Method and tool for virtual desktop management

• US 8,850,351 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2007
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beharie, Zak, Smith, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US11/860,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20090083655A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,562 Days
• Field of Search: 715/778, 715/775, 715/782, 715/779, 715/788
• US Class Current: 715/778
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method for providing a desktop management tool includes displaying an active desktop having at least one application window representing an active application; storing data representing a virtual desktop in memory; while displaying the active desktop, receiving non-menu-based user input representing an application-move operation between the active desktop and the virtual desktop; and associating the active application with the virtual desktop. The method may also include displaying, as part of the active desktop, a visual representation of the virtual desktop. Other examples of the described method also include displaying an enlarged view of the contents of a virtual desktop in response to additional user input. An example apparatus for implementing the described methods is also described.

Claims

1. A method for providing a desktop management tool comprising:

displaying an actual active desktop having at least one application window representing an active application;

storing, in memory, data representing a virtual desktop;

while displaying the actual active desktop, receiving non-menu-based user input representing an application-move operation of the displayed application window representing the active application between the actual active desktop and the virtual desktop;

associating the active application with the virtual desktop based on the received non-menu -based user input representing an application-move operation, without switching the actual active desktop to the virtual desktop;

displaying, as part of the actual active desktop, a visual representation of the virtual desktop;

receiving additional user input;

displaying, as part of the actual active desktop, an enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop in response to the additional user input

wherein the displaying of the enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop keeps a viewed size of the virtual desktop constant;

receiving another user input representing a pan operation of the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

panning the visual representation of the virtual desktop based on the another user input.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the another user input includes at least one non-menu-based user input.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the non-menu-based user input includes at least one of:

a determined cursor direction, a determined cursor path, a determined cursor distance; and

a determined cursor location.

4. A method for providing a desktop management tool comprising:

displaying an actual active desktop having an application window representing an active application;

displaying, as part of the actual active desktop, a visual representation of a virtual desktop;

based on received non-menu-based user input representing an application-move operation between the actual active desktop and the virtual desktop, removing the application window representing the active application from the actual active desktop;

updating, but without switching the actual active desktop to the virtual desktop, the visual representation of the virtual desktop with an indication indicating the active application is associated with the virtual desktop;

receiving additional user input;

displaying, as part of the actual active desktop, an enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop in response to the additional user input

wherein the displaying of the enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop keeps a viewed size of the virtual desktop constant;

receiving another user input representing a pan operation of the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

panning the visual representation of the virtual desktop based on the another user input.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

based on additional received non-menu-based user input, removing the indication indicating the active application is associated with the virtual desktop from the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

displaying the application window representing the active application on the actual active desktop.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising, based on additional user input, displaying the application window representing the active application on the actual active desktop.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the non-menu-based user input includes at least one of:

a determined cursor direction, a determined cursor path, a determined cursor distance; and

a determined cursor location.

8. A device for providing a desktop management tool comprising:

one or more processing devices operative to execute stored computer readable instructions; and

memory containing stored computer readable instructions executable by the one or more processing devices that, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to;

output data for displaying an actual active desktop having at least one application window representing an active application;

store, in memory, data representing a virtual desktop;

while outputting data for displaying the actual active desktop, receive non-menu-based user input representing an application-move operation of the displayed application window representing the active application between the actual active desktop and the virtual desktop;

associate the active application with the virtual desktop based on the received non-menu -based user input representing an application-move operation, without switching the actual active desktop to the virtual desktop;

display, as part of the actual active desktop, a visual representation of the virtual desktop;

receive additional user input;

display, as part of the actual desktop, an enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop in response to the additional user input

wherein the display of the enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop keeps a viewed size of the virtual desktop constant;

receive another user input representing a pan operation of the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

pan the visual representation of the virtual desktop based on the another user input.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the another user input includes at least one non-menu-based user input.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the non-menu-based user input includes at least one of:

a determined cursor direction, a determined cursor path, a determined cursor distance; and

a determined cursor location.

11. A device for providing a desktop management tool comprising:

one or more processing devices operative to execute stored computer readable instructions; and

memory containing stored computer readable instructions executable by the one or more processing devices that, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to;

output data for displaying an actual active desktop having an application window representing an active application;

output data for displaying, as part of the actual active desktop, a visual representation of a virtual desktop;

based on received non-menu-based user input representing an application-move operation of the displayed application window representing the active application between the actual active desktop and the virtual desktop, remove the application window representing the active application from the actual active desktop, without switching the actual active desktop to the virtual desktop;

update the visual representation of the virtual desktop with an indication indicating the active application is associated with the virtual desktop;

receive additional user input;

display, as part of the actual active desktop, an enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop in response to the additional user input

wherein the display of the enlarged view of the contents of the virtual desktop keeps a viewed size of the virtual desktop constant;

receive another user input representing a pan operation of the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

pan the visual representation of the virtual desktop based on the another user input.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processing devices, further cause the one or more processing devices to:

based on additional received non-menu-based user input, remove the indication indicating the active application is associated with the virtual desktop from the visual representation of the virtual desktop; and

display the application window representing the active application on the actual active desktop.

13. The device of claim 11 wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processing devices, further cause the one or more processing devices to:

based on additional user input, display the application window representing the active application on the actual active desktop.

14. The device of claim 11 wherein the non-menu-based user input includes at least one of:

a determined cursor direction, a determined cursor path, a determined cursor distance; and

a determined cursor location.