Display of occluded display elements on a computer display

• US 6,760,048 B1
• Filed: 06/15/1999
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu, Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US09/333,332
• Time in Patent Office: 1,848 Days
• Field of Search: 345/797, 345/794, 345/781, 345/790-791, 345/795-800, 345/807, 345/803
• US Class Current: 715/797
• 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 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

An apparatus, program product, and method define a portion of the window content information for a window as a prioritized display element that is displayed in a non-occluded region of a computer display in response to a determination that at least a portion of such a display element is occluded by another display element on the computer display. Also, an apparatus, program product and method manipulate multiple windows displayed on a computer display by moving a window in response to user input to move another window when it is determined that the movement of the other window would occlude at least a portion of the window. In addition, an apparatus, program product and method facilitate the selection of a subset from a set of information displayed on a computer by displaying a display representation of a set of information on a computer display, with a portion of the display representation occluded such that the display representation is partitioned into occluded and non-occluded regions. Then, in response to user input, a subset from the set of information that is represented by one of the occluded and non-occluded regions of the display representation is selected.

Claims

1. A method of displaying information on a computer display, the method comprising:

(a) displaying a window display element on a computer display, the window display element having associated therewith window content information, at least a portion of which is displayed within a display region of the window display element, and a portion of the window content information defining a prioritized display element;

(b) determining that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element through analysis of the window content information;

(c) determining whether at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display; and

(d) in response to determining that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded, displaying the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display;

wherein the window content information and the prioritized display element are defined in a hypertext markup language (HTML) document, and wherein determining that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element includes detecting a priority indicator embedded in the HTML document.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes adjusting a display position of the prioritized display element within the window display element such that the prioritized display element is located within a non-occluded area of the display region of the window display element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes modifying a justification associated with at least a portion of the window content information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the window content information includes textual information, and wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes line wrapping the textual information to fit the prioritized display element within a non-occluded area of the display region of the window display element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes scrolling the window display element to modify the displayed portion of the window content information in the window display element.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes adjusting a display position of the window display element on the computer display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes displaying the prioritized display element overlapping the other display element.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein displaying the prioritized display element further includes maintaining the occlusion of the window display element by the other display element such that only the prioritized display element overlaps the other display element.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying the prioritized display element further includes displaying the prioritized display element in a separate window display element overlapping the other display element.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes adjusting a display depth of the prioritized display element relative to the other display element.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element includes displaying the prioritized display element outside of the display region of the window display element.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element in response to user input.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element includes defining as the prioritized display element all of the non-occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element further includes displaying a border around the prioritized display element, the method further comprising modifying the subset of window content information defining the prioritized display element in response to user input directed to the border.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element includes defining as the prioritized display element all of the occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element includes receiving user input designating at least a subset of window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein a second portion of the window content information defines a second prioritized display element, the method further comprising:

(a) determining whether at least a portion of the second prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display; and

(b) in response to determining that at least a portion of the second prioritized display element is occluded, displaying the second prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the prioritized display element in the non-occluded region of the computer display is further responsive to the prioritized display element having a higher priority than the other display element.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising redisplaying the prioritized display element in an original display position in response to determining that the prioritized display element is no longer occluded.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the prioritized display element in the non-occluded region of the computer display after the prioritized display element is no longer occluded.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

(a) a memory;

(b) window content information resident in the memory, a portion of which defining a prioritized display element; and

(c) a program, resident in the memory, the program configured to display a window display element on a computer display, the window display element associated with the window content information and having a display region within which is displayed at least a portion of the window content information, the program further configured to display the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display in response to a determination that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display;

wherein the program is further configured to determine that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element through analysis of the window content information, wherein the window content information and the prioritized display element are defined in a hypertext markup language (HTML) document, and wherein the program is further configured to determine that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element by detecting a priority indicator embedded in the HTML document.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by adjusting a display position of the prioritized display element within the window display element such that the prioritized display element is located within a non-occluded area of the display region of the window display element.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by modifying a justification associated with the prioritized display element.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the prioritized display element includes textual information, and wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by line wrapping the textual information to fit the textual information within a non-occluded area of the display region of the window display element.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by scrolling the window display element to modify the displayed portion of the window content information in the window display element.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by adjusting a display position of the window display element on the computer display.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by displaying the prioritized display element overlapping the other display element.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the program is further configured to maintain the occlusion of the window display element by the other display element such that only the prioritized display element overlaps the other display element.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by displaying the prioritized display element in a separate window display element overlapping the other display element.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by adjusting a display depth of the prioritized display element relative to the other display element.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to display the prioritized display element within the non-occluded region of the computer display by displaying the prioritized display element outside of the display region of the window display element.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to prioritize a portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element in response to user input.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the program is further configured to prioritize the portion of the window content information by defining as the prioritized display element all of the non-occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the program is further configured to prioritize a portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element by defining as the prioritized display element all of the occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the program is further configured to redisplay the prioritized display element in an original display position in response to a determination that the prioritized display element is no longer occluded.

36. A program product, comprising:

(a) a program configured to display a window display element on a computer display, the window display element associated with window content information and having a display region within which is displayed at least a portion of the window content information, at least a portion of the window content information defining a prioritized display element, and the program further configured to display the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display in response to a determination that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display; and

(b) a computer readable media bearing the program;

wherein the program is further configured to determine that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element through analysis of the window content information, wherein the window content information and the prioritized display element are defined in a hypertext markup language (HTML) document, and wherein the program is further configured to determine that the portion of the window content information defines a prioritized display element by detecting a priority indicator embedded in the HTML document.

37. The program product of claim 36, wherein the signal bearing media comprises at least one of a recordable media and a transmission-type media.

38. A method of displaying information on a computer display, the method comprising:

(a) displaying a window display element on a computer display, the window display element having associated therewith window content information, at least a portion of which is displayed within a display region of the window display element, and a portion of the window content information defining a prioritized display element;

(b) determining whether at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display; and

(c) in response to determining that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded, displaying the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display;

wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element includes defining as the prioritized display element all of the non-occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element, and wherein prioritizing the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element further includes displaying a border around the prioritized display element, the method further comprising modifying the subset of window content information defining the prioritized display element in response to user input directed to the border.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

(a) a memory;

(b) window content information resident in the memory, a portion of which defining a prioritized display element; and

(c) a program, resident in the memory, the program configured to display a window display element on a computer display, the window display element associated with the window content information and having a display region within which is displayed at least a portion of the window content information, the program further configured to display the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display in response to a determination that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display;

wherein the program is configured to prioritize the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element by defining as the prioritized display element all of the non-occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element, and wherein the program is configured to prioritize the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element further by displaying a border around the prioritized display element, the program further configured to modify the subset of window content information defining the prioritized display element in response to user input directed to the border.

40. A program product, comprising:

(a) a program configured to display a window display element on a computer display, the window display element associated with window content information and having a display region within which is displayed at least a portion of the window content information, at least a portion of the window content information defining a prioritized display element, and the program further configured to display the prioritized display element in a non-occluded region of the computer display in response to a determination that at least a portion of the prioritized display element is occluded by another display element displayed on the computer display; and

(b) a computer readable media bearing the program;

wherein the program is configured to prioritize the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element by defining as the prioritized display element all of the non-occluded window content information displayed in the display region of the window display element, and wherein the program is configured to prioritize the portion of the window content information to define the prioritized display element further by displaying a border around the prioritized display element, the program further configured to modify the subset of window content information defining the prioritized display element in response to user input directed to the border.