IP Innovation L.L.C. and Technology Licensing Corporation (collectively, "Plaintiffs") have brought a patent-infringement action against Red Hat, Inc., and Novell, Inc., alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Numbers 5,072,412; 5,533,183; and 5,394,521. The patents concern a user interface that has multiple workspaces. The Plaintiffs' complaint identifies as accused products "Red Hat Linux system," the "Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop," and the "Novell Suse Linux Enterprise Server."
UPDATE: THESE THREE PATENTS WERE INVALIDATED BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, ON APRIL 30, 2010, IN THE ABOVE REFERENCED ACTION.
UPDATE: THESE THREE PATENTS WERE INVALIDATED BY THE U.S. DISTRICT COURT, EASTERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS, ON APRIL 30, 2010, IN THE ABOVE REFERENCED ACTION.
Last updated: 2 months ago
Summary / Description
| Summary / Description | In a multiwindow system in which a plurality of windows are set on a display screen at positions such that these windows partially overlap and the display priority and position of each window can be arbitrarily changed, when the operator instructs to change the display priority of the window, a check is automatically made to see if there exists the window which will be completely covered by the other windows having priorities higher than that of this window and will fully disappear from the screen if the display priority is changed or not. If such a window is found out, the display priority of this window is changed in the state in which this window is automatically shifted to the position where a part of this window can be seen on the screen, thereafter the window is displayed on the screen. The changing process of the display priority of the window and the automatic shifting process of the position of the window are controlled by referring to and correcting the contents of the window management tables in which the data indicative of the sizes, positions, display priorities, and the like of the respective windows is stored. |
Basic Information
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 4783648 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | Hitachi, Ltd. |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | See excerpt |
| URL | http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/... |
| Publication Date | June 27, 1986 |
| Additional Information | Date listed is filing date |
Notes / To Do
| Notes | |
Excerpt
1.FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a whole arrangement of a control system of the information processing terminal apparatus mentioned above. The data and commands input from the keyboard 12 and the screen coordinate values of the display menu instructed by the input apparatus 17 are input to a register 2 through an interface circuit 1 and read by a CPU 3. The CPU 3 executes control programs stored in a memory 51 in accordance with the input commands. Numerals 52, 53, and 54 denote memories to store table data for management of windows which will be explained hereinafter. Data of a plurality of logic screens is stored into a memory 55. The partial regions of these logic screens are displayed in each window on the CRT 10. When data is input from the keyboard 12, the data is produced or corrected for the logic screen designated in the memory 55 and the display data is sequentially transferred to a bit map processor (BMP) 4 in accordance with the content of the window management table. The BMP 4 expands the display data as a bit map in a frame memory 5. A CRT controller 6 sequentially reads out the content of the frame memory 5 and outputs this data to the CRT 10.
FIG. 3 shows the relation between the logic screen and the windows. In this example, a partial region S.sub.20 of a logic screen 200, a partial region S.sub.21 of a logic screen 210, and a partial region S.sub.22 of a logic screen 220 stored in the memory 55 are displayed in a first window 20, a second window 21, and a third window 22 set in the display screen 11 of the CRT 10, respectively. The display priority of the first window 20 is the lowest and the second and third windows 21 and 22 overlap the first window 20, so that a part of the window 20 is hidden. The second window 21 is displayed in the region where it is completely included in the display region consisting of the first and third windows 20 and 22 and only a partial region 21A is displayed. Therefore, in this state, if the operator changes the display priority so that the whole region of the first window 20 can be seen, according to the conventional apparatus, the second window 21 will be completely hidden under the first and third windows as shown in FIG. 4. According to the present invention, however, when the display priority is changed, the positional relation of each window is automatically checked and if there exists any window which will be completely covered and hidden by other windows as shown in FIG. 4, this window is automatically shifted to another position, thereby enabling some portions of all of the windows to certainly appear on the screen as shown in, e.g., FIG. 5. With this method, any desired window can be designated by a cursor C as well. Therefore, the operator can sequentially change the display priorities of the windows without worrying about the positional relation among the windows.
The above-mentioned automatic shifting operation of the window position can be executed by use of window management tables 30, 360, and 50 shown in FIG. 6.
The first table 30 defines the relation amount the display position and size of the window and the logic screen corresponding thereto for every window defined in the display screen 11 and is formed in the memory 52. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the first table 30 comprises: a window name 31; X coordinates 32 and Y coordinates 33 of the start points of the windows on the display screen 11, (these coordinates correspond to (X.sub.0, Y.sub.0), (X.sub.1, Y.sub.1), and (X.sub.2, Y.sub.2) in FIG. 3); size 34 in the X direction of the window; size 35 in the Y direction; a pointer 36 to the second table 360, which will be explained hereinafter; window attribute information 37 to designate the presence or absence of the window stripe, color of the window frame, and the like; data pointer 38; X coordinates 39 and Y coordinates 40 of the positions of the start points of the corresponding partial regions (S.sub.20, S.sub.21, S.sub.22 in FIG. 3) on the logic screen; and sizes 41 in the X direction and sizes 42 in the Y direction of the foregoing partial regions (col. 3, ln 6 to col. 4, ln 14).
Relevance
Claims
User interface with mulitple workspaces - 2
A method of operating a system that includes:
a display;
a user input device for receiving signals from a user; and
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display; the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects; each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the method comprising:
operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display; the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the first subset including a first window that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities;
while the display is presenting the first workspace, receiving a switch signal sequence from the user input device; and
in response to the switch signal sequence, operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display; the second output signals causing the display to cease presenting the first workspace and begin to present a second workspace containing a second subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the second subset including a second window that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities; the first and second subsets of display objects being different from each other so that the first and second workspaces are perceptible as different workspaces; the second window being perceptible as the same tool as the first window.
Relevance
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the method comprising: operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the method comprising: operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
Claim Chart
All
Storage of mulitple user interface workspaces
A system comprising:
a display;
memory storing data;
a user input device for receiving signals from a user; and
a data processor connected to receive input signals from the user input device, to provide output signals to the display, and to access data stored in memory; the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects; each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the data stored in memory comprising instruction data indicating instructions the data processor can execute; the data processor, in executing the instructions:
providing first output signals to the display; the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities;
while the display is presenting the first workspace, receiving a switch signal sequence from the user input device; and
in response to the switch signal sequence providing second output signals to the display; the second output signals causing the display to cease presenting the first workspace and begin to present a second workspace containing a second subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities; the first and second subsets of display objects being different from each other so that the first and second workspaces are perceptible as different workspaces; the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object.
Relevance
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
memory storing data - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor connected to receive input signals from the user input device, to provide output signals to the display, and to access data stored in memory - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the data stored in memory comprising instruction data indicating instructions the data processor can execute - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the data processor, in executing the instructions; providing first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
memory storing data - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor connected to receive input signals from the user input device, to provide output signals to the display, and to access data stored in memory - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the data stored in memory comprising instruction data indicating instructions the data processor can execute - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the data processor, in executing the instructions; providing first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
Claim Chart
All
User interface with mulitple workspaces
A method of operating a system that includes:
a display;
a user input device for receiving signals from a user; and
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display; the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects; each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features;
the method comprising:
operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display; the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities;
while the display is presenting the first workspace, receiving a switch signal sequence from the user input device; and
in response to the switch signal sequence, operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display; the second output signals causing the display to cease presenting the first workspace and begin to present a second workspace containing a second subset of the set of display objects; the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display; the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities; the first and second subsets of display objects being different from each other so that the first and second workspaces are perceptible as different workspaces; the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object.
Relevance
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - abstract; col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the method comprising: operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a user input device for receiving signals from a user - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
a data processor that receives input signals from the user input device and provides output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - abstract; col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the method comprising: operating the data processor to provide first output signals to the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, line 6, to col. 4, line 14
Claim Chart
All


