Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system – Display driving control circuitry – Controlling the condition of display elements
Reexamination Certificate
1998-02-02
2001-04-10
Bayerl, Raymond J. (Department: 2173)
Computer graphics processing and selective visual display system
Display driving control circuitry
Controlling the condition of display elements
C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S215000, C345S950000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06215490
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to a method and system for data processing and in particular to an improved method and system of user interface to a data processing system. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved method and system for accessing a particular task window on a graphical user interface in which a plurality of such windows are already opened in an overlapped manner to bring the task window into focus.
2. Description of the Related Art
The windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) provides a user with a graphical and intuitive display of information. When used in conjunction with a conventional multitasking operating system, the GUI allows many different applications to run concurrently in multiple task windows. Thus, for example, a user connected within a typical local area network (LAN) enterprise environment may have opened on his or her computer many varied programs, such as a word processing program, an e-mail program, a Web browser, and the like. Each program typically has associated therewith its own task window (and possibly other modal windows). A particular task may also be associated with an icon located on a task bar, if the task bar is visible.
In such an environment, however, task windows tend to get “lost” behind other windows. In particular, users often run into situations where they are unable to locate a particular window that they are required to interact with. Currently, the usual solution to this problem is to list all windows in an accessible task list. When the list is displayed, the user can then move through the task list manually, usually by striking the “Tab” key while simultaneously holding down the “Alt” key on a conventional keyboard (in the Windows 95 operating system). While this “Alt”-“Tab” keyboard technique does enable the user to identify all open windows identified in the task list, it is cumbersome and sometimes difficult to use in practice. The task list is not displayed persistently, but must be accessed using a keyboard command. Moreover, certain windows, however, may not be identified by tasks in the list.
Another approach is to call out a different window by clicking on an icon in the task bar, which is usually positioned along the an edge of the display screen. This approach is also helpful, but all windows may not be identified or easily located on the task bar, especially when multiple versions of the same application are running (e.g., as would occur if multiple documents were being edited concurrently). The task bar selection process is also quite cumbersome.
There remains a need to provide an efficient and simple technique for enabling a user to locate and access all open windows (and tasks) in a graphical user interface windowing environment. The present invention solves this problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention addresses the deficiencies of the prior art by displaying on a graphical user interface a convenient graphical control device (e.g., a slider, scrollbar or knob) that allows a user to navigate through a hierarchy of windows in the GUI and, in particular, to selectively place a given window at the “focus” or active position on the display screen.
The graphical control device is useful in a method for managing a plurality of windows organized and displayed on the graphical user interface of a computer. At any given time, one of the plurality of windows has a focus on the graphical user interface and a remainder of the windows are at least partly obscured behind the window having the focus. The method begins by displaying the graphical control device on GUI. The graphical control device has a plurality of identifiers each of which is preferably associated with a given one of the plurality of windows. Thus, if the graphical control device is a slider, each of the identifiers is a “notch” on the slider. As the graphical pointer (or some control element of the slides) is moved in a predetermined manner relative to the notches, respective windows are selectively positioned at the focus position on the GUI. Thus, the user may easily locate any desired window by traversing the graphical pointer across the slider notches. As each notch is traversed, the window associated therewith is brought into the focus position. This is a much faster and simpler technique for locating a hidden or partially obscured window on the interface than exists in the prior art.
The method is also useful for managing multiple tasks that may be executing on a computer. In particular, each of the tasks is assumed to have a graphical user interface task window associated therewith. At any given time, one of the plurality of task windows has a focus on the graphical user interface and a remainder of the task windows are at least partly obscured behind the task window having the focus. As in the earlier embodiment, the graphical control device having a plurality of identifier positions is displayed on the graphical user interface. The graphical control device need not be associated with any particular task window, task bar or other control element. As the user moves the graphical pointer relative to the identifier positions, respective task windows are selectively positioned at the focus position. Once the user locates the desired task window in the focus position, the user may take a predetermined action (e.g., a control action, entry of data, etc.) with respect to the task. The graphical control device thus enables the user to quickly locate any executing task in an computer running a multitasking operating system.
Thus, the present invention provides a graphical control device, such as a slider, that preferably “floats” on the interface as a plurality of task windows are opened. As the user moves the graphical pointer or other control element across each “notch” of the control device, the task window located at the focus position changes. A given task window is positioned at the focus of the graphical user interface as the graphical pointer traverses the notch associated with that window.
Thus, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved method and system of user interface within a computer wherein a user may quickly navigate to any open task running on the data processing system.
It is yet another more general object of the invention to enable a user to interact with windows and tasks within the graphical user interface (GUI) of a data processing system.
The above as well as additional objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed written description.
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Bayerl Raymond J.
International Business Machines - Corporation
LaBaw Jeffrey S.
Nguyen Thomas T.
Yee Duke W.
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