Multiple dashboards

• US 7,954,064 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2006
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven, Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): UM, DANIEL H
• Application Number:
  US11/346,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20070101297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,945 Days
• Field of Search: 715/779
• US Class Current: 715/779
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for organizing, managing and presenting widgets in display areas associated with multiple dashboard environments. In some implementations, a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets. A second display area associated with a second dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing a first dashboard layer including one or more first widgets;

providing a second dashboard layer including one or more second widgets, the second dashboard layer being distinct from the first dashboard layer, the first and second dashboard layers each being selectably displayed as an overlay to a desktop user interface; and

providing a transition for use when transitioning between the first dashboard layer and the second dashboard layer, wherein the desktop user interface is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop user interface cannot be interacted with while the first or second dashboard layer is displayed, and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop user interface is inactivated.

2. A system comprising:

one or more processors configured to perform operations for generating a user interface, the user interface comprising;

a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets; and

a second display area associated with a second dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets where the first display area and the second display area are distinct layers selectably and independently displayed over a desktop user interface, where display of either the first display area or the second display area includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one widget is in the first and second sets of widgets.

4. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

a transition engine configured for transitioning from the first display area to the second display area.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the transition occurs without closing or hiding the first display area.

6. A method comprising:

identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment;

selecting the dashboard environment from a number of dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and

installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein selecting a dashboard environment includes:

evaluating the widget to determine a theme associated with the widget;

selecting a dashboard environment based on the theme; and

installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting includes receiving a user selection of the dashboard environment for installing the widget.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the selecting includes inferring the dashboard environment to install the widget on.

10. A system, comprising:

a processor operable to interact with a user interface to provide;

a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the user interface; and

a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment,

where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop is inactivated.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second dashboard environment is configured to be invoked from a display area associated with the first dashboard environment.

12. A method comprising:

defining a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from a desktop user interface; and

defining a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment,

where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop user interface, where display of either the first dashboard environment or the second dashboard environment includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising managing a transition between a first display area associated with the first dashboard environment and a second display area associated with the second dashboard environment, including selecting a transition between the two.

14. A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment;

selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard is displayed; and

installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.

15. The computer program of claim 14, wherein selecting a dashboard environment includes:

evaluating the widget to determine a theme associated with the widget;

selecting a dashboard environment based on the theme; and

installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.

16. The computer program of claim 14, wherein determining includes receiving a user selection of the dashboard environment for installing the widget.

17. The computer program of claim 14, wherein determining includes inferring the dashboard environment to install the widget on.

18. A system for displaying widgets in multiple dashboard environments, comprising:

a processor;

a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of;

identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment;

selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed being separately displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and

installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.