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 | A graphic terminal is disclosed using bitmaps to represent plural overlapping displays. Graphics software is also disclosed in which the overlapping asynchronous windows or layers are manipulated by manipulating the bitmaps. With this software, the physical screen becomes several logical screens (layers) all running simultaneously, any one of which may be interacted with at any time. |
Basic Information
| Type of Prior Art | Issued Patents - US |
| Country | United States of America |
| Patent/Application # | 4555775 |
| Kind Code | United States (US) - United STATES Patent - A |
| Patentee Name | AT&T Bell Laboratories |
| Relevant Pages, Columns, or Lines | See excerpt |
| URL | http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/... |
| Publication Date | October 7, 1982 |
| Additional Information | Date listed is filing date |
Notes / To Do
| Notes | |
Excerpt
FIG. 2 is a front view of a terminal 30 with a screen 31 depicting three overlapping layers A, B and C as they would actually appear on a cathode ray tube (CRT) screen 31. A "layer" in this sense, is a rectangular portion of the screen 31 and its associated image. It may be thought of as a virtual display screen since it comprises a graphical or visual environment in which a user can do any thing that could be done on an entire screen. Layers may overlap as shown in FIG. 2, but a set of bitmaps capable of maintaining an image of the obscured portion of a layer is always kept current. Because all processes are asynchronous, drawing actions can be directed at any time to an obscured layer, and a resulting graphical object such as a line will be partially visible on the screen and partially recorded in the bitmaps representing the obscured portions of the layer (col. 3, ln 53-67).
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, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first window that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
a display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first window that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
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, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
and in response to the switch signal sequence operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object - col. 3, lines 53-67
a display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
and in response to the switch signal sequence operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object - col. 3, lines 53-67
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, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
and in response to the switch signal sequence operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object - col. 3, lines 53-67
a display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the output signals causing the display to present images that include display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
each of a set of the display objects being perceptible as a distinct, coherent set of display features - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first output signals causing the display to present a first workspace containing a first subset of the set of display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the first subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the first subset including a first display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
and in response to the switch signal sequence operating the data processor to provide second output signals to the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 display objects - col. 3, lines 53-67
the display objects of the second subset being perceptible as having spatial positions relative to each other when presented by the display - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second subset including a second display object that is perceptible as a tool that augments a user's capabilities - col. 3, lines 53-67
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 - col. 3, lines 53-67
the second display object being perceptible as the same tool as the first display object - col. 3, lines 53-67
Claim Chart
All
