JP2003526820A - Method and apparatus for simultaneously resizing and rearranging windows in a graphic display - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract This is an effective method for displaying a plurality of useful windows in a display of a digital information device. A form of tabbed window called a "metaview" allows a user to define the position and size of the window with a single interaction with the metaview tab. The present invention improves the use of screen real estate and improves user convenience when accessing multiple window displays.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for organizing and processing information, and more particularly, for simultaneously and conveniently rearranging and resizing frames of output within a graphical display of a digital computer. The present invention relates to a computer-based graphic user interface driving method that minimizes an input step that a user has to take.

Background Windows have become a central element of today's ubiquitous graphic interfaces that dominate the computing experience of virtually all users. Based on the metaphor for paper, windows allow the user to intuitively switch between active computer programs, documents, and tasks. However, all users have organized the display of multiple windows with the limitations of the traditional window interface resulting from the confusion that often results from having too many windows open in the limited viewing space of a computer monitor. Familiar with the constant resizing and relocation required to do so. It is an object of the present invention to provide a user with an improved method of displaying windows which eliminates such confusion and minimizes the number of user interactions required to organize a computer display.

Users often open more than one window at a time. Each window can be moved and resized. The windows can also be placed on top of each other. This makes the window very useful because it allows the program and the user to visually organize everything on the screen. The rearrangement and resizing of windows allows users to remain inaccessible to inactive files and promence the active computer files.
It is possible to give the inense).

Windows are a useful metaphor that allows a user to access several computer documents or features at the same time. However, the prior art multiple window scheme suffers from some well known limitations. That is, prior art windowing utilities waste the limited display space ("screen real estate") available within the computer's display, and allow proper switching between the contents of multiple windows. Does not allow the user to do In particular, in the prior art, windows are lost when other windows cover them. The user has no convenient way of knowing that a window is "below" another window. Features for automatic placement of windows such as tiling (FIG. 1) and cascading (FIG. 2) waste screen real estate. As at least one industry has said, "Leaving the rectangular edge of one application glimpsed behind the active window is a significant waste of valuable pixels." (ALA
N COOPER, ABOUT FACE 70 (August 1995)). When multiple windows need to be fully accessed, screen space between them is wasted unless the user spends time and effort manually resizing the windows. Finally, the prior art does not provide the user with a convenient way to quickly switch between multiple windows.

For purposes of illustrating the advantages of the present invention, a more detailed description of the shortcomings of prior art windowed systems is provided herein. Various attempts have been made in the prior art to deal with individual aspects of multiple window management and screen real estate, but none have provided a single simple solution.

Window Arrangement Command The conventional technique uses the general tiled array (
It provides the user with various automatic window positioning and sizing options to organize the windows into a particular pre-defined arrangement such as FIG. 1) and cascading arrangements (FIG. 2). Tiling windows are automatically allocated such that the edges of the windows are adjacent to each other and the screen space is divided. This method solves the missing window and screen real estate issues at the expense of functional space within the tiled window. Only a few windows can be tiled evenly, without either being given enough screen space to be useful. Cascading commands (Figure 2) allow the user to find missing windows and evenly arrange the windows, but reposition and resize all windows to find only one. This wastes screen real estate by requiring the user to include invalid edges of windows in the display.

Tabbed Windows In its basic form, tabbed windows allow the user to quickly switch between multiple windows (FIG. 3). However, only one of the tabbed windows can be displayed at a time. Extended execution of a tabbed window executed in a computer program, such as PhotoShop ^™ by Adobe, allows a tab to be dragged out of its containing window to the window corresponding to the tab. However, this causes the same problems that are essential in any overlapping window scheme.

Magnetic Windows Magnetic windows address the problem of wasted screen space between fully displayed windows. When the edge of one window is dragged close to another window, the window being moved "snaps" to the edge of the stationary window (Fig. 4). This works well if the windows are not already next to each other, but fails when the windows next to each other need to be resized. The magnetic window is Adobe Pho
It can be found in some programs such as toshop 4.0.

Splitter Windows Splitter windows allow resizing one window at a time by assigning two windows to each other (FIG. 5). This works well unless the number of windows remains small and the windows need to be repositioned. The docking window, which is a variation of the splitter window, can be split apart to look like a regular window and then reattached at a later time. All of these schemes require separate user steps for sizing and placement of separate windows and do not work well to preserve the screen real estate.

[0010] The task bar and other window switching commands and menus, such as the start bar in Windows ^TM 95 interface of the taskbar Microsoft enumerates the windows all open, active user is the window by clicking on one of the window (FIG. 6). This solves the problem of losing windows, but does not help users who want to see the entire contents of multiple windows at the same time.

An example of a prior art arrangement is European Patent Application EP-A-0499129 (Son
y Corp. ) Is disclosed.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Disclosed is an effective method for displaying a plurality of useful windows within a display of a digital information device. The form of the tabbed window called "MetaView" allows the user to define the position and size of the window with a single interaction with the metaview tab. The present invention provides improved utilization of screen real estate and improved convenience for users in accessing multiple window displays.

Notes and Terminology The following detailed description is presented primarily in terms of display images, algorithms and symbolic displays of the behavior of data bits in computer memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are the means used in the data processing arts to most effectively convey the substance of the work of those skilled in the art to others skilled in the art.

[0014] Here and generally, an algorithm is considered to be a consistent sequence of steps leading to a desired result. These steps are those requiring physical manipulations of physical quantities. Usually, but not necessarily, these quantities take the form of electrical or magnetic signals that can be stored, transmitted, combined, compared, and otherwise manipulated. It will be appreciated that it is convenient to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, images, terms, numbers, etc., primarily for common use. However, it should be noted that all of these and similar terms are merely convenient labels attached to and associated with the appropriate physical quantities.

In this case, the operation is a machine operation performed in collaboration with a human operator. Useful machines for performing the operations of the present invention include general purpose digital computers or other similar devices. It should be noted that in all cases there is a distinction between the method operations of operating a computer and the method of calculation itself. The present invention relates to method steps for operating a computer and processing electrical or other physical signals to produce other desired physical signals.

The present invention also relates to devices 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 presented herein,
The method and apparatus are not inherently related to any particular computer. In particular, a variety of general purpose machines may be used with the programs in accordance with the teachings herein, or it may prove more convenient to configure 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.

Detailed Description of the Invention Overall System Architecture FIG. 7 illustrates the overall architecture of a digital computer system 90 for implementing the invention. Processor 100 is an Intel x86 series CP
A standard digital computer microprocessor such as U. Processor 100
Is a system software 120 (Microsoft Windows (registered trademark)) stored in a storage device 110 (for example, a standard internal fixed disk drive).
, Mac OS®, or another graphical operating system for a personal computer). According to the GUI of the present invention, the "metaview" software 130 (also stored on the storage device 110) causes the tasks and steps described below (ie, a digital representation of the content, position, and dimensions of the metaview tabs and windows, Computer program code for displaying those items, and processing such user operations of these items in accordance with the principles of the present invention. Display output, including the visual graphical user interface (“GUI”) described below, is sent from the processor 100 to an output device such as a video monitor 140 for display to a user. The user has a standard personal computer keyboard 150,
A cursor control device 160 (eg, mouse or trackball), touch screen sensor on a monitor display, virtual reality gloves, voice input, or GUI input commands described below, which are then sent to the processor 100. ) Using an input device such as a similar technique for inputting. The software for implementing the metaview may include various locations and various media including, but not limited to, RAM, data storage 111, network server, fixed or portable hard disk drive, optical disk, or floppy disk. Can be stored in.

Definition of Meta View A graphical container of multiple windows and tabs corresponding to the windows described herein is referred to as a “meta view”. In the simplest embodiment, the present invention functions as a single window with multiple tabs corresponding to multiple window displays (these multiple window displays are created by the user interactively selecting the tabs). ). For example, the meta view 81 shown in FIG.
Within, the user has interactively selected the alpha tab 8b, so that the alpha window 82 contains the entire metaview, window beta,
Although obscuring the gamma and delta content, the beta tab 83, gamma tab 84, and delta tab 85 corresponding to these windows are visible. Similarly, by a user who interactively selects the beta tab 83,
The contents of the beta window come to the top, obscuring the alpha, gamma, and delta contents, but only tab alpha 86, tab gamma 84, and tab delta 85 are visible.

Pane Expansion in Metaviews Unlike tabbed windows, metaviews allow the user to resize and reposition the maximum window corresponding to a tab with a single user interaction. to enable. With a single command, the user can define the size and position of the window. To size and position the maximum window corresponding to tab gamma 84, the user interactively selects gamma using cursor control 160 and drags gamma 84 from the title bar (see FIG. 10). ) And release (see FIG. 11). In this FIG. 10, if the cursor is released towards the left of the existing window (eg, area A below or to the left of the imaginary diagonal line 113), the area is split horizontally (FIG. 11). See). Near the top of an existing window (for example, imaginary diagonal line 11
3 is dropped in the upper or right area B), the area is vertically divided (
See FIG. 12). FIG. 9 discloses a flow chart corresponding to an embodiment that allows a user to resize and reposition windows in a metaview with tabs placed in the upper left.

For the purposes of this description, a pane is a metaview window with a single title bar containing one or more tabs. In one embodiment of the invention, each pane (such as a pane consisting of window alpha 82 and tab delta 85 and another pane consisting of window gamma 112 and tab beta 83) is similar to a tabbed window (FIGS. 14 and 15). Function. Further, for the purpose of determining the size and position of another window or pane, one pane may use area A and area B to determine the position and size according to the flowchart of FIG.
It is divided into two.

FIG. 13 shows some possible configurations 131-134 of screen “regions” based on different positions of indicia in the metaview. The size and position at which a tab or window can grow depends on whether the tab is displayed above the window,
Or depending on whether it is displayed at the bottom of the window. As shown in FIG. 13, releasing the cursor in area A results in a horizontally oriented window in metaview 131 or 132, in which the tab corresponding to the manipulated window is replaced by another window. Share the title bar with the tab. By releasing the cursor in area A, the metaview 133 or 134
Within, a vertically oriented window occurs, in which the tab corresponding to the manipulated window shares the title bar with other tabs in the metaview 134.

Common Pane Additional tabs can now be dragged into the newly created pane by releasing the cursor in the new title bar (FIG. 14), or additional windows can be added to both titles. It can be created by releasing the cursor outside the bar (Figure 15). In the meta view shown in FIG. 14, the beta 83 is
It has been interactively selected by the user and dragged and released somewhere within the title bar 115. As a result, the tab beta 83 is added to the pane gamma 142. In another embodiment, rather than dropping the tab on the title bar, the user releases the tab on another tab, which results in a single pane with multiple tabs. In this embodiment, the multiple panes result from releasing the moved tab anywhere except on top of another tab.

More panes result from releasing a moved tab at a position where the moved tab is not added to another existing title bar. As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the user uses the controller 160 to operate the tab beta 83.
When dragging and releasing (see FIG. 14) to position 152 (see FIG. 15), the width is determined by the x coordinate and the depth is determined by the perimeter of the top metaview and the bottom window gamma 151. New pane 15 determined by top edge
3 occurs.

Manipulating an Existing Pane Dragging and dropping titles can be used to resize or rearrange existing panes as well as create windows as described above. If there is only one title in the pane, the pane will be resized or positioned by using the cursor control device 160 to select the tab itself and drag and release the tab to the desired position. Can be done. For example, FIG. 15 and FIG.
6 uses the cursor control device 160 to select the pane gamma 84 and drag and release the pane gamma 84 to a lower position in the metaview to allow the user to resize the gamma window 151. Indicates. The result is a shorter pain gamma 151 as shown in FIG.

Simultaneous Operation of Multiple Items Certain embodiments allow resizing and rearranging of panes containing multiple tabs by implementing a common control landmark 141 (see FIG. 14). For example, a user may use the cursor control device 160 to resize the tabbed pane 142 by selecting the common control landmark 141 and dragging and releasing the same landmark to a lower position in the metaview. The result is a shorter tabbed pane 142 as shown in FIG.

As before, in a metaview structure that displays tabs in the upper left or lower right, if the common control is dropped closer to the left than the top of the pane that contains the common control, The split is horizontal. If a title is dropped closer to the top than the left side of the pane that contains it, the split will be vertical.

Maximize Extends the metaview system to include a mechanism to show only one window at a time, very similar to the "maximize" and "restore" commands found in Microsoft Windows. It is possible to With such a mechanism, the user may double-click on the title or click on the control so that the window covers the metaview. In some embodiments, tabbing or taskbar means may be used to inform the user of other available items while one metaview window is maximized. In this maximized embodiment, a distinguishable user command, such as a double click on controller 160, returns the metaview to its previous state.

(Other Variations) The detailed description of the improved scheme for presenting graphical information in a computer display according to the present invention is given above for the teaching of those skilled in the art, not as a limitation on the scope of the present invention. Provided to. Many variations and modifications within the spirit of the invention will of course occur to those skilled in the art in light of the embodiments disclosed herein. For example, in the described embodiment, the invention is a general purpose computer GU.
Although implemented with respect to I, the present invention can be effectively implemented with any information capable of displaying graphics. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be determined with respect to the above description, but instead should be determined with regard to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents. .

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a prior art tiled window.

[Fig. 2]   It is a figure which shows the cascading window of a prior art.

[Figure 3]   It is a figure which shows the tab type window of a prior art.

[Figure 4]   FIG. 3 shows a magnetic window of the prior art.

[Figure 5]   FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a prior art splitter window.

[Figure 6]   It is a figure which shows the task bar of a prior art.

FIG. 7 illustrates the basic architecture of a computer system for use in practicing one embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 8]   FIG. 5 shows a metaview according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart for simultaneously sizing and positioning windows in response to one user interactive step in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 illustrates a metaview during user interaction and a screen “area” used in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 11   FIG. 5 illustrates a metaview resulting from user interaction.

[Fig. 12]   FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a meta view generated from a user.

FIG. 13 shows four possible arrangements of screen “areas” based on four possible positions of display in the metaview.

FIG. 14 shows a metaview that follows the additional user interaction of moving an additional tab to a new pane.

FIG. 15 shows a metaview that follows the additional user interaction that makes this tab its own pane.

FIG. 16 shows a metaview that follows the additional user interaction of resizing an existing pane.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (81) Designated countries EP (AT, BE, CH, CY, DE, DK, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, IE, I T, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE), OA (BF, BJ , CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, K E, LS, MW, SD, SZ, UG, ZW), EA (AM , AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM) , AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN, CU, CZ, DE, D K, EE, ES, FI, GB, GE, GH, HU, IL , IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, M K, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO , RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR, TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, Y U, ZW F-term (reference) 5E501 AA02 BA05 CA02 CB02 CB05                       CB09 CB10 CB15 CC09 EA06                       EA08 EA10 EA12 EA18 FA02                       FA03 FA06 FA10 FA47 FB03                       FB04 FB22

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A system for implementing a window frame (80), the window frame (80) comprising a plurality of windows (91, 92, 93).
, 94) for displaying the content of any one of the first visible regions (81
) And a second visible area (101) for displaying the respective landmarks (86, 84) of the windows, (a) the landmarks of the first window (91) of the plurality of windows. A window display mechanism (130) for displaying the content of the first window in the first visible area (81) in response to a first user interaction with (86); and (b) the plurality of windows. In response to a second user interaction of the second window (93) of the second window (93) with the landmark (84), (i) a second window (93) for displaying the content of the second window (93). A first window subframe (105) having three viewable areas (114) and a fourth viewable area (115) for displaying the indicia (84) of the second window.
), And (ii) the plurality of windows (91, 9) excluding the second window (93).
2, 94) for displaying the content of any one of the first visible areas (
81) and a second window sub-frame (106) having the second viewable area (101) for displaying the indicia (86, 83, 85) of each of the windows.
) And a window frame splitting mechanism (130) that splits into 2. The window frame segmentation mechanism determines relative orientations of the first window subframe and the second window subframe based on position information obtained during the second user interaction. The system according to claim 1. 3. The window frame division mechanism determines relative sizes of the first window subframe and the second window subframe based on position information obtained during the second user interaction. The system according to claim 1. 4. The window frame division mechanism determines the positions of the first window subframe and the second window subframe based on position information obtained during the second user interaction. The system according to Item 1. 5. A method for implementing a window frame (80), the window frame (80) comprising a plurality of windows (91, 92, 93, 9).
4) having a first visible area (81) for displaying the content of any one of 4) and a second visible area (101) for displaying each mark (86, 84) of the window. And (a) in response to a first user interaction of the first window (91) of the plurality of windows with the landmark (86), the first visible area (81) in the first visible area (81). Displaying the window frame in response to a second user interaction with the landmark (84) of the second window (93) of the plurality of windows; A third visible area (114) for displaying the content of the second window (93) and a fourth visible area (115) for displaying the landmark (84) of the second window. Have The first window sub-frame (105
), And (ii) the plurality of windows (91, 9) excluding the second window (93).
2, 94) for displaying the content of any one of the first visible areas (
81) and a second window sub-frame (106) having the second viewable area (101) for displaying the indicia (86, 83, 85) of each of the windows.
) And a step of dividing into: 6. The relative orientation of the first window subframe and the second window subframe is determined based on position information obtained during the second user interaction. the method of. 7. The relative size of the first window subframe and the second window subframe is determined based on location information obtained during the second user interaction. the method of. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the positions of the first window subframe and the second window subframe are determined based on position information obtained during the second user interaction. .