Controlling application windows in an operating system
AssigneeMicrosoft Corporation
InventorsAlexander J. Zotov, Richard J. Duncan, Zoltan C. Szilagyi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for controlling the appearance of application windows on a computer display screen. A user identifies either an application window currently running on the computer or a new application to be started. The user also identifies a size, shape, and screen location by inputting a geometric shape, such as by drawing a rectangle with a pen or stylus input device, on the display screen. The appearance of the application window is set based on the geometric shape. The application window is resized and moved, for a currently running application, or created, for a new application, on the display screen.
Claims20
A user interface comprising:
- an area on a display screen;
- and
- a user-delineated sub area of the area on the display screen, the user-delineated sub area defining where an application is presented.
A user interface system configured to recognize input to control a computer and produce output to a display screen through operations comprising:
- receiving an indication of a first user input identifying a target application;
- receiving an indication of a second user input comprising a geometric shape;
- and
- presenting, on the display screen, the target application running in an application window, the application window being based at least on the geometric shape.
A method comprising:
- receiving activation of a window definition mode;
- receiving an indication of a selection an application;
- receiving an indication of a user input including a graphical shape on a display screen;
- and
- defining an application window corresponding to the graphical shape on the display screen;
- and
- providing the application for display in the application window;
- at the location on the display screen in a window corresponding to the geometric shape.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.