Providing alternative content in a windowed environment

• US 8,516,507 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Horvitz, Eric J, Chickering, David M, Cheng, Lili, Flake, Gary W, Gounares, Alexander G
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US13/542,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 719/328, 715/214
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to an architecture or extension to a window manager. In particular, the extension can provide for a window rotation feature that can be exposed as a rotate button. Additionally or alternatively, the rotation feature can be activated based upon a diverse set of conditions, events, and/or commands. Upon activation of the rotation feature, the window manager can rotate a window about an axis to expose a secondary surface that can be populated with alternative content that is distinct from the content of the primary surface of the window. In addition, the architecture provides techniques for identifying both double-sided graphical objects and potentially double-sided objects.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for extending an operating system window manager Application Programming Interface (API), comprising:

implementing, in an operating system window manager executing on a computing device having a processor, an Application Program Interface (API) that enables a rotation feature that is useable by the window manager to rotate a graphical object independent of an application that instantiated the graphical object;

displaying, by the window manager, a primary surface of a graphical object and contents associated with and included within the primary surface of the graphical object, a secondary surface of the graphical object being entirely occluded by the primary surface, the graphical object comprising one or more of an icon, a menu, a tab, a splash screen, a desktop display, a window, a task bar, a side bar, and a component in a task bar or side bar; and

rotating, by the window manager using the rotation API, the graphical object to expose the secondary surface of the graphical object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting alternative content for the graphical object, wherein at least one of the window manager or the rotation API adapts the alternative content for display within the secondary surface of the graphical object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the alternative content is an advertisement that is associated with the content of the graphical object or that is not associated with the content of the graphical object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the selection component uses private user data to select the advertisement based on targeted advertisement.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the private user data includes one or more of financial, demographic, historical, and activity data of a user.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the private user data is stored locally on the computing device and is not shared with an advertiser or other third party.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein, the selection of the advertisement is performed locally on the computing device without communicating with a third party.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

identifying a portion of the graphical object that is not occluded by a second graphical object, the portion being rotatable by the rotation API separately from the remainder of the graphical object to expose the secondary surface associated with the portion.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein selecting alternative content comprises selecting alternative content for the portion of the graphical object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical object is at least partially occluded by an active graphical object, and rotating the graphical object brings the graphical object to the front to display the secondary surface un-occluded by the active graphical object.

11. A computer-implemented method that facilitates display of alternative content, comprising:

implementing, in an operating system window manager executing on a computing device having a processor, an Application Program Interface (API) that enables a rotation feature that is useable by the window manager to rotate a graphical object independent of an application that instantiated the graphical object;

determining, by the operating system, a computer-based graphical object that is double-sided or potentially double-sided;

identifying a portion of the graphical object that is not occluded by a second graphical object;

selecting alternative content to be displayed on a secondary side of only the portion of the graphical object based at least in part on dimensions of the portion of the graphical object;

rotating, by the window manager using the rotation API, at least the portion of the graphical object to expose the secondary side of the portion of the graphical object; and

displaying the selected alternative content on the secondary side of the portion of the graphical object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the graphical object comprises one or more of an icon, a menu, a tab, a splash screen, a desktop display, a window, a task bar, a side bar, and a component in a task bar or side bar.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the portion of the graphical object comprises a pseudo-window.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein only the portion of the graphical object is rotated to display the alternative content on the secondary side of the portion of the graphical object.

15. A computer-implemented method for extending an operating system window manager API, comprising:

implementing in an operating system window manager executing on a computing device having a processor, an Application Program Interface (API) that enables a window rotation feature that is useable by the window manager to rotate a graphical object independent of an application that instantiated the graphical object;

displaying a plurality of graphical objects, the graphical objects comprising one or more double-sided graphical objects, multi-sided graphical object, or single-sided graphical objects that can be configured to be a double-sided or multi-sided graphical objects;

identifying a graphical object that is an active graphical object;

rotating, by the window manager using the API, the graphical objects different from the active graphical object to expose secondary surfaces of the rotated graphical objects.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the active graphical object is identified based on a position of an input device cursor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the input device corresponds to a touch screen.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising rotating the active graphical object.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the graphical object is at least partially occluded by an active graphical object, and rotating the graphical object brings the graphical object to the front to display the secondary surface un-occluded by the active graphical object.