Managing transparent windows

• US 8,191,003 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2007
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brown, Douglas S., Moghazy, Jehan, Rudd, James R., Torres, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US11/674,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20080195969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 715/766, 715/768, 715/788, 715/764, 715/769, 715/783, 715/789, 715794-797, 715/802, 715835-838
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

Methods and arrangements to manage transparent windows are described herein. Embodiments may comprise logic such as hardware and/or code to select one or more windows to make transparent and to switching the active window between source and target windows via the position of the mouse. Many embodiments provide a right click, pop-up menu (i.e., pressing the right mouse button generates a pop-up menu), a pull-down menu, or a button associated with windows. These features may allow a user to select individual or all windows to be transparent. A transparent window provides some view of windows or objects below the transparent window while providing some view of the contents such as graphics and/or text in the transparent window. Embodiments may also include management logic such as hardware and/or code to facilitate selection of a transparent window to make the window active.

Claims

1. A method for managing transparent windows, the method comprising the steps of:

a computer receiving an input to display a first window that is open on a graphical user interface as a transparent window, and in response, the computer displaying, through the first window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window;

the computer receiving an input to drag or copy content in the first window; and

the computer predicting that the content in the first window will be dropped or pasted into a second window that is open on the graphical user interface, and in response, the computer activating the second window before the content in the first window is dropped or pasted into the second window;

wherein the step of the computer predicting that the content of the first window will be dropped or pasted into the second window comprises the step of the computer identifying a historical pattern of one or more of dropping content dragged from the first window into the second window and pasting content copied from the first window into the second window.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of the computer activating the first window in response to the content in the first window being dropped or pasted into the second window.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

after the step of the computer displaying, through the first window, the content on the layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window, the computer making an object on a desktop of the graphical user interface invisible through the first window.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

after the step of the computer activating the second window, the computer obscuring the content in the first window.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

the computer receiving an input to display the second window as a transparent window, and in response, the computer displaying, through the second window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the second window.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

before the step of the computer receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window, the computer displaying a menu comprising one or more options, the one or more options including at least one of an option to display the first window as a transparent window and an option to display all open windows as transparent windows;

wherein the step of the computer receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window comprises the computer receiving a selection of one of the one or more options.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

before the step of the computer receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window, the computer displaying a list comprising an identification of the first window and an identification of the second window;

wherein the step of the computer receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window comprises the computer receiving a selection of the identification of the first window from the list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of the computer receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window comprises the step of the computer detecting a selection of a graphical check box on a border of the first window.

9. A computer system for managing transparent windows, the computer system comprising:

one or more processors, one or more computer-readable memories and one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive an input to display a first window that is open on a graphical user interface as a transparent window, and in response, to display, through the first window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive an input to drag or copy content in the first window; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to predict that the content in the first window will be dropped or pasted into a second window that is open on the graphical user interface, and in response, to activate the second window before the content in the first window is dropped or pasted into the second window;

wherein the program instructions to predict that the content of the first window will be dropped or pasted into the second window identify a historical pattern of one or more of dropping content dragged from the first window into the second window and pasting content copied from the first window into the second window.

10. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to activate the first window in response to the content in the first window being dropped or pasted into the second window.

11. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to make an object on a desktop of the graphical user interface invisible through the first window after displaying, through the first window, the content on the layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window.

12. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to obscure the content in the first window after activating the second window.

13. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to receive an input to display the second window as a transparent window, and in response, to display, through the second window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the second window.

14. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to display a menu comprising one or more options before receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window, the one or more options including at least one of an option to display the first window as a transparent window and an option to display all open windows as transparent windows;

wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window receive a selection of one of the one or more options.

15. The computer system of claim 9, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more processors via at least one of the one or more memories, to display a list comprising an identification of the first window and an identification of the second window before receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window;

wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window receive a selection of the identification of the first window from the list.

16. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window detect a selection of a graphical check box on a border of the first window.

17. A computer program product for managing transparent windows, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer-readable tangible storage devices;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input to display a first window that is open on a graphical user interface as a transparent window, and in response, to display, through the first window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window;

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input to drag or copy content in the first window; and

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to predict that the content in the first window will be dropped or pasted into a second window that is open on the graphical user interface, and in response, to activate the second window before the content in the first window is dropped or pasted into the second window;

wherein the program instructions to predict that the content of the first window will be dropped or pasted into the second window identify a historical pattern of one or more of dropping content dragged from the first window into the second window and pasting content copied form the first window into the second window.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to activate the first window in response to the content in the first window being dropped or pasted into the second window.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to make an object on a desktop of the graphical user interface invisible through the first window after displaying, through the first window, the content on the layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the first window.

20. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to obscure the content in the first window after activating the second window.

21. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to receive an input to display the second window as a transparent window, and in response, to display, through the second window, content on a layer of the graphical user interface that is beneath the second window.

22. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to display a menu comprising one or more options before receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window, the one or more options including at least one of an option to display the first window as a transparent window and an option to display all open windows as transparent windows;

wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window receive a selection of one of the one or more options.

23. The computer program product of claim 17, further comprising:

program instructions, stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices, to display a list comprising an identification of the first window and an identification of the second window before receiving the input to display the first window as a transparent window;

wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window receive a selection of the identification of the first window from the list.

24. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the program instructions to receive the input to display the first window as a transparent window detect a selection of a graphical check box on a border of the first window.