Computer interface having a virtual single-layer mode for viewing overlapping objects
US7739617B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 2003 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F3/0481
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
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 for access to desktop objects.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.