Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-17
2001-08-21
dela Torre, Crescelle N. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06278448
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of user interface desktops and, in particular, to methods and systems for incorporating content into such a desktop.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the advent of the Internet, it is now the case that personal computers have access to a much larger number and variety of resources (e.g. Web pages) than they currently do today on Local Area Networks. Since GUI desktops are typically designed to give the computer user a set of ‘entry points’ to all of the resources they care about, it is compelling to enhance the GUI desktop so that it can serve entry points to a much wider variety of resources, particularly those found on the World Wide Web.
Prior art GUI desktops have represented such ‘entry points’ with icons, each of which typically fits a strict form factor (e.g., 32×32 pixels and a line or two of text). This type of representation does not scale well to the variety of resources on the World Wide Web, since it is limited in size, strict in form factor, and static (unchanging). The invention described here is designed to provide a way for a GUI desktop to more adequately provide ‘entry points’ to Internet resources (primarily, HTML-based Web pages); these ‘entry points’ scale better to Web pages because: a) they can be any size (customizable by user OR by the Web author); b) the representation is not strict, and so, for instance, instead of a static icon the entry point can be used to show a ‘preview’ of the Web pages they point to; and c) the representation is not static but can instead change over time to reflect the changing nature of the resource (e.g. Web page).
In short, it is the intent of the current invention to enhance the GUI desktop by introducing a ‘new breed’ of entry points (or “shortcuts”) to Internet resources, as an addition to the icon entry points that exist in prior art desktops.
It is now common for computer operating systems to employ a graphical user interface (GUI) to convey information to, and receive commands from, users. An example of an operating system that provides a graphical user interface is the Windows 95 operating system, produced by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash.
The graphical user interface of Windows 95, and other operating systems, is based on a desktop metaphor. More specifically, the GUI creates a graphical environment that simulates working at a desk. The graphical elements displayed on the computer desktop are analogous to objects placed on the top of a user's desk.
The desktop of a GUI is a screen display containing icons representing programs, files, and resources available to the user. The desktop acts as a launching point for running application programs, opening documents or files, and initiating operating system services. In a typical GUI, the desktop always remains as a full screen background display, and all visible windows and icons overlay the desktop as would paper documents and other items on top of an actual desk.
Icons placed on a desktop are static graphic images, and typically represent computer programs, files, or operating system services “Activation” of an icon may cause the operating system to invoke an associated program and optionally an associated file or data set.
Windows in a GUI can typically be resized, moved around the display, and stacked so as to overlay each other. Windows typically have a top-to-bottom order in which they are displayed, with top windows at a particular location on the screen overlaying any other window at the same location.
In recent years there has been a proliferation of computers connected to a global network known as the Internet. A “client” computer connected to the Internet can download digital information from “server” computers connected to the Internet. Client application software executing on client computers typically accept commands from a user and obtain data and services by sending requests to server applications running on server computers connected to the Internet.
Client computers access data on the World Wide Web, often referred to as “the Web.” The World Wide Web is an information service on the Internet providing documents and links between documents. The World Wide Web is made up of numerous websites around the world that maintain and distribute Web documents. Web documents may be in one of a number of formats, including the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML). An HTML document can contain text, graphics, audio clips, and video clips, as well as metadata or commands providing formatting information. HTML documents also include embedded “links,” referred to as “hyperlinks,” that reference other data or documents located on the local computer or network server computers. An intranet is a local area network containing at least one Web server and multiple client computers operating in a manner similar to the World Wide Web.
A Web browser is a client application or operating system utility that communicates with server computers using one or more protocols, including the Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Web browsers receive Web documents from the network and present them to a user. Internet Explorer, available from Microsoft Corporation, is an example of a popular Web browser.
In addition to data and metadata, HTML documents can contain embedded software components containing program code that perform a wide variety of operations, such as manipulating data, updating the displayed data, and playing audio or video clips. ActiveX is a specification developed by Microsoft Corporation for creating software components that can be embedded into an HTML document.
It is desirable to have a mechanism that allows a user to specify Web “content” from one or more Web pages, to be positioned on the user's desktop. Preferably, the Web content includes both static images and active images, where the active images may include animation, or occasional updates of the displayed content. A preferred mechanism allows a user to set up more than one desktop, and to switch between desktops as desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with this invention, a system and a computer-based method of creating a composite desktop built from Web content retrieved from one or more Web sites are provided. The method includes selecting one or more components of Web pages to be positioned on the composite desktop. Preferably, the component is either a static image, an active desktop component, or an entire Web page. Preferably, desktop components are displayed behind icons. Each component has an associated section of hypertext markup language instructions, and is displayed on the composite desktop in the same manner as it is displayed on a Web page.
In accordance with other aspects of the invention, a user specifies each component that is to be placed on the composite desktop. The mechanism of the invention stores information pertaining to the selection in a system registry, and inserts associated hypertext markup language instructions in a file corresponding to the composite desktop. The hypertext markup language instructions are used to display each component on the composite desktop.
In accordance with still other aspects of the invention, an icon window includes icons displayed on the composite desktop, organized as a transparent window or a complex regional window made up of discontiguous regions. Each region includes a portion of an icon or an entire icon. The icon window is displayed as a layer in front of the desktop components and the desktop background, so that the icons appear in front of the desktop components.
In accordance with yet still other aspects of the invention, an application programming interface (API) is provided to allow computer programs, controls, or utilities modify the composite desktop. Specifically, the API allows desktop components to be added to or deleted from the composite desktop, and allows desktop components to be modified. The API also allows the background wallpaper to be modified.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, a user is provided with alternativ
Anderson Edward Jason
Brown Christopher R.
Flynn Sean L.
Ramasubramanian Sankar
Schmidt Michael A.
Christensen O'Connor Johnson & Kindness PLLC
dela Torre Crescelle N.
Microsoft Corporation
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