Apparatus and method for positioning windows on a display

• US 8,434,019 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel Paul Nelson
• Original Assignee: Daniel Paul Nelson
• Inventors: Nelson, Daniel Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US12/131,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20090300541A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,793 Days
• Field of Search: 715/799, 715/800, 715/798, 715/788
• US Class Current: 715/798
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A method for positioning a window on a user'"'"'s display may include providing, in a window-based computing environment, an image representing a display area of a user'"'"'s computer screen. This image may be divided into a plurality of regions. Each region may represent an area within the display area. The method may further include enabling a user to select a region from the plurality of regions, such as, for example, with a mouse click, keystroke, keystroke combination, or the like. The method may then include automatically moving a window, such as the active window, in the window-based computing environment to the area represented by the region.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a window on a user'"'"'s display, the method comprising:

providing, in a window-based computing environment, an image representing an entire display area of a user'"'"'s computer screen and comprising a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region representing a sub-area within the display area and having a shape and orientation similar to the corresponding sub-area, wherein the selectable regions are arranged in the same way the corresponding sub-areas are arranged in the display area;

enabling a user to simultaneously select more than one selectable region from the plurality of selectable regions; and

automatically moving a window in the window-based computing environment to a sub-area corresponding to the selected more than one selectable region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein providing comprises providing at the prompting of a user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the window is the active window in the window-based computing environment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically hiding the image when the user selects a selectable region.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising enabling a user to select a single selectable region from the plurality of selectable regions.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising automatically moving a window in the window-based computing environment to a sub-area associated with the single selectable region.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is one of a plurality of similar images, wherein selected images of the plurality of similar images correspond to different computer screens of the user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the image is provided proximate at least one of an upper right hand corner of the window, a mouse pointer of the user, and a system tray of the window-based computing environment.

9. An apparatus for positioning a window on a user'"'"'s display, the apparatus comprising:

a presentation module to display, in a window-based computing environment, an image representing an entire display area of a user'"'"'s computer screen and comprising a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region representing a sub-area within the display area and having a shape and orientation similar to the corresponding sub-area, wherein the selectable regions are arranged in the same way the corresponding sub-areas are arranged in the display area;

a selection module to enable a user to simultaneously select more than one selectable region from the plurality of selectable regions; and

a positioning module to automatically move a window in the window-based computing environment to a sub-area corresponding to the selected more than one selectable region.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an initiation module to trigger operation of the presentation module at the prompting of a user.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the window is the active window in the window-based computing environment.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a concealment module to automatically hide the image when the user selects a selectable region.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the selection module enables a user to select a single selectable region from the plurality of selectable regions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the positioning module automatically moves a window in the window-based computing environment to a sub-area corresponding to the single selectable region.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the image is one of a plurality of similar images, wherein selected images of the plurality of similar images correspond to different computer screens of the user.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the presentation module displays the image proximate at least one of an upper right hand corner of the window, a mouse pointer of the user, and a system tray of the window-based computing environment.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program of machine-readable instructions executable by a computer to perform operations to position a window on a user'"'"'s display, the operations comprising:

providing, in a window-based computing environment, an image representing an entire display area of a user'"'"'s computer screen and comprising a plurality of selectable regions, each selectable region representing a sub-area within the display area and having a shape and orientation similar to the corresponding sub-area, wherein the selectable regions are arranged in the same way the corresponding sub-areas are arranged in the display area;

enabling a user to simultaneously select more than one selectable region from the plurality of selectable regions; and

automatically moving a window in the window-based computing environment to tla sub-area corresponding to the selected more than one selectable region.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein providing comprises providing at the prompting of a user.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the window is the active window in the window-based computing environment.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the image is one of a plurality of similar images, wherein selected images of the plurality of similar images correspond to different computer screens of the user.