrawing at least the part of the foreground objects in the affected area after receiving a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window,

the method being carried out by a receiver/decoder, the receiver/decoder being for use with a television set.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein after said redrawing step, said foreground objects obscure, at least in part, the area underlying the foreground objects.

24. A method of drawing in a window, the method comprising:

drawing in the window and monitoring the drawing;

determining a window which may be affected by the drawing; and

sending a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window so that drawing affecting an overlaying window can be corrected, wherein the signal is sent to the client of the affected window after the completion of every specific number of more than one drawing operation,

the method being carried out by a receiver/decoder.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising suppressing the signal for at least one drawing operation.

26. A receiver/decoder comprising means for displaying a window on a screen, wherein the window has a background through which underlying objects are visible, further comprising:

means for determining whether an area underlying the window has changed;

means for redrawing at least part of the window, if an area underlying the window has changed, after receiving a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window;

the receiver/decoder being for use with a television set;

means for identifying an area of the window affected by the change in the area underlying said window;

means for identifying foreground objects in the affected area; and

means for redrawing at least part of the foreground objects in the affected area after receiving a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window.

27. The receiver/decoder according to claim 26, wherein as a result of the operation of said redrawing means, said foreground objects obscure, at least in part, the area underlying the foreground objects.

28. The receiver/decoder according to claim 27, wherein at least a part of the first window underlies the further window.

29. A receiver/decoder comprising means for displaying a window on a screen wherein the window has foreground objects and a background through which underlying objects are visible, and further comprising:

means for determining that an area underlying the window has changed;

means for identifying an area of the window affected by the change;

means for identifying foreground objects in the affected area; and

means for redrawing at least the part of the foreground objects in the affected area after receiving a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window.

30. A receiver/decoder comprising means for drawing in a window, and further comprising:

means for drawing in the window and for monitoring the drawing;

means for determining a window which may be affected by the drawing, and for sending a signal instructing a client of the window which may be affected to redraw at least part of that window so that drawing affecting an overlaying window can be corrected, wherein the signal is sent following each drawing operation.

31. The receiver/decoder according to claim 30, further comprising means for suppressing the signal for at one drawing operation.