Providing alternative content in a windowed environment

• US 8,112,770 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J., Chickering, David M., Flake, Gary W., Cheng, Lili, Gounares, Alexander G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US11/767,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 719/328, 715/214
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture or extension to a window manager. In particular, the extension can provide for a window rotation feature that can be exposed as a rotate button. Additionally or alternatively, the rotation feature can be activated based upon a diverse set of conditions, events, and/or commands. Upon activation of the rotation feature, the window manager can rotate a window about an axis to expose a secondary surface that can be populated with alternative content that is distinct from the content of the primary surface of the window. In addition, the architecture provides techniques for identifying both double-sided graphical objects and potentially double-sided objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system that extends an operating system window manager Application Programming Interface (API), comprising one or more computing devices executing an operating system that includes:

a window manager configured to display a window and window contents associated with and included within a primary surface of the window, the primary surface being initially visible; and

a rotation API that is useable by the operating system via the window manager independent of an application or interface that instantiated the window, the rotation API configured to rotate the window about 180 degrees to expose a secondary surface of the window, the secondary surface being initially entirely occluded by the primary surface.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a selection component that selects alternative content for the window.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least one of the window manager or the rotation API adapts the alternative content for display within the secondary surface of the window.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the alternative content is at least one of an advertisement, additional information associated with the window contents, the window contents according to a different format or schema, information associated with a product, service, or entertainment, a reward, an incentive, trivia, a game, or a puzzle.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the selection component selects the alternative content based upon at least one of a size or dimensions of the window, demographic information associated with a user, privacy-centric demographic information, historical data associated with a user, window contents, a location, a time, an advertising bidding model, or preferences selected by a user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the window is rotated based upon an occurrence of an event.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the event is at least one of a command to minimize the window, a command to maximize the window, a command to close the window, a command to move the window, or a command to resize the window.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising an intelligence component that infers the event based upon at least one of a mouse position, a quantum of time, a determination of an active window, a percentage of the window that is occluded, or interaction with the window.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotation API instructs the window manager to display a rotate icon within the window.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the rotation API instructs the window manager to output an audio object as the window rotates.

11. A computer-implemented system that facilitates display of alternative content, comprising a computing device having a processor executing an operating system, the operating system including:

an analysis component that identifies a computer-based graphical object that is double-sided or potentially double-sided; and

a content component that selects alternative content to be displayed on a secondary side of the graphical object based at least in part on dimensions of the graphical object.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a rendering component that displays the alternative content on the secondary side of the graphical object.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the rendering component overwrites original content displayed on the secondary side with the alternative content in a manner that is independent from an application or application program interface (API) that instantiated the graphical object.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the double-sided graphical object is a graphical representation of a playing card associated with a computer-based card game.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the potentially double-sided graphical object is a single-sided, two-dimensional window.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the graphical object is rotated about 180 degrees to display the alternative content on the secondary side of the graphical object and the graphical object is displayed in a computer-based desktop environment by the operating system and not by an application executing within the operating system.

17. A computer-implemented method for extending an operating system window manager API, comprising:

implementing in an operating system window manager executing on a computing device having a processor, an Application Program Interface (API) that enables a window rotation feature that is useable by the window manager to rotate a graphical object independent of an application that instantiated the graphical object;

identifying a graphical object, the graphical object including one or more of a double-sided graphical object and a single-sided graphical object that can be configured to be a double-sided graphical object;

selecting alternative content to be displayed on a secondary surface of the graphical object, the graphical object including a primary surface that is initially exposed and the secondary surface that is initially hidden from view;

adapting the alternative content for display within the secondary surface of the graphical object;

overlaying the secondary surface with the alternative content; and

rotating the graphical object to expose the secondary surface by the window manager using the API.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising at least one of the following acts:

exposing the window rotation feature by way of a rotation icon;

or

activating the window rotation feature based upon receiving an event, the event is at least one of a command or an inference.