MULTIPLE DASHBOARDS

• US 20110231790A1
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven
• Application Number:
  US13/116,968
• Publication Number:
  US 20110231790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/779
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for organizing, managing and presenting widgets in display areas associated with multiple dashboard environments. In some implementations, a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets. A second display area associated with a second dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a widget for installation in a dashboard environment;

previewing the widget in a preview environment, the previewing providing an interactive instance of the widget prior to installation; and

installing the widget after the preview in the dashboard environment.

2. A method comprising:

providing a number of widgets for display in one or more display areas associated with one or more dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each being configured for separate or concurrent display over the desktop in response to a selection;

determining a first set of widgets to be displayed in a first display area of a first dashboard environment;

installing the first set of widgets in the first dashboard environment;

determining a second set of widgets to be displayed in a second display area associated with a second dashboard environment; and

installing the second set of widgets in the second dashboard environment.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the first set of widgets includes receiving a user selection of a first widget for inclusion in the first set of widgets.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the second set of widgets includes receiving a user selection of a second widget for inclusion in the second set of widgets.

5. The method of claim 2, further including managing the widgets in the first and second sets of widgets, including maintaining a list of widgets included in each of the first and second sets of widgets.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising invoking the first display area, including displaying at least one widget in the set of widgets.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising invoking the second display area, including transitioning from the first display area to the second display area and displaying at least one widget in the second set of widgets.

8. A method comprising:

identifying one or more widgets for installation in a dashboard environment that is a distinct layer selectably displayable as an overlay to a desktop user interface;

determining if an existing dashboard environment is available for installing at least one widget of the one or more widgets; and

if none of the existing dashboard environments are available to install the at least one widget, installing a new dashboard environment for installing the at least one widget.

9. A system comprising:

a processor operable to interact with a dashboard manager, the dashboard manager including;

a dashboard installer configured for installing one or more dashboard environments; and

a display area manager configured for presenting display areas associated with the one or more dashboard environments on a user interface, each dashboard environment including a layer relative to a desktop and each being configured for separate or concurrent display over the desktop, and for managing interactions with the display areas.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

a widget installer configured for determining which dashboard environment to install a widget and installing the widget in the determined dashboard environment.

11. The system of claim 9, the dashboard manager further comprising:

a rule manager for enforcing rules associated with one or more dashboard environments.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein at least some rules are access rules for determining who can install or use widgets in a dashboard environment.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein at least some of the rules are security rules for assessing security risks associated with security events.

14. The system of claim 9, the dashboard manager further comprising:

a transition engine configured to provide transition effects for transitions from a first display area to a second display area.

15. The system of claim 9, the dashboard manager further comprising:

a dashboard assistant configured for displaying a user interface for enabling users to select a preexisting template for a dashboard environment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface is configured to allow a user to select one or more properties of the dashboard environment.

17. A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

receiving a widget for installation in a dashboard environment;

previewing the widget in a preview environment, the previewing providing an interactive instance of the widget prior to installation; and

installing the widget after the preview in the dashboard environment.

18. A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a number of widgets for display in one or more display areas associated with one or more dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each being configured for separate or concurrent display over the desktop in response to a selection;

determining a first set of widgets to be displayed in a first display area of a first dashboard environment;

installing the first set of widgets in the first dashboard environment;

determining a second set of widgets to be displayed in a second display area associated with a second dashboard environment; and

installing the second group of widgets in the second dashboard environment.

19. The computer program of claim 18, wherein determining the first set of widgets includes receiving a user selection of a first widget for inclusion in the first set of widgets.

20. The computer program of claim 18, wherein determining the second set of widgets includes receiving a user selection of a second widget for inclusion in the second set of widgets.

21. The computer program of claim 18, further including managing the widgets in the first and second sets of widgets, including maintaining a list of widgets included in each of the first and second sets of widgets.

22. The computer program of claim 18, further comprising:

invoking the first display area, including displaying at least one widget in the set of widgets.

23. The computer program of claim 22, further comprising:

invoking the second display area, including transitioning from the first display area to the second display area and displaying at least one widget in the second set of widgets.

24. A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

providing a desktop environment in a user interface device;

defining a first dashboard environment, capable of being invoked from the desktop environment, and including one or more widgets; and

defining a second dashboard environment, capable of being invoked from at least a first display area associated with the first dashboard environment, and including one or more widgets.

25. The computer program of claim 24, further comprising:

managing a transition between the first display area and a second display area associated with the second dashboard environment, including selecting a transition between the two.

26. A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of:

identifying one or more widgets for installation in a dashboard environment that is a distinct layer selectably displayable as an overlay to a desktop user interface;

determining if an existing dashboard environment is available for installing at least one widget of the one or more widgets; and

if none of the existing dashboard environments are available to install the at least one widget, installing a new dashboard environment for installing the at least one widget.