Method and apparatus of displaying window border shadow

• US 10,636,191 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2016
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guangzhou Shirui Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Guangzhou Shirui Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Cheng, Yao
• Primary Examiner(s): Yang, Ryan R
• Application Number:
  US16/308,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20190147634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• 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: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/10 Mixing of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of an operation, e.g. adding, on the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence

Abstract

A method and an apparatus of displaying a window border shadow, the method including the following steps: creating a slave window stitched to a border of a main window, wherein the main window is a non-Layered Window, and the slave window is a Layered Window (S100); adjusting a size of the slave window according to a size of the main window, and adjusting screen coordinates of the slave window according to screen coordinates of the main window (S200); and calculating a pixel point transparency for the slave window, and displaying the slave window according to the calculated result (S300). Above mentioned method sets the main window for presenting software interface to the non-Layered Window, and the slave windows stitched to the borders surrounding the main window to the Layered Window, thus utilizing the slave windows to create the border shadow display effect, and also decreasing memory footprint for the entire system.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a window border shadow, comprising:

creating a slave window stitched to a border of a main window, wherein the main window is a non-Layered Window, and the slave window is a Layered Window;

adjusting a size of the slave window according to a size of the main window, and adjusting screen coordinates of the slave window according to screen coordinates of the main window; and

calculating a pixel point transparency for the slave window, and displaying the slave window according to the calculation result.

2. The method of displaying a window border shadow according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for a size change in the main window, and adjusting the size of the slave window according to an amount of the detected size change.

3. The method of displaying a window border shadow according to claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring for a change in the screen coordinates of the main window, and adjusting the screen coordinates of the slave window according to an amount of the detected coordinate change.

4. The method of displaying a window border shadow according to claim 1, further comprising:

hiding a displayed slave window responsive to detecting one of a window maximization instruction or a window minimization instruction of the main window.

5. The method of displaying a window border shadow according to claim 1, wherein each border of the main window is stitched to a respective one slave window.

6. The method of displaying a window border shadow according to claim 5, wherein a process of calculating pixel point transparencies for the slave window comprises:

labeling each of the slave windows as one of a first slave window, a second slave window, a third slave window, or a fourth slave window;

for the first slave window and the third slave window, setting transparencies of a first row of pixel points of the first slave window and the third slave window to 1, respectively, and setting transparencies of other rows of pixel points to successively decrement from 1 until 0 for a last row of pixel points, and

for the second slave window and the fourth slave window, setting transparencies of a first column of pixel points of the second slave window and the fourth slave window to 1, respectively, and setting transparencies of other columns of pixel points to successively decrement from 1, until 0 for a last column of pixel points.

7. The method of displaying a window border shadow according claim 1, wherein when a number of the slave windows is more than one, and widths of individual slave windows are the same.

8. An apparatus for displaying a window border shadow, comprising:

a window creating unit to create a slave window stitched to a border of a main window, wherein the main window is a non-Layered Window, and the slave window is a Layered Window;

an adjusting unit to adjust a size of the slave window according to a size of the main window, and adjust screen coordinates of the slave window according to screen coordinates of the main window; and

a calculating and displaying unit, configured to calculate a pixel point transparency for the slave window, and display the slave window according to the calculation result.

9. The apparatus of displaying a window border shadow according claim 8, further comprising a monitoring unit to monitor for a size change in the main window, and to adjust the size of the slave window according to an amount of the detected size change.

10. The apparatus of displaying a window border shadow according claim 8, wherein the calculating and displaying unit comprises a transparency calculating unit that:

when each border of the main window is stitched to one slave window, label each slave window as one of a first slave window, a second slave window, a third slave window, or a fourth slave window, respectively;

for the first slave window and the third slave window, set transparencies of a first row of pixel points of the first slave window and the third slave window to 1, respectively, and set transparencies of other rows of pixel points to successively decrement from 1 until 0 for the last row of pixel points; and

for the second slave window and the fourth slave window, set transparencies of a first column of pixel points of the second slave window and the fourth slave window to 1, respectively, and set transparencies of other columns of pixel points to successively decrement from 1 until 0 for the last column of pixel points.

11. The apparatus of displaying a window border shadow according claim 8, further comprising a monitoring unit to monitor for a change in the screen coordinates of the main window, and to adjust the screen coordinates of the slave window according to an amount of the detected coordinate change.

12. The apparatus of displaying a window border shadow according claim 8, further comprising a monitoring unit, wherein the calculating and displaying unit hides a displayed slave window when the monitoring unit detects a window maximization instruction or a window minimization instruction of the main window.