Selectively adjusting transparency of windows within a user interface using a flashlight tool

• US 6,996,783 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2002
• Issued: 02/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Brown, Michael Wayne, Lawrence, Kelvin Roderick, Hately, Andrew Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, TING ZHOU
• Application Number:
  US10/059,092
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142138A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 345/797, 345/790, 345/794, 345/768, 345/833, 345/973, 345/974, 345/766, 345/786, 715/790, 715/768, 715/833, 715/974, 715/753
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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: Y10S 715/974 Slider control as on-screen object in operator interface

Abstract

A method, system and program for selectively adjusting transparency of windows within a user interface are provided. An n-level is determined within a z-order of at least one displayable object from among multiple displayable objects distributed within the z-order. A transparency level is selectively adjusted of the at least one displayable object within a user interface positioned at the n-level within the z-order, such that the transparency level of the at least one displayable object is selectively adjusted without adjusting the z-order of the displayable objects.

Claims

1. A method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object within a user interface using a flashlight tool, said method comprising the steps of:

enabling a flashlight tool;

selecting an operating criteria of said flashlight tool by receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

positioning said flashlight tool at a location within a user interface by;

setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

operating said flashlight tool to locate said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

positioning said flashlight tool at a location over said at least one displayable object that meets aid user selection criteria; and

selectively adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface, such that said transparency level of said at least one displayable object is selectively adjusted according to said operating criteria of said flashlight tool.

2. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of selecting an operating criteria of said flashlight tool further comprises:

receiving a specified user selection of an n-level within a z-order from among a plurality of displayable objects, as a setting for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool setting at said n-level is operative on at least one displayable object within said n-level; and

setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object within said n-level.

3. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of selecting an operating criteria of said flashlight tool further comprises:

receiving a specified user selection of a flashlight beam for setting said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object within a range of said specified flashlight beam;

receiving a specified user selection for setting the intensity of said flashlight beam;

receiving a specified user selection for setting the shape of said flashlight beam; and

setting said flashlight tool to be operative with said intensity, and with said shape, on said at least one displayable object within said range of said flashlight beam.

4. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 3, said method further comprising the step of:

receiving a specified user selection for setting said flashlight beam to effect a varying degree of transparency on said at least one displayable object.

5. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of selecting the operating criteria of said flashlight tool further comprises:

receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria.

6. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of selectively adjusting a transparency level further comprises:

adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface in response to moving said flashlight tool across said user interface.

7. The method for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 1, said step of selectively adjusting a transparency level, further comprising the step of:

selectively adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object according to a transparency designated for a flashlight tool positioned to selectively adjust said transparency level of said at least one displayable object.

8. A system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object within a user interface using a flashlight tool, said system comprising:

a graphical user interface;

means for enabling a flashlight tool;

means for selecting an operating criteria of said flashlight tool by receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

means for positioning said flashlight tool at a location within a user interface by;

setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

operating said flashlight tool to locate said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

positioning said flashlight tool at a location over said at least one displayable object that meets aid user selection criteria; and

means for selectively adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface, such that said transparency level of said at least one displayable object is selectively adjusted according to said operating criteria of said flashlight tool.

9. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 8, said means for selecting the operating criteria of said flashlight tool further comprising

means for receiving a specified user selection of an n-level within a z-order from among a plurality of displayable objects, as a setting for said flashlight toot such that said flashlight tool setting at said n-level is operative on at least one displayable object within said n-level;

and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable objects within said n-level.

10. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 8, said means for selecting the operating criteria of said flashlight tool further comprising:

means for receiving a specified user selection of said flashlight beam for setting said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object within a range of said specified flashlight beam;

means for receiving a specified user selection for setting the intensity of said flashlight beam;

means for receiving a specified user selection for setting the shape of said flashlight beam; and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative with said intensity, and with said shape, on said at least one displayable object within said range of said flashlight beam.

11. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 10, further comprising:

means for receiving a specified user selection for setting said flashlight beam to effect a varying transparency of said at least one displayable object.

12. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 8, said system further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria.

13. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 8, said means for selectively adjusting a transparency level further comprising:

means for adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface in response to moving said flashlight tool across said user interface.

14. The system for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 8, said means for selectively adjusting a transparency level further comprising:

means for selectively adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object according to a transparency designated for a flashlight tool positioned to selectively adjust said transparency level of said at least one displayable object.

15. A program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object within a user interface using a flashlight tool, residing on a tangible computer usable medium having computer readable program code means, said program comprising:

means for enabling a flashlight tool;

means for selecting an operating criteria of said flashlight tool by receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

means for positioning said flashlight tool at a location within a user interface by;

setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria;

operating said flashlight tool to locate said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

positioning said flashlight tool at a location over said at least one displayable object that meets aid user selection criteria; and

means for controlling a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface, such that said transparency level of said at least one displayable object is selectively adjusted according to said operating criteria of said flashlight tool.

16. The program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 15, said program further comprising:

means for receiving a specified user selection of an n-level within a z-order from among said plurality of displayable objects as a setting for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool setting at said n-level is operative on al lest one displayable object within said n-level; and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object within said n-level.

17. The program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 15, said program further comprising:

means for receiving a specified user selection of a flashlight beam for setting said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on at least one displayable object within a range of said specified flashlight beam;

means for receiving a specified user selection for setting the intensity of said flashlight beam;

means for receiving a specified user selection for setting the shape of said flashlight beam; and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative with said intensity, and with said shape, on said at least one displayable object within said range of said flashlight beam.

18. The program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 17, said program further comprising:

means for receiving a user selection criteria for said flashlight tool such that said flashlight tool is effective on said at least one displayable object that meets said user selection criteria; and

means for setting said flashlight tool to be operative on said at least one displayable object that meet said user selection criteria.

19. The program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 15, said program further comprising:

means for adjusting a transparency level of said at least one displayable object within said user interface in response to moving said flashlight tool across said user interface.

20. The program for selectively adjusting a transparency of a displayable object according to claim 15, said program further comprising:

means for controlling a transparency level of said at least one displayable object according to a transparency designated for a flashlight tool positioned to selectively adjust said transparency level of said at least one displayable object.