Method and system for automatically displaying content of a window on a display that has changed orientation

• US 7,441,204 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Naguthanawala, Murtuza S., Figueroa, Joseph N., Thomson, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US10/773,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20050177798A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 715/788, 715/786, 715/827
• US Class Current: 715/827
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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: G09G 2340/0492 Change of orientation of the displayed image, e.g. upside-down, mirrored
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method and system for automatically displaying content of a window on a display that has changed orientation is described. The content of a window, such as a dialog box, that has been authored for a particular size is repositioned and resized such that the window is viewable in its entirety when the display screen orientation is changed (e.g., from portrait to landscape.) A scroll bar is added to allow full access to content that is not visible within the display screen when necessary. Likewise, the scrollbar is removed when the scrollbar is no longer necessary in the new orientation. The repositioning and resizing of the window, as well as the addition or removal of the scrollbar occurs without interruption of other operating system applications.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatically adjusting a window displayed within a display screen in response to a change in display orientation, the computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a display screen having a first orientation, wherein the display screen includes the window;

receiving an indication that the display screen has been changed from the first orientation to a second orientation; and

in response to the indication that the display screen has been changed from the first orientation to the second orientation,

automatically making a first determination of whether the window fits within the display screen,

automatically spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen, wherein spatially adjusting the window includes adjusting the size of the window and adjusting the position of the window,

automatically displaying the window without spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window fits within the display screen,

automatically making a second determination of whether the window fits within the display screen after spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen,

automatically displaying the window without a scroll bar when the window fits within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen, and

automatically displaying the window with a scroll bar when the window does not fit within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a hardware display screen of a mobile computing device, wherein the hardware display screen is movable from the first orientation to the second orientation.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first orientation is a portrait orientation and the second orientation is a landscape orientation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first orientation is a landscape orientation and the second orientation is a portrait orientation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein displaying the window without the scroll bar when the window fits within the display screen includes removing the scroll bar before being displayed.

6. A computer-readable storage medium having computer executable instructions for automatically adjusting a window displayed on a display screen, the instruction comprising:

changing the display screen from a first orientation to a second orientation; and

in response to receiving an indication that the display screen has been changed from the first orientation to the second orientation, automatically

making a first determination of whether the window fits within the display screen,

spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen, wherein spatially adjusting the window includes adjusting the size of the window and adjusting the position of the window,

displaying the window without spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window fits within the display screen,

making a second determination of whether the window fits within the display screen after spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen,

displaying the window without a scroll bar when the window fits within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen, and

displaying the window with a scroll bar when the window does not fit within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display screen.

7. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the indication includes an indication from a hardware display screen of a mobile device that is movable from the first orientation to the second orientation.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first orientation is a portrait orientation and the second orientation is a landscape orientation.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the first orientation is a landscape orientation and the second orientation is a portrait orientation.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein displaying the window without the scroll bar when the window fits within the display screen includes removing the scroll bar before being displayed.

11. A system for automatically adjusting a window, the system comprising:

a processor;

a display for displaying a window on a mobile computing device, wherein the display is movable from a first orientation to a second orientation; and

a memory having computer executable instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer executable instructions are configured to;

receive an indication that the display has been moved from the first orientation to the second orientation,

in response to receiving the indication that the display has been changed from the first orientation to the second orientation, automatically

make a first determination of whether the window fits within the display,

spatially adjust the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display, wherein spatially adjusting the window includes adjusting the size of the window and adjusting the position of the window,

display the window without spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window fits within the display,

make a second determination of whether the window fits within the display after spatially adjusting the window when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display,

display the window without a scroll bar when the window fits within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display, and

display the window with a scroll bar when the window does not fit within the display after being spatially adjusted when the first determination indicates that the window does not fit within the display.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first orientation is a portrait orientation and the second orientation is a landscape orientation.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first orientation is a landscape orientation and the second orientation is a portrait orientation.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein displaying the window without the scroll bar when the window fits within the display screen includes removing the scroll bar before being displayed.