Method and apparatus for configuring sliding panels
First Claim
1. A method of using a sliding panel in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising the steps of:
- interacting with a configuration dialog to perform the following;
selecting an edge of said GUI for said sliding panel;
identifying an application to run in said sliding panel;
displaying in said GUI a closed representation of said sliding panel;
opening said application in said sliding panel when a cursor is moved within said closed representation of said sliding panel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A graphical user interface (GUI) is configurable in an embodiment of the invention. A user configures sliding panels located on the edges of the GUI. A sliding panel is configured with an application that runs in the sliding panel. The sliding panel is present in the GUI in either a closed or an open representation. The sliding panel'"'"'s GUI representation is determined based on the position of the user'"'"'s cursor. When the cursor is within a closed sliding panel'"'"'s closed representation, the sliding panel is expanded to its open representation. By moving the cursor outside the sliding panel, the user can close the panel. There is no need for the user to consciously manage the elements in the GUI. The elements are managed based on the configuration information supplied by the user and the information available at runtime.
61 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of using a sliding panel in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising the steps of:
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interacting with a configuration dialog to perform the following;
selecting an edge of said GUI for said sliding panel;
identifying an application to run in said sliding panel;
displaying in said GUI a closed representation of said sliding panel;
opening said application in said sliding panel when a cursor is moved within said closed representation of said sliding panel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11)
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9. A system comprising:
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a configuration module capable of generating a sliding panel configuration that includes a specification of an application to run in said sliding panel;
a selector module coupled to said configuration module configured to manage said sliding panel using said sliding panel configuration and a current cursor position;
a GUI coupled to said selector module for displaying said sliding panel.
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12. An article of manufacture comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for configuring a sliding panel in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a computer system comprising;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to select an edge of said GUI for said sliding panel;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to identify an application to run in said sliding panel;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display in said GUI a closed representation of said sliding panel;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to open said application in said sliding panel when a cursor is moved within said closed representation of said sliding panel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification