Controlling application windows in an operating system

• US 9,354,771 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zotov, Alexander J., Duncan, Richard J., Szilagyi, Zoltan C.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALOMON, PHENUEL S
• Application Number:
  US14/560,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20150089445A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for controlling the appearance of application windows on a computer display screen. A user identifies either an application window currently running on the computer or a new application to be started. The user also identifies a size, shape, and screen location by inputting a geometric shape, such as by drawing a rectangle with a pen or stylus input device, on the display screen. The appearance of the application window is set based on the geometric shape. The application window is resized and moved, for a currently running application, or created, for a new application, on the display screen.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

an area on a display device; and

a user-delineated shape on the display device, the user-delineated shape to configure a part of the area for presentation of an application, the part of the area corresponding to the user-delineated shape.

2. A user interface as recited in claim 1, the user-delineated shape comprising boundaries set by graphical input to the user interface.

3. A user interface as recited in claim 2, wherein the graphical input to the user interface comprises touch input.

4. A user interface as recited in claim 1, the user-delineated shape including textual input to the user interface.

5. A user interface as recited in claim 4, wherein the textual input to the user interface comprises touch input.

6. A user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the application launches for presentation in the user-delineated shape.

7. A user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the user-delineated shape causes manipulation of a graphical presentation area for the application.

8. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes placing a presentation of the application in the user-delineated shape.

9. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes replacing an existing presentation of the application with a presentation of the application in the user-delineated shape.

10. A user interface as recited in claim 7, wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes moving an existing presentation of the application to the user-delineated shape.

11. A user interface system configured to recognize input to control a computer and produce output to a display screen through operations comprising:

receiving an indication of a user input comprising a geometric shape; and

presenting, on the display screen, an application window corresponding to the geometric shape.

12. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, the indication of the user input being received via a touch input device of the user interface system.

13. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, the operations further comprising, receiving a textual input within boundaries of the geometric shape.

14. A user interface system as recited in claim 13, wherein the display screen includes a touch-sensitive display screen and the textual input comprises touch input received via the touch-sensitive display screen.

15. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, the operations further comprising, at least partly in response to receiving the indication of the user input, launching a target application for presentation in the application window on the display screen.

16. A user interface system as recited in claim 11, wherein the geometric shape causes manipulation of the application window for the target application.

17. A user interface system as recited in claim 16, wherein the manipulation of the application window for the target application includes placing a presentation of the target application in the application window.

18. A user interface as recited in claim 16, wherein the manipulation of the application window for the target application includes replacing an existing presentation of the target application with a presentation of the target application in the application window.

19. A method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user input including a graphical shape on a display screen;

defining an application window corresponding to the graphical shape on the display screen; and

providing an application for display in the application window at the location on the display screen in a window corresponding to the graphical shape.

20. A method as recited in claim 19, the indication of user input including touch input.