Methods, systems, and computer program products for displaying windows on a graphical user interface based on relative priorities associated with the windows

• US 8,381,127 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Original Assignee: Scenera Technologies LLC (Scenera Research LLC)
• Inventors: Singh, Mona, Fry, Jared S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stevens, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): UM, DANIEL H
• Application Number:
  US11/346,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20070180401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,574 Days
• Field of Search: 715/803, 715790-797
• US Class Current: 715/803
• 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

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products for displaying windows on a graphical user interface based on relative priorities associated with the windows are disclosed. According to one method, relative priorities of a plurality of windows of a graphical user interface are determined. Further, relative priorities of a plurality of portions of at least one of the windows are determined. The windows are automatically arranged on the graphical user interface based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of the portions. A higher priority window may cover a lower priority portion of a lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the lower priority window.

Claims

1. A method for displaying windows on a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows of a graphical user interface;

determining relative priorities of a plurality of portions of a plurality of the plurality of windows based in part on user input; and

automatically arranging the windows on the graphical user interface based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of the portions such that at least one higher priority window covers a lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window, wherein automatically arranging the windows includes dynamically arranging the windows when at least one of at least one relative priority of the relative priorities of the windows and at least one of the relative priorities of the plurality of portions changes,

wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows includes receiving user input for determining the relative priorities of the windows.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein receiving user input for determining the relative priorities of the windows includes displaying a display organizer for receiving input from a user for associating the plurality of windows with the display organizer, the display organizer displayed as an icon.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows includes determining relative priorities of a group of windows corresponding to applications selected by a user to perform a task, wherein the relative priorities are based on the task.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows includes:

determining a position of a cursor with respect to the displayed windows; and

assigning priorities to the windows based on the position of the cursor.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein determining a position of the cursor includes determining which window or portion is selected via user input to the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein determining a position of the cursor includes determining whether the cursor is on one of the displayed windows, and wherein assigning relative priorities to the windows includes assigning a higher priority to the window on which the cursor is located than to the remaining windows.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein determining a position of the cursor includes determining whether the cursor is on one of the plurality of portions, and wherein assigning relative priorities to the portions includes assigning a higher priority to the portion on which the cursor is located than to the remaining portions.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein determining relative priorities of a plurality of portions of a plurality of the plurality of windows includes receiving priority identifiers for the plurality of portions from an application associated with the plurality of the plurality of windows.

10. The method of claim 1 comprising receiving user input identifying an additional window for display, and re-organizing display of the plurality of windows in the graphical user interface for displaying the additional window in response to the user input.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein re-organizing display of the windows for displaying the additional window includes determining a relative priority of the additional window with respect to the plurality of windows and displaying the additional window with the plurality of windows according to the relative priorities.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically arranging the windows in the graphical user interface includes resizing one of the windows based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of portions of the plurality of the plurality of windows.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein resizing one of the windows includes adjusting the size of the one window in a vertical direction.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein resizing one of the windows includes adjusting the size of the one window in a horizontal direction.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein resizing one of the windows includes not reducing the size of the one window beyond a minimal acceptable size specified for the window.

16. A method for dynamically adjusting display of a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface, the method comprising:

simultaneously displaying a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface where at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows are set according to relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows, the relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows based in part on user input;

detecting an event affecting the relative priority of at least one of the plurality of windows; and

dynamically adjusting the at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows based on the event such that at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window,

wherein at least one of the preceding actions is performed on at least one electronic hardware component.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein detecting the event includes detecting that one of the windows is being accessed by a user.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein detecting the event includes detecting that one of the windows is being closed by a user.

19. A system for displaying windows on a graphical user interface, the system comprising system components including:

a window priority function configured to determine relative priorities of a plurality of windows of a graphical user interface;

a window portion priority function configured to determine relative priorities of a plurality of portions of a plurality of the plurality of windows based in part on user input; and

a window management function configured to automatically arrange the windows on the graphical user interface based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of the portions such that at least one higher priority window covers a lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window, wherein automatically arranging the windows includes dynamically arranging the windows when at least one of at least one relative priority of the relative priorities of the windows and at least one relative priority of the relative priorities of the plurality of portions changes,

wherein at least one of the system components includes at least one electronic hardware component.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the window priority function is operable to receive user input for determining the relative priorities of the plurality of windows.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the window priority function is operable to control the graphical user interface for displaying a display organizer for receiving input from a user for associating the plurality of windows with the display organizer, the display organizer displayed as an icon.

22. The system of claim 19 wherein the window priority function is operable to determine relative priorities of a group of windows corresponding to applications selected by a user to perform a task, wherein the relative priorities are based on the task.

23. The system of claim 19 wherein the window priority function is operable to determine a position of a cursor with respect to the displayed windows, and the window priority function is operable to assign priorities to the plurality of windows based on the position of the cursor.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein the window priority function is operable to determine which window or portion is selected via user input to the graphical user interface.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein the window priority function is operable to determine whether the cursor is on one of the displayed windows, and wherein the window priority function is operable to assign a higher priority to the window on which the cursor is located than to the remaining windows.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein the window portion priority function is operable to determine whether the cursor is on one of the plurality of portions, and wherein the window portion priority function is operable to assign a higher priority to the portion on which the cursor is located than to the remaining portions.

27. The system of claim 19 wherein the window portion priority function is operable to receive priority identifiers for the plurality of portions from an application associated with the plurality of the plurality of windows.

28. The system of claim 19 wherein the window management function is operable to receive user input identifying an additional window for display, and operable to re-organize display of the plurality of windows in the graphical user interface for displaying the additional window in response to the user input.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the window management function is operable to determine a relative priority of the additional window with respect to the plurality of windows and display the additional window with the plurality of windows according to the relative priorities.

30. The system of claim 19 wherein the window management function is operable to resize one of the windows based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of portions of the plurality of the plurality of windows.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the window management function is operable to adjust the size of the one window in a vertical direction.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the window management function is operable to adjust the size of the one window in a horizontal direction.

33. The system of claim 30 wherein the window management function is operable to not reduce the size of the one window beyond a minimal acceptable size specified for the window.

34. A system for dynamically adjusting display of a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface, the system comprising system components including:

a graphical user interface operable to simultaneously display a plurality of windows where at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows are set according to relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows, the relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of the portions of the plurality of windows based in part on user input; and

a window management function operable to detect an event affecting the relative priority of at least one of the plurality of windows, and dynamically adjust the at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows based on the event such that at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window,

wherein at least one of the system components includes at least one electronic hardware component.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the event includes detecting that one of the plurality of windows is being accessed by a user and the window management function is operable to detect that one of the plurality of windows is being accessed by a user.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein the event includes detecting that one of the plurality of windows is being closed by a user and the window management function is operable to detect that the one of the plurality of windows is being closed by a user.

37. A system for displaying windows on a graphical user interface, the system comprising components including:

means for determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows of a graphical user interface;

means for determining relative priorities of a plurality of portions of a plurality of the plurality of windows based in part on user input; and

means for automatically arranging the windows on the graphical user interface based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of the portions such that at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window, wherein automatically arranging the windows includes dynamically arranging the windows when at least one of at least one relative priority of the relative priorities of the windows and at least one of the relative priorities of the plurality of portions changes,

wherein at least one of the means includes at least one electronic hardware component.

38. A system for dynamically adjusting display of a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface, the system comprising components including:

means for simultaneously displaying a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface where at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows are set according to relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows, the relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows based in part on user input;

means for detecting an event affecting the relative priority of at least one of the plurality of windows; and

means for dynamically adjusting the at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows based on the event such that at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window,

wherein at least one of the means includes at least one electronic hardware component.

39. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

determining relative priorities of a plurality of windows of a graphical user interface;

determining relative priorities of a plurality of portions of a plurality of the plurality of windows based in part on user input; and

automatically arranging the windows on the graphical user interface based on the relative priorities of the windows and based on the relative priorities of the portions, wherein at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window, wherein automatically arranging the windows includes dynamically arranging the windows when at least one of at least one relative priority of the relative priorities of the windows and at least one of the relative priorities of the plurality of portions changes.

40. A computer program product comprising computer executable instructions embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium for performing steps comprising:

simultaneously displaying a plurality of windows on a graphical user interface where at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows are set according to relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows, the relative priorities of the plurality of windows and relative priorities of portions of the plurality of windows based in part on user input;

detecting an event affecting the relative priority of at least one of the windows; and

dynamically adjusting the at least one of sizes and positions of the plurality of windows based on the event such that at least one higher priority window covers at least one lower priority portion of at least one lower priority window to provide for a simultaneous viewing of the at least one higher priority window and a higher priority portion of the at least one lower priority window.