Window information switching system

• US 7,478,326 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2005
• Issued: 01/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cooperman, Hillel N., Stabb, Charles W., Van Dok, Cornelis K., Pettiross, Jeffrey W., Ligameri, Mark R., Holecek, Ales
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu D
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US11/036,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 715/781, 715/729, 715/790, 715/792, 715/793, 715/716, 715/794
• US Class Current: 715/716
• 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: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A method for displaying at least one visualization of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of receiving an input corresponding to a request to access visualizations of windows for a plurality of windows, and for each window of the plurality of windows, displaying a visualization of at least a portion of the content of the window in an area separately defined from the plurality of windows, wherein the at least a portion of the content includes dynamic video content. Another method provides for grouping and ordering the visualizations when displayed. Another method allows for display of visualizations related to child and/or parent windows.

Claims

1. A method for displaying at least one visualization on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:

receiving an input corresponding to a request to access visualizations of windows for a plurality of windows, the plurality of windows includes at least one parent window and a corresponding child window, wherein the corresponding child window includes a multiple document interface child window;

for each window of the plurality of windows, displaying a visualization of at least a portion of the content of the window in an area separately defined from the plurality of windows;

receiving a request to choose one of the visualizations;

displaying the window corresponding to the chosen visualization at the top of the Z-order of the plurality of windows; and

wherein the at least a portion of the content includes dynamic video content.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of displaying an indicium representative of the window on at least a portion of a thumbnail image for each window of the plurality of windows.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one visualization has a different size from at least one other visualization.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the size of the at least one visualization is customizable.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a portion of the content includes audio content.

6. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of claim 1.

7. A method for displaying at least one visualization of windows on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:

displaying a plurality of windows in a first area;

receiving an input corresponding to a request to access visualizations of windows for the plurality of windows, the plurality of windows includes at least one parent window and a corresponding child window, and wherein the corresponding child window includes a multiple document interface child window;

for each window of the plurality of windows, displaying a visualization of at least a portion of the content of the window in a second area separately defined from the plurality of windows in the first area;

wherein at least two visualizations are displayed in a group in the second area separate from at least one other visualization displayed in the second area; and

wherein the visualizations of windows are separate from and external to the plurality of windows.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising a step of displaying a duplicate visualization, in the second area for at least one visualization.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein a first set of visualizations corresponding to the most recently accessed windows are displayed in a portion of a display screen separate from a second set of visualizations corresponding to all other open windows.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein at least one visualization in the first set is also in the second set.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least two visualizations share a common application program.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least two visualizations correspond to the parent window and at least one corresponding child window.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising steps of:

displaying a menu of visualizations corresponding to the at least one corresponding child window;

receiving a request to access the menu; and

displaying the at least one corresponding child window.

14. A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the steps of claim 7.

15. A method for displaying at least one visualization of windows on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:

receiving an input corresponding to a request to access visualizations of windows for a plurality of windows, wherein the plurality of windows includes at least one parent window and a corresponding child window, and wherein the corresponding child window includes a multiple document interface child window;

displaying the visualization of the parent windows;

determining whether a cursor is within a predefined area of the displayed visualization of the parent window;

upon determining that the cursor is within the predefined area, displaying a menu related to at least one visualization of the corresponding child window;

receiving a request to access the menu;

displaying the at least one visualization of the corresponding child window; and

for each window of the plurality of windows, creating a visualization of at least a portion of the content of the window.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising steps of:

receiving a request to choose at least one visualization; and

displaying the window corresponding to the chosen visualization at the top of the Z-order of the plurality of windows.