Method and system for managing multi—paned windowed environments

• US 7,080,326 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2002
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Scanlon, John L., Molander, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/193,467
• Publication Number:
  US 20040008224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,468 Days
• Field of Search: 715/837, 715/834, 715/781, 715/788, 715/790, 715/792, 715/798, 715/800, 345/156, 345/157
• US Class Current: 715/788
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 is directed to managing data and navigation panes in a windowed environment. The method provides for displaying a plurality of panes within the single window, receiving a user input, displaying at least one pivot point input location in response to the user input, receiving a twist input, and modifiying the plurality of panes in response to the twist input.

Claims

1. A method for managing multiple display panes within a single display window of a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of panes within the single window;

receiving a user input;

displaying at least one pivot point input location in response to the user input;

receiving a twist input; and

modifying the plurality of panes in response to the twist input, wherein modifying the plurality of panes comprises rotating each pane of the plurality of panes 90 degrees about the pivot point, and resizing each rotated pane.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the user input comprises:

monitoring a display screen for cursor movement; and

comparing the cursor movement to predetermined locations.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one pivot point location is displayed when the cursor location aligns with the predetermined location.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the user input comprises a signal received from a point and click user interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the twist input comprises:

identifying one of the at least one pivot point locations to implement; and

receiving a user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point locations.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein receiving the user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point locations further comprises:

receiving a user input to adjust one of the at least one pivot point location;

displaying the at least one adjusted pivot point location in response to the user input;

receiving a user input to implement the at least one adjusted pivot point location.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein resizing each rotated pane comprises:

determining a type for each rotated pane; and

positioning each rotated pane based on the determined type.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the type is one of a horizontal navigation pane or vertical navigation pane.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a twist input comprises receiving an instruction to rotate vertical data panes 90 degrees.

10. A system to manage multiple display panes within a single display window of a graphical user interface, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising a computer usable medium tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the computer to perform operations comprising;

displaying a plurality of panes within the single window;

receiving a user input;

displaying at least one pivot point input location in response to the first user input;

receiving a twist input; and

modifying the plurality of panes in response to the twist input, wherein modifying the plurality of panes comprises rowing each pane of the plurality of panes 90 degrees about the pivot point, and resizing each rotated pane.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the receiving the user input further comprises:

monitoring a display screen for cursor movement; and

comparing the cursor movement to predetermined locations.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the receiving the twist input further comprises:

identifying one of the at least one pivot point locutions to implement; and

receiving a user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point locations.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the receiving the user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point location further comprises:

receiving a user input to adjust one of the at least one pivot point location;

displaying the at least one adjusted pivot point location in response to the user input;

receiving a user input to implement the at least one adjusted pivot point location.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein resizing each rotated pane further comprises:

determining a type for each rotated pane; and

positioning each rotated pane based on the determined type.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein receiving a twist input comprises receiving an instruction to rotate vertical data panes 90 degrees.

16. A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:

computer readable code for displaying a plurality of panes within the single window;

computer readable code for receiving a user input;

computer readable code for displaying at least one pivot point input locations in response to the first user input;

computer readable code for receiving a twist input; and

computer readable code for modifying the plurality of panes in response to the twist input, wherein computer readable code for modifying the plurality of panes comprises computer readable code for rotating each pane of the plurality of panes 90 degrees about the pivot point, and computer readable code for resizing each rotated pane.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein receiving the user input comprises:

computer readable code for monitoring a display screen for cursor movement; and

computer readable code for comparing the cursor movement to predetermined locations.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17 wherein the am least one pivot point location is displayed when the cursor location aligns with the predetermined location.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein the user input comprises a signal received from a point and click user interface.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein receiving the twist input comprises:

computer readable code for identifying one of the pivot point locations to implement; and

computer readable code for receiving a user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point locations.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20 wherein receiving the user input to implement one of the at least one pivot point location further comprises:

computer readable code for receiving a user input to adjust one of the at least one pivot point location;

computer readable code for displaying the at least one adjusted pivot point location in response to the user input; and

computer readable code for receiving a user input to implement the at least one adjusted pivot point location.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein resizing each rotated pane comprises:

computer readable code for determining a type for each rotated pane; and

computer readable code for positioning each rotated pane based on the determined type.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16 wherein computer readable code for receiving a twist input comprises computer readable code for receiving an instruction to rotate vertical data panes 90 degrees.