Dynamic stacking and expansion of visual items
First Claim
1. A method for presenting visual items on a graphical user interface of a computer, the method comprising steps of:
- displaying a plurality of visual items as a stack;
receiving a first user selection of a first region associated with the stack;
responsive to the first user selection, determining whether sufficient room exists for displaying all of the plurality of visual items side-by-side without moving the top one of the visual items;
responsive to determining that sufficient room exists, altering the size or shape of the first region and displaying the plurality of visual items side-by-side without moving the top one of the visual items or overlapping any of the plurality of visual items, and responsive to determining that sufficient room does not exist, altering the size or shape of the first region and displaying a bottom-most one of the visual items in the stack at a left-most area and at least some of the remaining ones of the plurality of visual items side-by-side and to the right of the bottom-most one of the visual items;
receiving a second user selection of a second region having the altered size or shape of the first region and surrounding the plurality of visual items while the plurality of visual items are not stacked;
responsive to the second user selection, again displaying the plurality of visual items as a stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Aspects of the present invention are directed to the stacking of visual items, and their subsequent expansion, or unstacking. Upon selection of a stack, that stack expands into the individual visual items making up that stack. Further aspects of the present invention are directed to expanding a stack in different ways depending upon the circumstances. Further aspects of the present invention are directed to providing a hot area associated with, and potentially disposed around, a stack. Selection by the user of the hot area results in selection of the associated stack. The stack may itself be considered a single item that is itself selectable. After the stack is expanded, then the individual visual items making up the original stack are each individually selectable. However, when stacked, the individual items may not be selectable except as a complete stack.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for presenting visual items on a graphical user interface of a computer, the method comprising steps of:
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displaying a plurality of visual items as a stack; receiving a first user selection of a first region associated with the stack; responsive to the first user selection, determining whether sufficient room exists for displaying all of the plurality of visual items side-by-side without moving the top one of the visual items; responsive to determining that sufficient room exists, altering the size or shape of the first region and displaying the plurality of visual items side-by-side without moving the top one of the visual items or overlapping any of the plurality of visual items, and responsive to determining that sufficient room does not exist, altering the size or shape of the first region and displaying a bottom-most one of the visual items in the stack at a left-most area and at least some of the remaining ones of the plurality of visual items side-by-side and to the right of the bottom-most one of the visual items; receiving a second user selection of a second region having the altered size or shape of the first region and surrounding the plurality of visual items while the plurality of visual items are not stacked; responsive to the second user selection, again displaying the plurality of visual items as a stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for presenting event notifications on a graphical user interface of a computer, the method comprising steps of:
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displaying a plurality of presenting event notifications in an overlapping manner; receiving a first user selection of a first hot area associated with the plurality of event notifications displayed in the overlapping manner; responsive to the first user selection, determining whether sufficient room exists for displaying all of the plurality of event notifications side-by-side without moving the top one of the event notifications; responsive to determining that sufficient room exists, displaying the plurality of event notifications in a non-overlapping manner and altering the size or shape of the first hot area, and responsive to determining that sufficient room does not exist, displaying a bottom-most one of the event notifications at a left-most area and at least some of the remaining ones of the plurality of visual items side-by-side and to the right of the bottom-most one of the event notifications; receiving a second user selection of a second hot area having the size or shape of the altered first hot area and surrounding the plurality of event notifications that do not overlap with one another, wherein the first hot area and second hot area are different and each encompasses the plurality of event notifications, and each of the first hot area and second hot area extends for a same length along a first direction and for different lengths along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and responsive to the second user selection, again displaying the plurality of event notifications in an overlapping manner. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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Specification