Intelligent windows bumping method and system

• US 7,176,943 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 02/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Greg, Meyers, Brian, Czerwinski, Mary, Regan, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMS, MICHELLE L
• Application Number:
  US10/608,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20040066408A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,327 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.11, 345/1.2, 345/33, 345/40, 345/672, 345/1.1, 345/619, 715/715, 715/717, 715/794, 715/798, 715/799
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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 3/1438 using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A system and method for bumping graphical components between display regions of a graphical computer interface are provided. The present invention bumps a selected graphical component in response to a signal from an input device. Bumping involves locating a destination location for the graphical component to be bumped, and moving the graphical component to the destination. The destination can be determined in any one of a number of different manners. Destinations can be located at a predetermined distance from an original location of a graphical component, at an “analogous” location on another display region, or at an open location in the same display region or another display region.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of moving a window from one location to another location in a graphical interface, the method comprising:

in response to the selection of a window, automatically determining, without further user input, if said window is to be moved from the current location of the window to another location;

if said window is to be moved, automatically determining, without further user input, except for direction, a destination location for said window, said destination location comprising an open location in said graphical interface; and

moving, in a single step, said window from the current location of the window to said destination location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a desired direction for said destination.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a destination location for said window comprises weighting a plurality of possible locations based on the characteristics of said plurality of locations and selecting said destination location based on said weighting.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that said destination is located in a display region with a new resolution, and automatically resizing said window in proportion to said new resolution.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said window is selected by an input device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if said window is to be moved is based on a signal from an input device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said signal from an input device includes a desired direction to move said window.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a destination location for said window comprises determining a destination location that lies a predetermined distance from the current location of the window.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a destination location for said window comprises determining the current location of the window on a current display region, and designating an analogous location of another display region as said destination location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said current display region is located on one display and said other display region is located on another display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said analogous location is located at substantially the same pixel coordinates as the pixel coordinates of said current location.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein said analogous location is proportionately distant from the edges of said other display region as said current location is from the edges at said current display region.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising shifting said window if said window does not fit within said other display region.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising resizing said window to fit within said open location.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein said open location is a portion of a display region having no blocking graphical components.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said blocking graphical components include the information bearing portions of other graphical components.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said blocking graphical components include other graphical components accessed within a predetermined time period prior to determining a destination location for said window.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein said open location is at least the size of said window.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein moving said window comprises animating the movement of said window to said destination location.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying an indication of said destination location.

21. A computer-readable media containing computer-executable instructions for performing the method of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 20 or 3.

22. A computer system having a processor and a memory storing computer-executable instructions operative to perform the method of any of claims 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, 20 or 3.

23. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface control device, a method of moving a window from one region of the display to another region of the display, said method comprising:

in response to user input received from said interface control device selecting the window, automatically determining, without further user input, that a window on said display is to be moved to another location;

automatically identifying, without further user input, except for direction, an open destination location on said display for said window to be moved; and

automatically moving, in a single step, said window to said destination location on said display.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said window is moved to an optimal open destination on said display.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said optimal open destination is located according to predetermined criteria.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said optimal open destination is located according to weighted values of potential open destinations.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said window expands to fill the area of said optimal open destination.