User interface for multiple display regions

• US 8,621,387 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Louch, John, Bumgarner, Timothy W., Peyton, Eric S., Hynes, Christopher J.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US12/549,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790, 715/794, 715/797, 715/792
• US Class Current: 715/797
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

User interfaces for multiple display regions are described. One embodiment provides an array of non-overlapping windows that are created from a set of overlapping windows, and a user can select one of the non-overlapping windows to obtain an enlarged view of that selected window while keeping the other windows in their non-overlapping state. In one embodiment, the array of non-overlapping windows can include minimized windows or windows in other virtual desktops (e.g. windows in other “Spaces”) or both. In one embodiment, only windows of a selected application are shown in non-overlapping mode while opened windows of other applications are not shown.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method to provide a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface in a first display mode configured to present a plurality of open windows on a display, wherein at least one of the windows is presented in overlapping relation with another window;

receiving a first input to enter a second display mode;

in response to the first input, entering the second display mode and presenting the plurality of open windows on the display in a reduced size view, and arranged such that no window is in overlapping relation with another;

receiving a second input selecting a window to be presented in an enlarged view while remaining in the second display mode; and

receiving a third input to display the enlarged version of the selected window, and displaying the selected window in overlapping relation to at least a portion of at least one of all other windows, while such other windows remain in a reduced size view and in non-overlapping relation with one another.

2. The machine implemented method as in claim 1 wherein the enlarged version of the selected window obscures at least a portion of a plurality of the other windows in the reduced size view.

3. The machine implemented method as in claim 2 further comprising:

determining a position and size of each of the windows in the plurality of windows in a way in which size is maximized within a given area while the plurality of windows are positioned on a grid.

4. The machine implemented method as in claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a fourth input to stop display of the enlarged view of the selected window, and ending such display;

receiving a fifth input selecting a second selected window to be displayed as an enlarged version;

receiving a sixth input to display the enlarged version of the second selected window, and displaying the selected window in overlapping relation to at least a portion of at least one of all other windows, while such other windows remain in the reduced size view and in non-overlapping relation with one another.

5. The machine implemented method as in claim 4 wherein the first display mode displays all windows on a desktop in an overlapping window state and the second display mode displays all windows on the desktop in a non-overlapping window state and wherein in the second display mode, each window displays the full content displayed by the corresponding window in the first display mode.

6. A machine readable storage medium containing executable instructions which when executed by a system cause the system to perform a method to provide a user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a user interface in a first display mode configured to present a plurality of open windows on a display, wherein at least one of the windows is presented in overlapping relation with another window;

receiving a first input to enter a second display mode;

in response to the first input, entering the second display mode and presenting the plurality of open windows on the display in a reduced size view, and arranged such that no window is in overlapping relation with another window;

receiving a second input selecting a window to be presented in an enlarged view while remaining in the second display mode; and

receiving a third input to display the enlarged version of the selected window, and displaying the selected window in overlapping relation to at least a portion of at least one of all other windows, while such other windows remain in a reduced size view and in non-overlapping relation with one another.

7. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 6 wherein the enlarged version of the selected window obscures at least a portion of a plurality of the other windows in the reduced size view.

8. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 7, the method further comprising:

determining a position and size of each of the windows in the plurality of windows in a way in which size is maximized within a given area while the plurality of windows are positioned on a grid.

9. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 6, the method further comprising:

receiving a fourth input to stop display of the enlarged view of the selected window, and ending such display;

receiving a fifth input selecting a second selected window to be displayed as an enlarged version;

receiving a sixth input to display the enlarged version of the second selected window, and displaying the selected window in overlapping relation to at least a portion of at least one of all other windows, while such other windows remain in the reduced size view and in non-overlapping relation with one another.

10. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 9 wherein the first display mode displays all windows on a desktop in an overlapping window state and the second display mode displays all windows on the desktop in a non-overlapping window state and wherein in the second display mode, each window displays the full content displayed by the corresponding window in the first display mode.

11. A machine implemented method comprising:

displaying on at least one display device a user interface which is configured to present, upon request from a user, a plurality of windows in a first display mode on a desktop, wherein in the first display mode the plurality of windows are at least partially overlapping;

displaying, in response to a first input to enter a second display mode, the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state;

receiving a second input comprising a selection of a first window;

receiving a third input to display a selected window of the plurality of windows in an enlarged version;

displaying, in response to the third input, the selected window in the enlarged version while displaying all other windows of the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state relative to each of the other windows, wherein the selected window is the first window and wherein the first window at least partially overlaps at least one of the other windows.

12. The machine implemented method as in claim 11, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of a second window in the plurality of windows while in the second display mode, the second window becoming the selected window in response to the selection of the second window and the first window no longer being the selected window;

displaying, in response to the selection of the second window, the second window in an enlarged version while displaying all other windows of the plurality of windows, including the first window, in a non-overlapping state relative to each of the other windows, and wherein the second window at least partially overlaps at least one of the other windows.

13. The machine implemented method as in claim 12, the method further comprising:

determining a position and size of each of the windows in the plurality of windows in a manner in which size is maximized within a given area while the plurality of windows are positioned on a grid and wherein the enlarged version of the first window is displayed in the same location on the grid as a non-enlarged version of the first window.

14. A machine readable storage medium containing executable instructions which when executed by a system cause the system to perform a method comprising:

displaying on at least one display device a user interface which is configured to present, upon request from a user, a plurality of windows in a first display mode on a desktop, wherein in the first display mode the plurality of windows are at least partially overlapping;

displaying, in response to a first input to enter a second display mode, the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state;

receiving a second input comprising a selection of a first window;

receiving a third input to display a selected window of the plurality of windows in an enlarged version;

displaying, in response to the third input, the selected window in the enlarged version while displaying all other windows of the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state relative to each of the other windows, wherein the selected window is the first window and wherein the first window at least partially overlaps at least one of the other windows.

15. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 14, the method further comprising:

receiving a selection of a second window in the plurality of windows while in the second display mode, the second window becoming the selected window in response to the selection of the second window and the first window no longer being the selected window;

displaying, in response to the selection of the second window, the second window in an enlarged version while displaying all other windows of the plurality of windows, including the first window, in a non-overlapping state relative to each of the other windows, and wherein the second window at least partially overlaps at least one of the other windows.

16. The machine readable storage medium as in claim 15, the method further comprising:

determining a position and size of each of the windows in the plurality of windows in a manner in which size is maximized within a given area while the plurality of windows are positioned on a grid and wherein the enlarged version of the first window is displayed in the same location on the grid as a non-enlarged version of the first window.

17. A data processing system comprising:

means for displaying on at least one display device a user interface which is configured to present, upon request from a user, a plurality of windows in a first display mode on a desktop, wherein in the first display mode the plurality of windows are at least partially overlapping;

means for displaying, in response to a first input to enter a second display mode, the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state;

means for receiving a second input comprising a selection of a first window;

means for receiving a third input to display a selected window of the plurality of windows in an enlarged version;

means for displaying, in response to the third input, the selected window in the enlarged version while displaying all other windows of the plurality of windows in a non-overlapping state relative to each of the other windows, wherein the selected window is the first window and wherein the first window at least partially overlaps at least one of the other windows.