Multi-application tabbing system
First Claim
1. A method for combining a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:
- receiving an input to associate a first window and at least one second window, wherein the input is a signal corresponding to a movement of the at least one second window over a target location of the first window, wherein the target location is an object that appears on the first window when the at least one second window is dragged within a predefined area of the first window, wherein the first window corresponds to a first application program and the at least one second window corresponds to a second application program, and wherein the first application window displays content from the first application and the at least one second application window displays content from the second application program, wherein the first application program and the second application program are different application programs;
associating the first window with the at least one second window said at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window;
combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame, wherein an operation performed on the common window automatically performs the operation on the first window and the at least one second window; and
allowing each of the first window and the at least one second window to be selected from the common window frame.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of associating a first window with at least one second window, the at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window, and combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame. An indicator may appear on the display as a target region when a user desires to associate the first and second windows. Subsequent operations performed on the common window are performed automatically on any underlying window. For example, when a user chooses to save the contents of the common window, the contents of all of the windows of the common window may be saved.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for combining a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:
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receiving an input to associate a first window and at least one second window, wherein the input is a signal corresponding to a movement of the at least one second window over a target location of the first window, wherein the target location is an object that appears on the first window when the at least one second window is dragged within a predefined area of the first window, wherein the first window corresponds to a first application program and the at least one second window corresponds to a second application program, and wherein the first application window displays content from the first application and the at least one second application window displays content from the second application program, wherein the first application program and the second application program are different application programs; associating the first window with the at least one second window said at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window; combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame, wherein an operation performed on the common window automatically performs the operation on the first window and the at least one second window; and allowing each of the first window and the at least one second window to be selected from the common window frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions for performing a method of combining a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising:
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sending an instruction to combine and associate together a first window corresponding to a first application program and an at least one second window corresponding to a second application program into a common window, wherein the combination of the first window and the at least one second window is responsive to the first window and the at least one second window having been dragged into a predetermined target region displayed on the display screen, wherein the predetermined target region is an object that appears on the first window when the at least one second window is dragged within a predefined area of the first window, wherein the first application window displays content from the first application and the at least one second application window displays content from the second application program, wherein the first application program and the second application program are different application programs, and wherein said at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window; outputting for display a common window that combines the first window and the at least one second window, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame, wherein an operation performed on the common window automatically performs the operation on the first window and the at least one second window; and allowing each of the first window and the at least one second window to be selected from the common window frame. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A computer readable storage device having a series of computer-executable instructions for performing a method for combining a plurality of windows on a display screen, the method comprising steps of:
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receiving an input to associate a first window and at least one second window, wherein the input is a signal corresponding to a movement of the at least one second window over a target location of the first window, wherein the target location is an object that appears on the first window when the at least one second window is dragged within a predefined area of the first window, wherein the first window corresponds to a first application program and the at least one second window corresponds to a second application program, and wherein the first application window displays content from the first application and the at least one second application window displays content from the second application program, wherein the first application program and the second application program are different application programs; associating the first window with the at least one second window, said at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window; combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame, wherein an operation performed on the common window automatically performs the operation on the first window and the at least one second window; and allowing each of the first window and the at least one second window to be selected from the common window frame. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification