Arranging display areas utilizing enhanced window states

• US 8,356,258 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 01/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Matthews, David A., Hoefnagels, Stephan, Brugiolo, Ivan, Sadek, Mohamed A. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOI, DAVID E
• Application Number:
  US12/024,706
• Publication Number:
  US 20090199128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 715/799, 715/798, 715/800, 715/788, 715/830, 715/847, 715/784, 715/781, 345/684
• US Class Current: 715/788
• 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: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Computer-readable media, computerized methods, and user interfaces (UIs) for manipulating display areas on a GUI workspace by transitioning the display areas from an original state to one of a set of enhanced window states are provided. Initially, an indication to resize a display area is received at an operating system, which consequently invokes an appropriate window state. The indication may include capturing an edge of the display area and vertically dragging the edge to a dock-target region, thereby invoking a vertically-maximized state. Accordingly, configuration settings of the vertically-maximized state are applied such that the display area is stretched to approximately the screen height. In another instance, the indication may include capturing the display area and dragging a display area into a dock-target region, thereby invoking a semi-maximized state. Configuration settings of the semi-maximized state are applied, thus, extending the display area to approximately cover a predefined GUI workspace region.

Claims

1. One or more computer-storage media excluding signals per se having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for arranging a display area on a background screen of a UI display having a screen height and a screen width, the method comprising:

receiving one or more indications to resize the display area being presented on the UI display, wherein the display area is characterized by a window height and a window width, wherein hidden actuation devices for receiving the one or more indications to resize the display area are established proximate to one or more edges of the background screen, wherein the actuation devices are mapped to a set of window states, respectively, wherein receiving comprises;

(a) detecting a selection by the user at one of the hidden actuation devices on the background screen; and

(b) determining which of the set of window states is mapped to the selected hidden actuation device; and

upon determining that the selected hidden actuation device is mapped to a vertically-maximized state of the set of window states, automatically transitioning the display area to the vertically-maximized state, wherein automatically transitioning comprises;

(a) resizing the window height of the display area on the GUI workspace to a vertical dimension defined by configuration settings of the vertically-maximized state, wherein the vertical dimension is defined as corresponding to the screen height; and

(b) in concurrence with resizing the window height of the display area, resizing the window width of the display area on the GUI workspace to a horizontal dimension defined by the configuration settings of the vertically-maximized state, wherein the horizontal dimension is defined as corresponding to a predefined ratio of the screen width that is less than the screen width.

2. The media of claim 1, wherein receiving one or more indications to resize the display area being presented on the GUI workspace further comprises:

receiving an indication of capturing an edge of the display area; and

detecting a vertical movement of the input into a dock-target region.

3. The media of claim 1, wherein automatically transitioning the display area to the vertically-maximized state comprises resizing the window width of the display area to the horizontal dimension that is one half the screen width.

18. The media of claim 3, wherein automatically transitioning the display area to the vertically-maximized state comprises automatically moving the display area upon concurrently resizing the display height to the screen height and the display width to one half the screen width, wherein moving comprises presenting the transitioned display area such that the transitioned display area occupies a right half or a left half of the screen.

4. A computerized method for transitioning a display area between a semi-maximized state and a restored state utilizing one or more dock-target regions on a background screen of a UI display, the method comprising:

tracking movements of an input within the UI display, the UI display having a screen height, measured between horizontal edges of the GUI workspace, and a screen width measured between vertical edges of the UI display;

providing at least one display area that is at least partially displayed within the UI display;

receiving an indication of capturing the at least one display area with the input upon a user selecting a section of the display area, the at least one display area residing in an original state;

providing the one or more dock-target regions within the UI display that are located proximate to at least one of the horizontal edges or the vertical edges of the background screen of the UI display, wherein each of the one or more dock-target regions are associated with one of a set of window states and hidden from view on the UI display;

utilizing the tracked movements to determine whether the input or a portion of the display area entered within the one or more hidden dock-target regions while dragging the at least one captured display area; and

incident to determining that the input or the portion of the display area entered within the one or more hidden dock-target regions, automatically transitioning the at least one display area from the original state to a triggered state, wherein the triggered state corresponds to one of the set of window states that is associated with the one or more entered dock-target regions, and wherein the at least one display area is resized upon transitioning between the original state and the triggered state.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein automatically transitioning the at least one display area from the original state to a triggered state comprises:

determining configuration settings mapped to the one or more entered dock-target regions, wherein each of the set of window states having corresponding configuration settings;

applying the mapped configuration settings to the at least one display area; and

at least temporarily storing the at least one display area consistent with the triggered state.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the set of window states includes a semi-maximized state, the semi-maximized state having configuration settings comprising:

a vertical dimension corresponding to the screen height of the GUI workspace screen parameters; and

a horizontal dimension corresponding to a ratio of the screen width of the GUI workspace screen parameters.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein providing one or more dock-target regions adjacent to at least one of the horizontal edges or the vertical edges of the GUI workspace comprises:

constructing an upper dock-target region on a top edge of the horizontal edges of the GUI workspace; and

constructing a lower dock-target region on a bottom edge of the horizontal edges of the GUI workspace,

wherein, incident to determining the input or the portion of the display area entered within the upper dock-target region or the lower dock-target region, automatically transitioning the at least one display area from the original state to a maximized state, the maximized state having configuration settings comprising;

(1) a vertical dimension corresponding to the screen height of the GUI workspace screen parameters; and

(2) a horizontal dimension corresponding to the screen width of the GUI workspace screen parameters.

8. The method of claim 4, further comprising translating the at least one captured display area according to tracked movements, wherein the at least one captured display area includes an edge defined by a window height and a window width, and wherein the edge is visible on the GUI workspace during the translation of the at least one captured display area.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, incident to automatically transitioning the at least one display area from the original state to a triggered window state, temporarily adjusting the window height to the vertical dimension and the window width to the horizontal dimension of the semi-maximized state.

10. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining whether the input or the display area exited the one or more dock-target regions utilizing the tracked movement; and

incident to determining the input or the display area exited the one or more dock-target regions, automatically restoring the at least one display area from the triggered state to the original state.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein constructing one or more dock-target regions adjacent to at least one of the horizontal edges or the vertical edges of the GUI workspace comprises:

constructing a right dock-target region on a right edge of the vertical edges of the GUI workspace; and

constructing a left dock-target region on a left edge of the vertical edges of the GUI workspace,

wherein, incident to determining the input or the portion of the display area entered within the right dock-target region or the left dock-target region, automatically transitioning the at least one display area from the original state to a semi-maximized state.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising presenting the GUI workspace on a plurality of display devices that are managed according to spatial-navigation heuristics, wherein management comprises:

construction one or more dock-target regions adjacent to at least one of the horizontal edges and the vertical edges of the plurality of display devices;

identifying common edges of the plurality of display devices that divide the GUI workspace; and

disabling the one or more dock-target regions adjacent to the identified common edges facilitating translation of the at least one display area between the plurality of display devices.

13. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying a type of input device providing the indication of capturing the at least one display area, wherein a screen area within the one or more dock-target regions is established according to the identified type of input device.

14. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

incident to determining the input or the portion of the display area entered within the one or more dock-target regions, interacting with an application presenting on the at least one display area to determine a set of allowed window sizes;

comparing the set of allowed window sizes against the configuration settings corresponding to the triggered state; and

if the configuration settings conflict with the set of allowed window sizes, automatically transitioning the at least one display area to one of the set of allowed window sizes.

15. One or more computer-storage media excluding signals per se having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon for presenting on one or more display devices a user interface comprising:

UI display having horizontal edges and vertical edges, wherein screen parameters are derived from a background screen of the UI display which include a screen height, measured between the horizontal edges, and a screen width measured between the vertical edges, the vertical edges comprising a left edge and a right edge, the horizontal edges comprising a top edge and a bottom edge;

an upper dock-target region that is proximate to the top edge and a first trigger line in substantial parallel-spaced relation to the top edge;

a lower dock-target region that is proximate to the bottom edge and a second trigger line in substantial parallel-spaced relation to the bottom edge;

a right dock-target region that is proximate to the right edge and third trigger line in substantial parallel-spaced relation to the right edge;

a left dock-target region that is proximate to the left edge and fourth trigger line in substantial parallel-spaced relation to the left edge, wherein the upper, lower, right, and left dock-target regions are hidden from view on the GUI workspace, while the first, second, third, and fourth trigger lines represent invisible user-interface features; and

a display area presented on the UI display in an original state,

wherein a first screen area within the upper dock-target region and the lower dock-target region is mapped to configuration settings of a maximized state, and wherein the display area is transitioned from the original state to the maximized state by dragging the display area into the first screen area, wherein the display area is resized upon transitioning between the original state and the maximized state, and

wherein a second screen area within the right dock-target region and the left dock-target region is mapped to configuration settings of a semi-maximized state, and wherein the display area is transitioned from the original state to the semi-maximized state by dragging the display area into the second screen area, wherein the display area is resized upon transitioning between the original state and the semi-maximized state.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein, incident to dragging the display area, if a user input traverses the first trigger line or the second trigger line, the display area is automatically adjusted between the maximized state and a restored state, the maximized state having configuration settings including a vertical dimension corresponding the screen height, and a horizontal dimension corresponding to the screen width, the restored state being sized according to the original state.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein, incident to dragging the display area, if a user input traverses the third trigger line or the fourth trigger line, the display area is automatically adjusted between the semi-maximized state and a restored state, the semi-maximized state having configuration settings including a vertical dimension corresponding the screen height, and a horizontal dimension corresponding to a ratio of the screen width, the restored state being sized according to the original state.