Z Order Of Multiple Diverse Workspace Objects Patents (Class 715/766)
  • Publication number: 20130117697
    Abstract: A method for displaying background wallpaper and one or more user interface elements on a display unit of an electrical apparatus at the same time is disclosed. In the method, a Region of Interest (ROI) on the background wallpaper is designated by analyzing the background wallpaper. The background wallpaper is displayed. The one or more user interface elements on an area of the displayed background wallpaper without covering the ROI are displayed. An electrical apparatus implementing the method and a computer program product for the method are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: HTC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tai-Ling Lu, Ying-Chung Chen, Chi-Pang Chiang
  • Patent number: 8434016
    Abstract: A virtual file system is described that enables both real data resources, such as a content file, and virtual data resources, such as a field within a database or a state determined by a mark-up language element, to be accessed through a single root.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Stefan Geoffrey Butlin, Nicholas Holder Clarey, Jacob Benjamin Blaukopf
  • Publication number: 20130091451
    Abstract: A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Microsoft Corporation
  • Publication number: 20130086499
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and techniques for automatically providing auxiliary content are provided. Example embodiments provide a Gesture Based Content Presentation System (GBCPS), which enables a gesture-based user interface to present auxiliary content that is related to an portion of electronic input that has been indicated by a received gesture. In overview, the GBCPS allows a portion (e.g., an area, part, or the like) of electronically presented content to be dynamically indicated by a gesture. The GBCPS then examines the indicated portion in conjunction with a set of (e.g., one or more) factors to determine auxiliary content to present. Auxiliary content may be in many forms, including, for example, a web page, code, document, or the like. Once the auxiliary content is determined, it is then presented to the user, for example, using a separate panel, an overlay, or in any other fashion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Matthew G. Dyor, Royce A. Levien, Richard T. Lord, Robert W. Lord, Mark A. Malamud, Xuedong Huang, Marc E. Davis
  • Patent number: 8407605
    Abstract: Ones of the windows associated with a software process are identified in a screen layout on a local display of a sharer network node. On the sharer network node, an image of the identified windows as they are arranged in the screen layout and free of obscuration by any other windows in the screen layout is generated. The image is transmitted from the sharer network node to a viewer network node. Also, commands derived from input device events on sharer and viewer network nodes are received. The received commands are processed into a command sequence, which is passed to a shared process executing on the sharer network node. Windows associated with the shared process are presented on the sharer network node in accordance with the received command sequence. An image of the presented windows is generated and transmitted from the sharer network node to the viewer network node.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Social Communications Company
    Inventors: Alex Say Go, Vladimir Petter
  • Patent number: 8405628
    Abstract: Methods (1000), apparatuses (100), and computer readable storage mediums for interfacing with a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) are disclosed. A visual object is displayed (1010) on a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304). The position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1020). At least the displayed visual object is selected (1030) based on the position of the first input. The position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1040) contemporaneously with the first input. A separation line across the visual object is determined (1050) so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object. A change in the position of the second input is identified (1060). A change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion is controlled (1070) in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: David Ngan Luu
  • Patent number: 8407612
    Abstract: A multi-document application that includes a multi-document interface that includes a view area that displays one document at a time and includes a tab group element that displays tabs, each tab having a control that permits a corresponding document to be visualized in the view area. A user may then designate that one or more of the tabs are to be pinned to thereby have the multi-document application assign a pinned status to the tab. The pinned status may be persisted such that when the multi-document application is closed and reloaded, the pinned status remains. Further, when a tab receives a pinned status, the tab does not display less information regarding the corresponding document as compared to before the tab was pinned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Radames Saul Cruz Moreno, James E. Bartlett, Adrian Michael Collier, Pradyumna Siddhartha
  • Patent number: 8402382
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program for organizing and visualizing display objects within a virtual environment is provided. In one aspect, attributes of display objects define the interaction between display objects according to pre-determined rules, including rules simulating real world mechanics, thereby enabling enriched user interaction. The present invention further provides for the use of piles as an organizational entity for desktop objects. The present invention further provides for fluid interaction techniques for committing actions on display objects in a virtual interface. A number of other interaction and visualization techniques are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Anand Agarawala, Ravin Balakrishnan
  • Patent number: 8386948
    Abstract: [Problem] To make it possible to switch display of plural windows depending on a situation such as a time and a place. [Solution] A mobile communication terminal stores condition data for applications that display a window. Condition data is data describing for applications, an application (namely, a window), an attribute of a location associated with the application, and a frequency at which the application has been executed. The mobile communication terminal, if plural overlapping windows are displayed, determines a window to be displayed on top, using the condition data. For example, the mobile communication terminal, if an attribute of a location of the terminal is “office”, and an application “groupware” is running, displays a window of the application on top.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: NTT DoCoMo, Inc.
    Inventors: Yasushi Onda, Izua Kano, Dai Kamiya, Keiichi Murakami, Eiju Yamada, Kazuhiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 8386947
    Abstract: An interface framework enables dynamic generation of a user interface for browsing online media content. The interface can be modified based on changing one or more configuration or data files rather than making changes to code. The files contain interface content, interface configuration parameters and content category information. The framework retrieves a collection of content corresponding to a category, configures the interface based on a set of parameters and the retrieved content, and provides the interface to a remote device. When the files used to generate the interface are modified, the interface provided by the framework thereafter is changed. As a result, the interface may be changed without modifying or adding any code or markup within the framework.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Eddie Fusaro, Shankar Balakrishnan, John Elsbree
  • Publication number: 20130047106
    Abstract: Evaluation values are set for placement candidate positions as indices for determining appropriate positions as positions for relocating objects; among from the placement candidate positions set for an object that comes later in an order of display, the placement candidate position that is set by an evaluation value indicative of being most appropriate as a position to be relocated is extracted, and whether or not the object that comes later in the order of display is adapted to a likely placement at the corresponding placement candidate position is determined; and the object is relocated at the placement candidate position that is determined the likely placement and drawn.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kotoyu Sasayama, Makoto Otsuru, Tsuyoshi Sempuku, Yoko Sano, Takeyuki Hori
  • Patent number: 8364464
    Abstract: A user interface for displaying source data and a translated copy of a segment of the source data is provided. The user interface includes a first display portion for displaying at least a subset of the source data on the display. The user interface includes a second display portion for displaying a translated copy of a selected segment of source data on the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Mohamed Elgazzar, Bernhard Kohlmeier, Refaat Issa, Mark Webber, Matthew Crinklaw, Kathryn Richardson, Francois Liger, Majd Abbar
  • Patent number: 8359350
    Abstract: A communication apparatus including: a content-information extracting section which obtains feed information and extracts content information from the feed information; a display-priority setting section which sets a display priority; a display-priority changing section which lowers, on the basis of display of at least part of the content information, the display priority of the displayed content information by a first degree; a display-number setting section which sets the display number of times such that the display number of times of the content information during displaying of the at least part of each of all content informations to be displayed among the content informations is larger in a situation where the content information has a high display priority than in a situation in where the content information has a low display priority; and a display controller which displays the at least part on the basis of the display number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Urakawa
  • Patent number: 8339420
    Abstract: The contents of a small image displayed on the back side can be made easy to understand. A layout managing portion outputs display area information indicating display areas of respective small images displayed on the small image list, and arrangement information of respective small images displayed on the small image list. An image zooming portion produces a zoom image by zooming in or out an image of a main area of an original image extracted by a main area extracting portion in response to an area of the display area being output from the layout managing portion produces the small images displayed on the small image list by expanding or contracting the produced zoom image. An image layout designing portion produces the small image list by arranging respective generated small images at predetermined locations of the small image list, based on arrangement information output from the layout managing portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Kenji Hiraoka
  • Patent number: 8341541
    Abstract: A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ales Holecek, Charles W. Stabb, Hillel N. Cooperman, Jeffrey W. Pettiross, Mark R. Ligameri, Kanwal VedBrat, Donald J. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 8327277
    Abstract: Techniques to automatically manage overlapping objects are described. An apparatus may include a context module operative to receive context information for a multimedia event, and determine various context parameters and control parameters for the multimedia event. The apparatus may further comprise a blending module communicatively coupled to the context module, the blending module operative to receive multiple media content streams for multiple media content views for the multimedia event, and blend the media content streams for the multiple media content views based on one or more control parameters to form a blended media content stream. Other embodiments are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Pulin Thakkar, Noor E-Gagan Singh, Stuti Jain, Ix, Quinn Hawkins, Kapil Sharma, Avronil Bhattacharjee
  • Patent number: 8325205
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the realistic three-dimensional presentation of images in scenes, and is particularly useful for easily illustrating how artwork would appear on a surface in a scene, such as on a billboard. In one embodiment, image files are provided for use in an imaging application, such as ADOBE® PHOTOSHOP® CS2. The files permit the placement of artwork on scene background, and include embedded surface data that instructs the imaging application to alter the appearance of the artwork according to its placement within the scene. Also described are methods of generating image files for use as templates, and the use of the image files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Joshua D. I. Distler
  • Patent number: 8321799
    Abstract: A method and apparatus, including a computer program product, implementing techniques for displaying a table of data including a set of markers associated with rows or columns of the table, the table having one or more sort keys having a sort key order including a most significant sort key, each sort key being a row or column of the table; receiving a user input gesture selecting a marker; establishing the row or column associated with the user-selected marker as the most significant sort key, and maintaining the positions of the remaining sort keys in the sort key order; sorting the data using the sort key order; and displaying the sorted data. The techniques also include representing visually a sort key order for a table of data by displaying on a graphical user interface display one or more markers with a pattern of distinct visual properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Howard C. Simonson, Elizabeth Kricfalusi
  • Patent number: 8281261
    Abstract: A graphic programming system for associating distinctive arrow appearances to specific transaction(s) that the arrow may convey among and between on-screen objects. The distinctive appearance features include arrow color, arrow style, and double-headed arrows, among many other possibilities. The system provides default relationships between specific arrow transactions and arrow appearance, so that, for example, a arrow of a particular color is recognized by the system (and easily identified by the user) to carry out a particular transaction. These relationships may be selectively varied by the user to suit individual needs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventor: Denny Jaeger
  • Patent number: 8279494
    Abstract: There is provided an image printer having a display unit, in which a predetermined image can be set as a background picture of the display unit. The image printer includes an image processing unit processing an image selected by a user in accordance with a predetermined image processing technique so as to set the selected image as a background picture of the display unit; and a setting unit setting the processed image as the background picture of the display unit, wherein the display unit displays the processed image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Sang-hyun Park
  • Patent number: 8255817
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method of displaying information about first and second pluralities of time-based events, the method involving: displaying perspective representations of each of a plurality of timelines including a first timeline and a second timeline, wherein the perspective representation of the first timeline is made up of perspective images of representations of the events of the first plurality of events arrayed along the first timeline at locations in time corresponding to those events and the perspective representation of the second timeline is made up of perspective images of representations of the events of the second plurality of events arrayed along the second timeline at locations in time corresponding to those events; enabling a user to select a current time; and in response to the user selecting the current time, displaying perspective representations of a portion of each of the first and second timelines as determined by the user selected current time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Quotidian, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert T. Faught
  • Patent number: 8250494
    Abstract: User interface animation techniques are described. In an implementation, an input having a velocity is detected that is directed to one or more objects in a user interface. A visual presentation is generated that is animated so a first object in the user interface moves in parallax with respect to a second object. The presentation is displayed so the first object appears to moves at a rate that corresponds to the velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Larry R. Butcher, Jonathan D. Friedman, Chad Aron Voss, Michael J. Kruzeniski
  • Patent number: 8239775
    Abstract: This invention relates to a computer simulated environment, such as a virtual world, and to the identification of a user entering the virtual world and user context in the virtual world model. An output of the virtual world model may be rendered using objects in the virtual world model. Previous versions of the rendered objects may then be located in associated user memory and specified differences between the rendered objects and the previous versions of the objects may be identified. A layer of the identified differences may then be rendered on the rendered output of the virtual world model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Conor Peter Beverland, Christopher Edward Sharp, Matthew Whitbourne
  • Patent number: 8214743
    Abstract: The exemplary embodiments provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for managing data. A graphical user interface is generated. The graphical user interface comprises a first selecting component for receiving a selection from a user of at least one attribute of a record from a set of records to be measured for relevancy, a second selecting component for receiving a selection from the user for a granularity of the at least one attribute to be measured for relevancy, and a displaying component for displaying a result to the user, wherein the result includes a visual representation of the relevancy of the at least one attribute selected by the user based on the granularity selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah H. Bandera, Denise Ann Bell, Alex Dudley Little, Billy Brooks York
  • Publication number: 20120166988
    Abstract: A system for presenting pictures on a touch screen is disclosed. The system displays a plurality of pictures associated with a Z-order of layout in the touch screen. When a user selects one of the presented pictures and performs a long tap for a time period on the selected picture, the system changes the Z-order index of the selected picture to a new Z-order index. If necessary, the system adjusts the Z-order indices of the other pictures to accommodate to the new Z-order index of the target picture and generates a new Z-order of layout. Then the system presents the plurality of pictures on the touch screen according to the new Z-order of layout.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: TENG-YU TSAI
  • Patent number: 8209625
    Abstract: A data visualization system may allow an untrained user to easily, rapidly, and unambiguously specify the content and format of a report about information. A user interface may present to a user and receive from the user a selection of a plurality of selectable visualization types, selectable data objects, and selectable data specifications. The user interface may display all of the selections which the user makes as a single composite phrase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: University of Southern California
    Inventors: Ulrich Neumann, Sang Yun Lee
  • Publication number: 20120159364
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal includes a touch screen configured to display a user interface of a multi-layered structure, the user interface including at least one layer stack having a plurality of layers, a command input unit configured to receive a command from a user, and a controller configured to display a first layer of a first plurality of layers in the first layer stack on a first zone of the touch screen, display the first plurality of layers in a spread mode in response to a first command to enter the spread mode, and in the spread mode, change a location of the first layer on the touch screen to a second zone of the touch screen and display the first plurality layers of the first layer stack except for the first layer on a third zone of the touch screen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventor: Juha HYUN
  • Publication number: 20120159363
    Abstract: The subject disclosure relates to managing z-dimensional ordering of elements within a computing system display through the use of z-order bands. As described herein, z-order bands are utilized to arrange windows and other graphics corresponding to respective application types. A policy engine controls which windows and/or other graphical elements can enter and exit each band. Graphical elements within a given band can additionally be subject to per-band properties corresponding to the band and/or user preferences. As additionally described herein, z-order bands and/or other suitable mechanisms are utilized to facilitate registration watermarking for a computing environment by rendering a registration watermark display upon determining that one or more licensed elements of a computing system have not been registered.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gabriel DeBacker, Alex Snitkovskiv, Chris Guzak, John Stephens, Thomas Olsen, Mohamed Sadek, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Robert Jarrett, David Abzarian, Alice Tang, Jennifer Nan, Adrian Ford, Chaitanya Sareen
  • Patent number: 8205157
    Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments, a graphical user interface on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display includes: an application interface of an application that includes an application interface region with an edge; and a search input area for entering a search query for the application. In response to detecting a movement of an object on or near the touch screen display, the application interface region is translated on the touch screen display in a first direction. In response to the edge of the application interface region being crossed while translating the application interface region in the first direction while the object is still detected on or near the touch screen display, the edge of the application interface region is displayed, and the search input area is displayed in an area beyond the application interface region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Marcel Van Os, Stephen O. Lemay, Paul D. Marcos, Alexandre Aybes, Scott Forstall
  • Publication number: 20120151396
    Abstract: Various embodiments of systems and methods for rendering an optimized metrics topology on a monitoring tool are described herein. A monitoring tool, installed on a computer, displays a list of monitorable systems and a plurality of components of a system selected from the list. Each component is analyzed under a selected category. Each component includes a set of metrics associated with the selected category. Each metric from the set of metrics for a component is ranked. A rank for each metric is determined based upon at least a navigation behavior of a user of the monitoring tool and a metric characteristic. Based upon their ranks, the metrics are arranged in an optimized metrics topology. Higher ranked metrics are arranged in relatively higher topology level thereby delivering critical or key metrics, up front, in which the user is interested in.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Inventors: RAMPRASAD S., Raghavendra D., Chirag Goradia, Vishwas Jamadagni, Dinesh Rao, Suhas S.
  • Patent number: 8201097
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes a detector and a display controller. The detector detects a user operation performed by using a first input interface and a user operation performed by using a second input interface. When the detector detects that an operation using the second input interface has been performed while a predetermined screen is displayed on the basis of detection of an operation using the first input interface, the display controller changes the predetermined screen to a screen containing an object indicating that the object can be operated by an operation using the second input interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2012
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hirohito Kondo, Akari Hoshi, Satoshi Akagawa, Tomohiro Tsuyuhara, Zhezhu Jin
  • Publication number: 20120131483
    Abstract: In order to improve performance and responsiveness for drag-and-drop actions for Web applications, the amount of JavaScript loaded and executed at each increment of the mouse as it moves during a drag-and-drop action should be minimized. This can be achieved by harnessing the efficient and native-code algorithms built into Web browsers. Instead of using a JavaScript algorithm to compute which drop target the mouse is on, an overlay with placeholders can be placed on top of the page using z-index, where the placeholders are placed directly on top of the drop targets. The current drop target can be computed using the browser's built-in onmouseover and onmouseout events on the placeholder elements, thus freeing the browser from loading and executing too much JavaScript.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: ADAM G. ARCHER, CURTIS P. D'ENTREMONT, DEJAN GLOZIC, MICHAEL A. PAWLOWSKI, ROBERT RETCHLESS
  • Patent number: 8140990
    Abstract: Aspects of the invention pertain to user interface visualizations, enabling efficient display of content on a display device. At least some content is presented having diagonal views to emphasize certain portions of the content while deemphasizing other portions of the content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Elin R. Pedersen, Peter Hong
  • Patent number: 8130238
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to the realistic three-dimensional presentation of images in scenes, and is particularly useful for easily illustrating how artwork would appear on a surface in a scene, such as on a billboard. In one embodiment, image files are provided for use in an imaging application, such as ADOBE® PHOTOSHOP® CS2. The files permit the placement of artwork on scene background, and include embedded surface data that instructs the imaging application to alter the appearance of the artwork according to its placement within the scene. Also described are methods of generating image files for use as templates, and the use of the image files.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Inventor: Joshua D I Distler
  • Patent number: 8127248
    Abstract: A computer-human interface provides a mechanism to manage the available space of a computer display in a manner that facilitates navigation among multiple windows that are overlaid upon one another. The interface includes a user-selectable mode in which the windows are rearranged, and resized if necessary, so that all open windows can be simultaneously viewed within the area of the display, thereby enabling any one of the windows to be easily selected for access. In effect, the presentation of the windows is “flattened” so that all windows appear at the same virtual depth, rather than overlapping one another. With this approach, there is no need to minimize windows in order to access one that is overlaid by another, thereby enabling the user to keep the content of all windows visible and accessible. Subsets of windows can be repositioned in the same manner, or all windows can be removed from the display area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Bas Ording, John Louch
  • Patent number: 8117553
    Abstract: A system, to maintain a user interface context receives a request for a first user interface element that is hidden from view on a user interface. The request causes the system to integrate the first user interface element into the user interface by regenerating the user interface to accommodate the first user interface element while maintaining the user interface context.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: SAP Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Michael Danninger, Matthias Harbusch, Marie-Simone Proksch, Dagmar Repschlager
  • Publication number: 20120030569
    Abstract: At a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, a plurality of objects are displayed on the display. The plurality of objects have a first layer order. A first contact is detected at a location on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to a location of a respective object of the plurality of objects. While detecting the first contact, a gesture that includes a second contact is detected on the touch-sensitive surface. In response to detecting the gesture, the plurality of objects are reordered in accordance with the gesture to create a second layer order that is different from the first layer order. In some embodiments, the position of the respective object within the first order is different from the position of the respective object within the second order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventors: Charles J. Migos, Jay Christopher Capela, Christopher Douglas Weeldreyer, William John Thimbleby, Elizabeth Gloria Guarino Reid
  • Publication number: 20120030567
    Abstract: A user may select content that has been displayed. The selected content may be provided to multiple applications as input in response to detection of a user command such as a touch gesture. The applications may be widgets that are displayed in respective application regions surrounding a focus region. The selected text may be presented in the focus region. Each widget may produce output in its application region that is based on the selected input. A user can launch a desired widget using a swipe gesture towards the desired widget. A user may transfer the selected content using a swipe from the focus region to an application region. A user can select which widgets are included in the application regions. Displayed data items may be related to selected content. A data item may be dragged onto a widget icon to transfer the data item to an associated widget.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: February 2, 2012
    Inventor: B. Michael Victor
  • Patent number: 8108798
    Abstract: A method and system are provided for implementing enhanced buttons in graphical user interface of a software application running on computer system. The enhanced buttons allow additional options to be presented to the user in a context-sensitive manner in the same graphical user interface screen that the user is interacting with. The enhanced buttons are context-sensitive buttons that appear on a graphical user interface window as a result of an initiating action or operation selected from the screen. The initiating operation may be linked to a field, button, or other graphical element or object on the screen and the context-sensitive buttons are associated with this linked graphical element. The context-sensitive buttons may be displayed on the graphical user interface screen in relation to the associated graphical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Volker Sauermann
  • Patent number: 8108787
    Abstract: In an interactive media environment, input events are distributed to a plurality of applications where each application includes zero or more script components and zero or more markup files and has a Z order which corresponds to the position of the applications' visual elements on a display. An input event processing order is utilized where the application that has focus in an interactive media environment (by virtue of its receipt of user events) is provided with the first opportunity to consume the input event. If the focused application does not consume the input event, it is then delivered to the remaining applications in top down, inverse Z order. Each application is enabled with the ability to consume an input event, pass it on to lower Z ordered applications, hide it from lower Z ordered applications, or otherwise handle it. Input event processing stops when an application consumes the input event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: James C. Finger, John Andre Yovin, Khurshed Mazhar, Olivier Colle, Arthur William James Freeman
  • Patent number: 8090712
    Abstract: A method of displaying items from a collection of items including a first item is provided. The method determines a first sort order of the collection, and at least one alternate sort order of the collection. At least items adjacent to the first item in the first sort order, and in the alternate sort order, are then compared. The method then displays a portion of the items associated with the first item in each of the first sort order and in the alternate sort order based on the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Andrew John Shellshear
  • Patent number: 8069111
    Abstract: A system and method for an event driven virtual workspace are described. According to one example method, a trader can define a plurality of windows to be associated with a virtual workspace. Also, the trader could define one or more triggering events, the combination of which may be used to activate the virtual workspace. In such an embodiment, when the system detects the one or more triggers, the system can attempt to activate the virtual workspace. According to the example method, the trader may place a number of limiting conditions before any states of the currently displayed windows are modified such that the triggered virtual workspace could be displayed. If no limiting conditions are detected, the system can display the triggered virtual workspace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert A. West
  • Publication number: 20110258566
    Abstract: Various embodiments related to assigning z-order to a plurality of user interface elements are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment provides a method of assigning a z-ordering to a user interface element displayed on a multi-user interactive display based upon an interaction state of the user interface element, the interaction state being dependent upon how a user interacts with the user interface element. The method comprises detecting a change in the interaction state of the user interface element. If the change is an initiation of a movement of the user interface element on the display, the user interface element is moved to a first predetermined position within the z-ordering. If the change is an initiation of a user interaction with content contained within the user interface element, the user interface element is moved to a second predetermined position within the z-ordering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Maxim Oustiougov, Erik De Bonte, Gerrit Hofmeester, Martin Mladenovski, Kamil Umut Sargut, Robin Ghi-Hao Lim
  • Patent number: 8042054
    Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a device having a controller to create metadata corresponding to an identity of an entity, incorporate in a media file the metadata that identifies the entity with metadata that describes media content in the media file, and present a graphical user interface depicting a media file directory structure generated according to the metadata that identifies the entity and the metadata that describes media content in the media file. Other embodiments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Scott White, James Cansler, Ankur Mukerji
  • Patent number: 8024667
    Abstract: Techniques are disclosed herein for re-ordering floating objects in an electronic document. An electronic document having floating objects is displayed in a first mode. Each floating object has an x-y location in the document and has a position on a z-order stack. In the first mode the floating objects are displayed in an x-y plane based on the z-order stack. Then, the electronic document is displayed in a second mode in which the electronic document is depicted as x-y plane slices. Each x-y plane slice corresponds to one position on the z-order stack. The x-y plane slices are displayed in particular order to depict the position of the floating objects on the z-order stack. A re-ordering of the x-y plane slices is displayed based on a request. Then, the electronic document is displayed in the first mode again based on the re-ordering of the x-y planes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Han-Yi Shaw, Brent Lang
  • Patent number: 8015503
    Abstract: To solve an overlap between a part table and components automatically and adequately in a drawing using a CAD. In a part table creating method for creating a part table including a plurality of rows of CAD data, an overlap between the part table and other geometric elements is detected. When the overlap is detected, the height of the respective rows of the part table is reduced to H1. When the overlap between the part table and the other geometric elements still remains even when the respective rows of the part table is reduced to the height H1, the number of overlapped rows between the part table and the geometric element are obtained. The portion of the overlapped rows is separated and moved in the direction to avoid the overlap with the geometric elements to separate into an original part table and a destination part table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Yahagi
  • Publication number: 20110202843
    Abstract: Methods and systems are described for delaying presentation of an update to a user interface. In one aspect, first update information is received for sending to a display device to update a previously updated, existing visual component. A specified visibility condition is detected as not being met. In response to detecting the visibility condition is not met, the sending of the first update information is deferred. The visibility condition is detected as met. In response to detecting the visibility condition is met, the sending of the first update information to update the visual component is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Inventor: Robert Paul Morris
  • Publication number: 20110181521
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for a z-order editing process that adjusts the z-ordering of selected objects displayed on a user interface. The z-ordering editing process may include identifying one or more selected objects and providing a z-ordering editing mode having an interactive graphical adjustment tool. The interactive graphical adjustment tool may receive user inputs indicating a desired direction for z-ordering adjustment. Changes in the z-ordering of the selected objects may be applied and dynamically previewed before ultimately being accepted by a user.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Elizabeth Gloria Guarino Reid, Kurt Allen Revis
  • Patent number: 7987484
    Abstract: Self-organizing media content is described. In embodiment(s), a self-organizing map can be applied to metadata that corresponds to television media content. A media content array of television media content choices can then be generated based on the mapped metadata where the media content array is organized to include n-dimensions that are each based on a different attribute of the metadata. The media content array can then be displayed on a user interface that facilitates dynamic traversal of the media content array for viewer selection of the television media content choices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: David H. Sloo
  • Patent number: 7979809
    Abstract: The use of gestures to organize displayed objects on an interactive display. The gesture is used to move the displayed object to the edge of the interactive display so that the displayed object is only partially displayed after being moved. The size of the displayed object may be reduced and/or the displayed object may be rotated such that an identified portion of the displayed object remains in the display after moving. A gesture may also be used to move multiple displayed objects to the edge of the display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Derek E. Sunday