Patent · US Expired

Method and system of docking panels

US5808610A · kind A · utility

66Cited by
7References
42Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 28, 1996
Grant dateSep 15, 1998
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 28, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG06F3/0481
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A computer program displaying a plurality of panels on the display of a computer system. Each panel contains one or more sets of tools, commands, and information displays that can be used to modify the contents of a window or document within the computer system. The panels can be docked by dragging a first panel and dropping it in proximity with a second panel while holding down a modifier key. When the panels are docked, a docking wedge is created between the panels. Docked panels can be moved as if the panels were a single panel. In addition, docked panels can be reduced in size by pressing a minimize button on any one of the docked panels. Panels can be undocked by either pressing the docking wedge or dragging a panel while holding down a modifier key. In response to either method of undocking, the docking wedge is removed and the panels become separate.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.