Graphical user interface window spacing mechanisms

• US 9,395,868 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Arnaud Claude, Ainslie, Alex Neely, Shah, Roma Rajni, Murphy, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US13/312,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,687 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/863, 715/790, 715/838, 376/9, 386/3, 379/0, 383/8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Computer-implemented methods for adjusting a display of multiple web page windows in a web browser are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving selections of visible portions of first and second web page windows oriented in an overlaid configuration with first and second touch inputs, and receiving a dragging motion of the touch inputs to alter the visible portion of at least one of the windows. When the dragging motion includes dragging the touch inputs away from one another, the visible portion of the first web page window is increased and the visible portion of the second web page window is decreased, and when the dragging motion includes dragging the touch inputs towards one another, the visible portion of the first web page window is decreased and the visible portion of the second web page window is increased. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for adjusting a display of multiple web page windows oriented in an overlaid configuration in a web browser, the method comprising:

providing for display a plurality of web page windows as a stack of web page windows in an overlaid configuration, the plurality of web page windows comprising a first web page window, a second web page window, and a third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window, the first web page window being detached from and not bound to the second web page window in the overlaid configuration;

receiving a selection of a visible portion of the first web page window with a first touch input and a selection of a visible portion of the second web page window with a second touch input; and

receiving a dragging motion of the first touch input and the second touch input to alter the visible portion of at least one of the first and second web page windows in the overlaid configuration,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input away from one another, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is increased and the visible portion of the second web page window is decreased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input towards one another, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is decreased and the visible portion of the second web page window is increased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input, and

wherein an order of the third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window remains unchanged upon the concurrent selection of the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the second web page window.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the increase and decrease in the amount of the visible portions of the first and second web page windows is proportional to the length of the dragging motion.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second web page window is overlaid above the first web page window.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein movement of the first and second web page windows is limited to a single axis.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the visible portion of the first web page window or the second web page window comprises receiving a selection of a tab indicator of the first web page window or a tab indicator of the second web page window.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selected visible portion of the first web page window and the selected visible portion of the second web page window remain visible after the dragging motion is received.

7. A system for adjusting a display of multiple web page windows oriented in an overlaid configuration in a web browser, the system comprising:

a memory comprising a first web page and a second web page;

a processor configured to execute instructions to;

provide for display a plurality of web page windows as a stack of web page windows in an overlaid configuration, the plurality of web page windows comprising a first web page window, a second web page window, and a third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window, the first web page window being detached from and not bound to the second web page window in the overlaid configuration;

receive a selection of a visible portion of the first web page window displaying the first web page with a first touch input; and

a selection of a visible portion of the second web page window with a second touch input; and

receive a dragging motion of the first touch input and the second touch input to alter the visible portion of at least one of the first and second web page windows in the overlaid configuration,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input away from one another, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is increased and the visible portion of the second web page window is decreased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input towards one another, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is decreased and the visible portion of the second web page window is increased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input, and

wherein an order of the third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window remains unchanged upon the concurrent selection of the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the second web page window.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the increase and decrease in the amount of the visible portions of the first and second web page windows is proportional to the length of the dragging motion.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the second web page window is overlaid above the first web page window.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to limit movement of the first and second web page windows to a single axis.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the processor being configured to execute instructions to receive the selection of the visible portion of the first web page window or the second web page window comprises the processor being configured to execute instructions to receive a selection of a tab indicator of the first web page window or a tab indicator of the second web page window.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the selected visible portion of the first web page window and the selected visible portion of the second web page window remain visible after the dragging motion is received.

13. A mobile web browser for adjusting a display of multiple web page windows oriented in an overlaid configuration in a web browser, the mobile web browser comprising:

a stacking interface configured to provide, using a processor, a display of a plurality of web page windows as a stack of web page windows in an overlaid configuration, the plurality of web page windows comprising a first web page window, a second web page window, and a third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window, the first web page window being detached from and not bound to the second web page window in the overlaid configuration, wherein a portion of each of the first and second web page windows is visible, and to receive a selection of the visible portion of the first web page window in the overlaid configuration with a first touch input and a selection of the visible portion of the second web page window in the overlaid configuration with a second touch input,

wherein, when a concurrent dragging motion of the first touch input and the second touch input is received;

the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is increased and the visible portion of the second web page window is decreased when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input away from one another based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input, and

the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is decreased and the visible portion of the second web page window is increased when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input towards one another based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input, and

wherein an order of the third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window remains unchanged upon the concurrent selection of the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the second web page window.

14. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for adjusting a display of multiple web page windows oriented in an overlaid configuration in a web browser, the method comprising:

providing for display a plurality of web page windows in a stack configuration, the plurality of web page windows comprising a first web page window, a second web page window, and a third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window, the first web page window being detached from and not bound to the second web page window in the stack configuration;

receiving a selection of a visible portion of the first web page window with a first touch input and a selection of a visible portion of the second web page window with a second touch input; and

receiving a dragging motion of the first touch input and the second touch input to alter the visible portion of at least one of the first and second web page windows in the stack configuration,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging the first touch input and the second touch input away from one another along an axis, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is increased and the visible portion of the second web page window is decreased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input,

wherein when the dragging motion comprises concurrent dragging of the first touch input and the second touch input towards one another along the axis, the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the third web page window is decreased and the visible portion of the second web page window is increased based on the concurrent movement of each of the first web page window in response to the dragging of the first touch input and the second web page window in response to the dragging of the second touch input, and

wherein an order of the third web page window between the first web page window and the second web page window remains unchanged upon the concurrent selection of the visible portion of the first web page window and the visible portion of the second web page window.