EP1015961A1 - Procede et appareil permettant de modifier simultanement la taille et l'emplacement de fenetres dans un affichage graphique - Google Patents

Procede et appareil permettant de modifier simultanement la taille et l'emplacement de fenetres dans un affichage graphique

Info

Publication number
EP1015961A1
EP1015961A1 EP98941022A EP98941022A EP1015961A1 EP 1015961 A1 EP1015961 A1 EP 1015961A1 EP 98941022 A EP98941022 A EP 98941022A EP 98941022 A EP98941022 A EP 98941022A EP 1015961 A1 EP1015961 A1 EP 1015961A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
window
user
windows
viewable area
indicia
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP98941022A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Harlan M. Hugh
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Natrificial LLC
Original Assignee
Natrificial LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Natrificial LLC filed Critical Natrificial LLC
Priority claimed from PCT/US1998/017363 external-priority patent/WO1999010799A1/fr
Publication of EP1015961A1 publication Critical patent/EP1015961A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Definitions

  • This invention relates to methods and apparatus for organizing and processing information, and more particularly, to computer-based graphical user interface-driven methods minimizing the input steps users must take to simultaneously and conveniently reposition and resize frames of output within a digital computer's graphic display.
  • Windows have become the central element of the now ubiquitous graphical interfaces dominating virtually every user's computer experience. Based on a paper metaphor, they permit users intuitively to switch amongst active computer programs, documents and tasks. Yet every user is familiar with the limitations of prior windows interfaces stemming from the confusion which often results from having too many windows open within the limited display space of computer monitors, and the constant resizing and repositioning required to organize the display of multiple windows. It is a purpose of the present invention to offer an improved method of displaying windows that frees the user from such confusion, and minimize the number of user interactions required to organize a computer display.
  • Each window can be moved and resized. They can also be placed on top of one another. This makes windows extremely useful since they allow programs and users to organize everything on the screen visually. The repositioning and resizing of windows allows users to give prominence to active computer files, while leaving inactive files accessible.
  • Windows are a useful metaphor permitting users simultaneous access to several computer documents or functions.
  • multiple window schemes of the prior art suffer from certain well-known limitations. Namely, the utility of the prior art windowing are wasteful of the limited display space ("screen real estate") available within a computer's display, and fail to enable users adequately to switch amongst the contents of multiple windows. Specifically, in the prior art, windows are lost when other windows cover them up. The user has no convenient way of knowing that a window is "under” another window. Functions for the automatic arrangement of windows such as tiling (Fig. 1) and cascading (Fig. 2) waste screen real estate.
  • Cascading commands permit users to find a window that was lost and uniformly arrange windows, but they require users to reposition and resize all of their windows in order to find just one, and waste screen real estate by including non-useful edges of windows within the display.
  • Tabbed Windows In their basic form, tabbed windows enable users to switch amongst multiple windows quickly (Fig. 3) . However, only one of the tabbed windows can be displayed at a time.
  • Magnetic Windows address the problem of wasted screen space between fully displayed windows. When the edge of one window is dragged close to another, the window being moved "snaps" to the edge of the stationary window (Fig. 4) . This is useful if the windows are not already next to each other, but fails when windows that are next to each other need to be resized. Magnetic windows can be seen in several programs such as Adobe PhotoShop 4.0.
  • Splitter Windows allow two windows to be resized at once by assigning them to a mutual edge (Fig. 5) . This works well so long as the number of windows remains low and the windows do not need to be relocated. Docking windows, a variant upon splitter windows, can be detached to become like a regular window and then later re-attached. All of these schemes require separate user steps to size and position separate windows, and do not adequately function to conserve screen real estate.
  • Task Bars such as the Start bar in Microsoft's WindowsTM 95 interface, and other window switching commands and menus list all the open windows and allow the user to activate one by clicking on it (Fig. 6) . This solves the problem of losing windows, but does not assist users wishing to view the full contents of multiple windows simultaneously.
  • a form of tabbed window called a
  • MetaView permits users define the location and size of a window by a single interaction with a MetaView tab.
  • the invention offers improved utilization of screen real estate, and increased user convenience in accessing multiple window displays.
  • Figure 1 illustrates a prior art tiled window.
  • Figure 2 illustrates a prior art cascading window.
  • Figure 3 illustrates a prior art tabbed window.
  • Figure 4 illustrates a prior art magnetic window.
  • Figure 5 illustrates a prior art splitter window.
  • Figure 6 illustrates a prior art task bar.
  • Figure 7 illustrates the basic architecture of a computer system for use in implementing one embodiment of the present invention.
  • Figure 8 illustrates a MetaView in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 9 illustrates a flow diagram for simultaneously sizing and locating windows in response to a single user interactive step under the present invention.
  • Figure 10 illustrates a MetaView during a user interaction, and the screen "areas" utilized under the present invention.
  • Figure 11 illustrates a MetaView resulting from a user interaction.
  • Figure 12 illustrates a MetaView resulting from a user.
  • Figure 13 illustrates four possible arrangements of screen "areas" based upon four possible locations of indicia within a MetaView.
  • Figure 14 illustrates a MetaView following an additional user interaction moving an additional tab to the new pane.
  • Figure 15 illustrates a MetaView following an additional user interaction making that tab its own pane.
  • Figure 16 illustrates a MetaView following an additional user interaction resizing an existing pane. NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE
  • the operations are machine operations performed in conjunction with a human operator.
  • Useful machines for performing the operations of the present invention include general purpose digital computers or other similar devices.
  • the present invention relates to method steps for operating a computer and processing electrical or other physical signals to generate other desired physical signals.
  • the present invention also relates to apparatus for performing these operations.
  • This apparatus may be specially constructed for the required purposes, or it may comprise a general purpose computer selectively activated or reconfigured by a computer program stored in the computer.
  • the algorithms, methods and apparatus presented herein are not inherently related to any particular computer.
  • various general purpose machines may be used with programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove more convenient to construct more specialized apparatus to perform the required method steps. The required structure for a variety of these machines will appear from the description given below.
  • FIG. 7 depicts the general architecture of a digital computer system 90 for practicing the present invention.
  • Processor 100 is a standard digital computer microprocessor, such as a CPU of the Intel x86 series.
  • Processor 100 runs system software 120 (such as Microsoft Windows®, Mac OS® or another graphical operating system for personal computers) , which is stored on storage unit 110, e.g., a standard internal fixed disk drive.
  • system software 120 such as Microsoft Windows®, Mac OS® or another graphical operating system for personal computers
  • storage unit 110 e.g., a standard internal fixed disk drive.
  • the "MetaView" software 130 also stored on storage unit 110, includes computer program code for performing the tasks and steps described below, including the digital representation of the contents, locations and dimensions of MetaView tabs and windows, the display of those items, and the processing of such user manipulation of those items in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
  • Display output including the visual graphical user interface ("GUI") discussed below, is transmitted from processor 100 to an output device such as a video monitor 140 for display to users.
  • GUI visual graphical user interface
  • Users utilize input devices such as standard personal computer keyboard 150, cursor control device 160 (e.g., a mouse or trackball) , touch-screen sensors on the monitor display, virtual reality gloves, voice input, or similar techniques to enter the GUI input commands discussed below, which are then transmitted to processor 100.
  • Software for implementing MetaView may be stored in a variety of locations and in a variety of mediums, including without limitation, RAM, data storage 111, a network server, a fixed or portable hard disk drive, an optical disk, or a floppy disk. Defining a MetaView
  • the graphical container of a plurality of windows and tabs corresponding to windows described herein is referred to as a "MetaView.”
  • the present invention functions as a single window, bearing a plurality of tabs, corresponding to a plurality of window displays which would result from a user interactively selecting those tabs.
  • a user has interactively selected the Alpha tab 8b, and thus the Alpha window 82 subsumes the entire MetaView, obscuring the contents of windows Beta, Gamma and Delta, but leaving Beta 83, Gamma 84, and Delta 85 tabs corresponding to those windows visible.
  • Beta 83 tab a user interactively selecting the Beta 83 tab would result in the contents of a Beta window to come to the top, obscuring the contents of Alpha, Gamma and Delta, leaving only the tabs Alpha 86, Gamma 84 and Delta 85 visible.
  • a MetaView enables a user to resize and relocate full windows corresponding to the tab, with a single user interaction.
  • a user can define the size and location of a window.
  • a user interactively selects Gamma using cursor control device 160, drags Gamma 84 out of the title bar, (See, Fig. 10) and releases, (See, Fig. 11.)
  • the cursor is released towards the left of the existing window (Area A which is below or to the left of the imaginary diagonal 113, for example), the area will be split horizontally (See, Fig. 11).
  • Figure 9 discloses a flow chart corresponding to one implementation permitting users to resize and relocate windows within a MetaView in which tabs are arranged on the top left.
  • a pane is a MetaView window with a single title bar, containing one or more tabs.
  • each pane such as the one consisting of window Alpha 82 and tab Delta 85, and another consisting of window Gamma 112 and tab Beta 83 behaves like a tabbed window (figs. 14 and 15).
  • some panes will bifurcate themselves into Area A and Area B, for the purposes of determining location and size according to the flow chart of Figure 9.
  • Fig. 13 illustrates several possible arrangements 131-134 of the screen "areas" based upon different locations of indicia within a Metaview.
  • the size and location to which tabs or windows may be expanded depends on whether tabs are displayed above or below windows.
  • releasing the cursor in Area A will result in a horizontally oriented window within MetaView 131 or 132, and in MetaView 132, the tab corresponding to the manipulated window will share the title bar with the other tabs.
  • Releasing the cursor in Area A will result in a vertically oriented window within MetaView 133 or 134, and in MetaView 134, the tab corresponding to the manipulated window will share the title bar with the other tabs .
  • panes result from releasing a moved tab in a location that will not add it to another existing title bar.
  • Dragging and dropping titles can also be used to resize or relocate existing panes in the same manner as creating a window described above. If there is only one title in a pane, the pane can be resized or located by selecting the tab itself using cursor control 160, dragging the tab to the desired location, and releasing.
  • Figures 15 and 16 illustrate how a user can resize Gamma window 151 by using cursor control device 160 to select pane Gamma 84, drag it to a location lower in the MetaView, and release. The result is a shorter pane Gamma 151 as seen in Figure 16.
  • Certain embodiments enable the resizing and relocating of panes containing multiple tabs, by implementing a common control indicium 141 (See, Fig. 14) For example, a user can resize tabbed pane 142 by using cursor control device 160 to select the common control indicium 141, drag it to a location lower in the MetaView and release. The result is a shorter tabbed pane 142 as seen in Figure 17.
  • MetaView system it is possible to extend the MetaView system to include facilities for showing only one window at a time, much like the "maximize” and "restore” commands found in Microsoft Windows. With such a facility, the user can double click on a title or click a control to make the window cover the MetaView. In some embodiments, tabbing or task bar means could be employed to inform users of other available items while one MetaView window is maximized. In this maximizing embodiment, a distinct user command, such as a double click of control device 160 returns the MetaView to its previous state.

Landscapes

  • User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention concerne un procédé efficace qui permet d'afficher plusieurs fenêtres utiles dans l'affichage d'un dispositif d'information numérique. Un format de fenêtre à onglet appelé 'MetaView' permet à l'utilisateur de définir l'emplacement et la taille d'une fenêtre par simple interaction avec un onglet MetaView. Cette invention permet d'obtenir une meilleure utilisation de la surface utile de l'écran, et de faciliter la tâche de l'utilisateur lorsqu'il accède à des affichages à fenêtres multiples.
EP98941022A 1997-08-22 1998-08-21 Procede et appareil permettant de modifier simultanement la taille et l'emplacement de fenetres dans un affichage graphique Ceased EP1015961A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US5684097P 1997-08-22 1997-08-22
US5683997P 1997-08-22 1997-08-22
US56839P 1997-08-22
US56840P 1997-08-22
PCT/US1998/017363 WO1999010799A1 (fr) 1997-08-22 1998-08-21 Procede et appareil permettant de modifier simultanement la taille et l'emplacement de fenetres dans un affichage graphique

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1015961A1 true EP1015961A1 (fr) 2000-07-05

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Family Applications (1)

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EP98941022A Ceased EP1015961A1 (fr) 1997-08-22 1998-08-21 Procede et appareil permettant de modifier simultanement la taille et l'emplacement de fenetres dans un affichage graphique

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1015961A1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2003526820A (fr)
AU (1) AU8917798A (fr)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP2003526820A (ja) 2003-09-09
AU8917798A (en) 1999-03-16

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