Method and apparatus for positioning a new window on a display screen based on an arrangement of previously-created windows
US5657463A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 19, 1994 |
| Grant date | Aug 12, 1997 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 19, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG09G5/14
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for positioning windows on a display screen in a computer environment in which a user perceives that multiple operations can be executed simultaneously. The method and apparatus for positioning windows is based upon the number of existing windows and the arrangement of previously-created windows. Preferably, a computer system incorporating the invention includes a one or more dam structures, herein called "window slots", each window slot retaining location information and indicating, either explicitly or implicitly, availability of the window slot. Window slots can be organized into a window slot structure. If a window is being opened, then a window slot is assigned to the window being opened and a window slot structure having zero or more window slots is updated. The assigning and updating is based upon the availability of a window slot and the number of in-use window slots in the window slot structure. Then the assigned window slot is associated with an identifier for the window being opened, and the window is opened on the display device.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.