Global z-order for windows

• US 9,395,869 B2
• Filed: 02/02/2012
• Issued: 07/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Holland, Philip James
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Distefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US13/365,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,629 Days
• Field of Search: 715/766, 715/794
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/002 Specific input/output arrangements not covered by G06F3/01 - G06F3/16 other optical apparatus G02B27/00
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

In some implementations, windows can be displayed based on a global z-order. The global z-order can be maintained for all open windows. The global z-order can include windows that are not currently displayed. The global z-order can define a display order of windows across multiple workspaces. In some implementations, workspaces can be associated with respective levels. The workspace levels can be used to determine how to display windows associated with each workspace when multiple workspaces are displayed simultaneously.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a computing device with a display and one or more input devices;

displaying, on the display, a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a first instance of a second window, the first portion at a first relative location in the first instance of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows,

wherein a second workspace includes a third window at least partially obscuring a second portion of a second instance of the second window, the second portion at a second relative location in the second instance of the second window, different from the first relative location, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows;

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the z-order value associated with the second window with respect to the z-order value associated with the first window in the global z-order;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input;

updating the first workspace such that the first portion of the first instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the first workspace; and

updating the second workspace such that the second portion of the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the third window in the second workspace.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

hiding one of the first window, the first instance of the second window, the second instance of the second window, and the third window while maintaining the one window in the global z-order.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving input associated with the one window;

in response to the input associated with the one window and in accordance with a determination that the input associated with the one window corresponds to a request to display the one window;

displaying the one window in accordance with the global z-order.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, the method further comprising:

receiving input associated with the first set of windows;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window while preserving a relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows according to respective z-order values associated with the windows of the first set of windows prior to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows; and

displaying the first set of windows in the first workspace according to the relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows, wherein the windows of the first set of windows at least partially obscure the first instance of the second window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the windows of the first set of windows and the second window.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first workspace is associated with a first level and the second workspace is associated with a second level that is higher than the first level, and

the first window is above the third window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and third windows,

the method further comprising displaying the first window and the third window based on the first level and the second level.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying the third window at least partially obscuring the first window in accordance with the second level being higher than the first level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, and a second set of windows including the third window is associated with the second workspace, the method further comprising:

determining a union set of the first set of windows and the second set of windows; and

displaying the union set of windows according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the respective windows of the union set of windows.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while displaying the first workspace, receiving an input associated with the first window;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first window, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to dissociate the first window from the first workspace and associate the first window with the second workspace, disassociating the first window from the first workspace and associating the first window with the second workspace while maintaining the first window in the global z-order, wherein the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the second workspace according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and second windows.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first, second, and third windows have different positions in the global z-order.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device with a display and one or more input devices, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a first instance of a second window, the first portion at a first relative location in the first instance of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows,

wherein a second workspace includes a third window at least partially obscuring a second portion of a second instance of the second window, the second portion at a second relative location in the second instance of the second window, different from the first relative location, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows;

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the z-order value associated with the second window with respect to the z-order value associated with the first window in the global z-order;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input;

updating the first workspace such that the first portion of the first instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the first workspace; and

updating the second workspace such that the second portion of the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the third window in the second workspace.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, where the instructions cause:

hiding one of the first window, the first instance of the second window, the second instance of the second window, and the third window while maintaining the one window in the global z-order.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, where the instructions cause:

receiving input associated with the one window;

in response to the input associated with the one window and in accordance with a determination that the input associated with the one window corresponds to a request to display the one window;

displaying the window in accordance with the global z-order.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, where the instructions cause:

receiving input associated with the first set of windows;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window while preserving a relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows according to respective z-order values associated with the windows of the first set of windows prior to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows; and

displaying the first set of windows in the first workspace according to the relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows, wherein the windows of the first set of windows at least partially obscure the first instance of the second window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the windows of the first set of windows and the second window.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first workspace is associated with a first level and the second workspace is associated with a second level that is higher than the first level, and

the first window is above the third window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and third windows,

where the instructions cause displaying the first window and the third window based on the first level and the second level.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, where the instructions cause:

displaying the third window at least partially obscuring the first window in accordance with the second level being higher than the first level.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, and a second set of windows including the third window is associated with the second workspace, where the instructions cause:

determining a union set of the first set of windows and the second set of windows; and

displaying the union set of windows according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the respective windows of the union set of windows.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, where the instructions cause:

while displaying the first workspace, receiving an input associated with the first window;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first window, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to dissociate the first window from the first workspace and associate the first window with the second workspace disassociating the first window from the first workspace and associating the first window with the second workspace while maintaining the first window in the global z-order wherein the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the second workspace according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and second windows.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first,second,and third windows have different positions in the global z-oder.

21. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a display;

one or more input devices; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising;

displaying, on the display, a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a first instance of a second window, the first portion at a first relative location in the first instance of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows,

wherein a second workspace includes a third window at least partially obscuring a second portion of a second instance of the second window, the second portion at a second relative location in the second instance of the second window, different from the first relative location, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows;

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the z-order value associated with the second window with respect to the z-order value associated with the first window in the global z-order;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input;

updating the first workspace such that the first portion of the first instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the first workspace; and

updating the second workspace such that the second portion of the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the third window in the second workspace.

22. The system of claim 21, where the instructions cause:

hiding one of the first window, the first instance of the second window, the second instance of the second window, and the third window while maintaining the one window in the global z-order.

23. The system of claim 21, where the instructions cause:

receiving input associated with the one window;

in response to the input associated with the one window and in accordance with a determination that the input associated with the one window corresponds to a request to display the one window;

displaying the one window in accordance with the global z-order.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, where the instructions cause:

receiving input associated with the first set of windows;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows, in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window;

modifying the global z-order in accordance with the input to promote the first set of windows with respect to the second window while preserving a relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows according to respective z-order values associated with the windows of the first set of windows prior to receiving the input associated with the first set of windows; and

displaying the first set of windows in the first workspace according to the relative ordering of the windows of the first set of windows, wherein the windows of the first set of windows at least partially obscure the first instance of the second window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the windows of the first set of windows and the second window.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the first workspace is associated with a first level and the second workspace is associated with a second level that is higher than the first level, and

the first window is above the third window according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and third windows,

where the instructions cause displaying the-first window and the third window based on the first level and the second level.

27. The system of claim 26, where the instructions cause:

displaying the third window at least partially obscuring the first window in accordance with the second level being higher than the first level.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein a first set of windows including the first window is associated with the first workspace, and a second set of windows including the third window is associated with the second workspace, where the instructions cause:

determining a union set of the first set of windows and the second set of windows; and

displaying the union set of windows according to the relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the respective windows of the union set of windows.

29. The system of claim 21, where the instructions cause:

while displaying the first workspace, receiving an input associated with the first window;

in response to receiving the input associated with the first window, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to dissociate the first window from the first workspace and associate the first window with the second workspace disassociating the first window from the first workspace and associating the first window with the second workspace while maintaining the first window in the global z-order, wherein the second instance of the second window at least partially obscures the first window in the second workspace according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the first and second windows.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein the first, second, and third windows have different positions in the global z-order.

31. A method for displaying windows according to a global z-order comprising:

at a computing device with a display and one or more input devices;

displaying, on the display a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a second window according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows, wherein a second workspace includes a third window, the third window having an associated global z-order value in the global z-order,

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to disassociate the second window from the first workspace and associate the second window with the second workspace;

disassociating the second window from the first workspace and associating the second window with the second workspace while maintaining the second window in the global z-order, wherein the third window at least partially obscures a second portion of the second window, different from the first portion of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the first, second, and third windows have different positions in the global z-order.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a computing device with a display and one or more input devices, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

displaying, on the display a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a second window according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows, wherein a second workspace includes a third window, the third window having an associated global z-order value in the global z-order,

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to disassociate the second window from the first workspace and associate the second window with the second workspace;

disassociating the second window from the first workspace and associating the second window with the second workspace while maintaining the second window in the global z-order, wherein the third window at least partially obscures a second portion of the second window, different from the first portion of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

36. The computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the first, second, and third windows have different positions in the global z-order.

37. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a display;

one or more input devices; and

a non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising;

displaying, on the display a first workspace including a first window at least partially obscuring a first portion of a second window according to a relationship between respective z-order values of a global z-order associated with the first and second windows, wherein a second workspace includes a third window, the third window having an associated global z-order value in the global z-order,

while displaying, on the display, the first workspace, receiving, via the one or more input devices, an input associated with the second window; and

in response to receiving the input, and in accordance with a determination that the input corresponds to a request to disassociate the second window from the first workspace and associate the second window with the second workspace;

disassociating the second window from the first workspace and associating the second window with the second workspace while maintaining the second window in the global z-order, wherein the third window at least partially obscures a second portion of the second window, different from the first portion of the second window, according to a relationship between respective z-order values of the global z-order associated with the second and third windows.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the first window is associated with a first application and the third window is associated with a second application, different from the first application.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein the first, second, and third windows have different positions in the global z-order.