Browsing and interacting with open windows

• US 8,560,960 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2010
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Goossens, Thomas, Robinet, Fabrice
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/953,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20120131495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 715/782, 715/781, 715/848
• US Class Current: 715/782
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media for managing open windows in a desktop GUI are disclosed. In various implementations, within a three-dimensional desktop, the open windows can be displayed in a three-dimensional browsable parade. As the user browses through the open windows in the browsable parade, the open window passing through a designated primary location of the three-dimensional desktop becomes the current active window of the desktop. An application menu bar of the current active window can be displayed on the three-dimensional desktop. The application menu bar and the active window together provide the full range of interactive capabilities that the native application environment of the open window would allow, even though the open window is currently displayed within the browsable parade.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more processors of a device, comprising:

presenting a plurality of windows along a path in a first region in a user interface presented on a display of the device, the windows operable to advance along a predetermined path in a series of locations, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations;

identifying a first window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar in a second region that is separate from the first region in the user interface, the first application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with the first application corresponding to the first window that occupies the primary location;

detecting an input for instructing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first window to a second window that corresponds to a second location; and

in response to the detecting—

in the first region, presenting the second window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first window that corresponds to the first application; and

in the second region, presenting a second application-level menu bar instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input for advancing the windows along the path in a user-specified direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input selecting the second window while the second window occupies one of the secondary locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of windows are grouped into two or more application groups, each application group including open windows provided by a common application, and the windows in each application group are operable to advance along the path as a unit.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

detecting a second input browsing a first application group occupying the primary location; and

in response to the second input, causing the windows in the first application group to cycle through a first position at the primary location, wherein a window occupying the first position becomes an active window.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the plurality of windows are presented in a three-dimensional (3D) space, and the method further comprises:

detecting a second input for raising a viewing angle of the 3D space; and

in response to the second input, causing the plurality of windows to be viewed from the raised viewing angle.

7. A computer-implemented method performed by one or more processors of a device, comprising:

presenting a plurality of windows in a parade, each window being provided by a respective application, the parade operable to advance along a pre-determined path in a series of locations across a three-dimensional (3D) desktop under a user'"'"'s direction, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations proximate the primary location along the predetermined path, and each open window being presented in an enlarged frontal view when occupying the primary location and in a diminished oblique view when occupying one of the secondary locations;

identifying a first open window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar at a designated menu location that is separate from the series of locations on the 3D desktop, the first application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a first application corresponding to the first open window currently occupying the primary location;

detecting an input causing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first open window to a second open window, where the second open window corresponds to a second application that is different from the first application; and

in response to the detecting—

presenting the second open window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first open window that corresponds to the first application; and

presenting a second application-level menu bar at the designated menu location instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second open window.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting a plurality of windows along a path in a first region in a user interface presented on a display of the device, the windows operable to advance along a predetermined path in a series of locations, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations;

identifying a first window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar in a second region that is separate from the first region in the user interface, the first application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with the first application corresponding to the first window that occupies the primary location;

detecting an input for instructing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first window to a second window that corresponds to a second location; and

in response to the detecting;

in the first region, presenting the second window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first window that corresponds to the first application; and

in the second region, presenting a second application-level menu bar instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second window.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input for advancing the windows along the path in a user-specified direction.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input selecting the second window while the second window occupies one of the secondary locations.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of windows are grouped into two or more application groups, each application group including open windows provided by a common application, and the windows in each application group are operable to advance along the path as a unit.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a second input browsing a first application group occupying the primary location; and

in response to the second input, causing the windows in the first application group to cycle through a first position at the primary location, wherein a window occupying the first position becomes an active window.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of windows are presented in a three-dimensional (3D) space, and the operations further comprise:

detecting a second input for raising a viewing angle of the 3D space; and

in response to the second input, causing the plurality of windows to be viewed from the raised viewing angle.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising:

presenting a plurality of windows in a parade, each window being provided by a respective application, the parade operable to advance along a pre-determined path in a series of locations across a three-dimensional (3D) desktop under a user'"'"'s direction, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations proximate the primary location along the predetermined path, and each open window being presented in an enlarged frontal view when occupying the primary location and in a diminished oblique view when occupying one of the secondary locations;

identifying a first open window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar at a designated menu location that is separate from the series of locations on the 3D desktop, the first application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a first application corresponding to the first open window currently occupying the primary location;

detecting an input causing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first open window to a second open window, where the second open window corresponds to a second application that is different from the first application; and

in response to the detecting;

presenting the second open window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first open window that corresponds to the first application; and

presenting a second application-level menu bar at the designated menu location instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second open window.

15. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

presenting a plurality of windows along a path in a first region in a user interface presented on a display of the device, the windows operable to advance along a predetermined path in a series of locations, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations;

identifying a first window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar in a second region that is separate from the first region in the user interface, the first application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with the first application corresponding to the first window that occupies the primary location;

detecting an input for instructing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first window to a second window that corresponds to a second location; and

in response to the detecting;

in the first region, presenting the second window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first window that corresponds to the first application; and

in the second region, presenting a second application-level menu bar instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar to permit user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second window.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input for advancing the windows along the path in a user-specified direction.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the input instructing the transition of occupancy at the primary location is an input selecting the second window while the second window occupies one of the secondary locations.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of windows are grouped into two or more application groups, each application group including open windows provided by a common application, and the windows in each application group are operable to advance along the path as a unit.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a second input browsing a first application group occupying the primary location; and

in response to the second input, causing the windows in the first application group to cycle through a first position at the primary location, wherein a window occupying the first position becomes an active window.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of windows are presented in a three-dimensional (3D) space, and the operations further comprise:

detecting a second input for raising a viewing angle of the 3D space; and

in response to the second input, causing the plurality of windows to be viewed from the raised viewing angle.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing instructions, the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

presenting a plurality of windows in a parade, each window being provided by a respective application, the parade operable to advance along a pre\-determined path in a series of locations across a three-dimensional (3D) desktop under a user'"'"'s direction, the series of locations including a primary location and one or more secondary locations proximate the primary location along the predetermined path, and each open window being presented in an enlarged frontal view when occupying the primary location and in a diminished oblique view when occupying one of the secondary locations;

identifying a first open window corresponding to a first application that occupies the primary location;

presenting a first application-level menu bar at a designated menu location that is separate from the series of locations on the 3D desktop, the first application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a first application corresponding to the first open window currently occupying the primary location;

detecting an input causing a transition of occupancy at the primary location from the first open window to a second open window, where the second open window corresponds to a second application that is different from the first application; and

in response to the detecting;

presenting the second open window that corresponds to the second application at the primary location instead of the first open window that corresponds to the first application; and

presenting a second application-level menu bar to be presented at the designated menu location instead of the first application-level menu bar, the second application-level menu bar permits user interaction with a second application corresponding to the second open window.