Method and apparatus for displaying a window for a user interface

• US 7,343,566 B1
• Filed: 07/10/2002
• Issued: 03/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Ording, Bas
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US10/193,573
• Time in Patent Office: 2,071 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/783, 715/790, 715/797, 715/800, 715/802, 715/808, 715/809, 715/718, 715/768, 715/835, 715/732, 715/516, 715/788, 345/696, 345/694, 719/318
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses to display windows. In more than one embodiments of the invention, a window is closed automatically (e.g., after a timer expires, or when a condition or criterion is met, or a system input is received) without user input. In some examples, the window is translucent so that the portion of another window, when present, is visible under the window. In some examples, the image of the window is faded out before the window is closed and destroyed. In some examples, the window does not close in response to any input from a user input device. In some examples, the window is repositioned (or hidden) automatically when another translucent window is displayed. The degree of translucency, the speed for fading out, the discrete levels of translucency for fading out, the time to expire, and/or other parameters for controlling the display of the window may be set by the user or adjusted by the system (or application software programs) automatically according to system conditions or other criteria.

Claims

1. A method to display a user interface window for a digital processing system, the method comprising:

displaying a first window in response to receiving a first input, the first input not associated with a user input device of the digital processing system;

starting a timer;

closing the first window in response to a determination that the timer expired; and

restarting the timer in response to receiving a second input for the first window.

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first window does not close in response to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

3. A method as in claim 2 wherein the first window does not respond to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein the first window is translucent;

and a portion of a second window is visible when displayed under the first window.

5. A method as in claim 4 wherein a degree of translucency of the first window is adjustable.

6. A method as in claim 1 further comprising:

repositioning the first window on a display without user input.

7. A method as in claim 6 wherein said repositioning is in response to a third window being displayed.

8. A method as in claim 1 wherein the second input is received from a user input device of the digital processing system.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said closing the first window comprises:

fading out an image of the first window.

10. A machine readable media containing executable computer program instructions which when executed by a digital processing system cause said system to perform a method to display a user interface window, the method comprising:

displaying a first window in response to receiving a first input, the first input not associated with a user input device of the digital processing system;

starting a timer;

closing the first window in response to a determination that the timer expired; and

restarting the timer in response to receiving a second input for the first window.

11. A machine readable media as in claim 10 wherein the first window does not close in response to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

12. A machine readable media as in claim 11 wherein the first window does not respond to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

13. A machine readable media as in claim 10 wherein the first window is translucent;

and a portion of a second window is visible when displayed under the first window.

14. A machine readable media as in claim 13 wherein a degree of translucency of the first window is adjustable.

15. A machine readable media as in claim 10 wherein the method further comprises:

repositioning the first window on a display without user input.

16. A machine readable media as in claim 15 wherein said repositioning is in response to a third window being displayed.

17. A machine readable media as in claim 10 wherein the second input is received from a user input device of the digital processing system.

18. A machine readable media as in claim 10 wherein said closing the first window comprises:

fading out an image of the first window.

19. A digital processing system to display a user interface window, the system comprising:

means for displaying a first window in response to receiving a first input, the first input not associated with a user input device of the digital processing system;

means for starting a timer;

means for closing the first window in response to a determination that the timer expired; and

means for restarting the timer in response to receiving a second input for the first window.

20. A digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein the first window does not close in response to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

21. A digital processing system as in claim 20 wherein the first window does not respond to any input from a user input device of the digital processing system.

22. A digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein the first window is translucent;

and a portion of a second window is visible when displayed under the first window.

23. A digital processing system as in claim 22 wherein a degree of translucency of the first window is adjustable.

24. A digital processing system as in claim 19 further comprising:

means for repositioning the first window on a display without user input.

25. A digital processing system as in claim 24 wherein the first window is repositioned in response to a third window being displayed.

26. A digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein the second input is received from a user input device of the digital processing system.

27. A digital processing system as in claim 19 wherein said means for closing the first window comprises:

means for fading out an image of the first window.