Controlling application windows in an operating system
View Patent ↗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.
1. A user interface comprising:
an area on a display device; and
a user-delineated shape on the display device, the user-delineated shape to configure a part of the area for presentation of an application, the part of the area corresponding to the user-delineated shape.
2. A user interface as recited in claim 1 , the user-delineated shape comprising boundaries set by graphical input to the user interface.
3. A user interface as recited in claim 2 , wherein the graphical input to the user interface comprises touch input.
4. A user interface as recited in claim 1 , the user-delineated shape including textual input to the user interface.
5. A user interface as recited in claim 4 , wherein the textual input to the user interface comprises touch input.
6. A user interface as recited in claim 1 , wherein the application launches for presentation in the user-delineated shape.
7. A user interface as recited in claim 1 , wherein the user-delineated shape causes manipulation of a graphical presentation area for the application.
8. A user interface as recited in claim 7 , wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes placing a presentation of the application in the user-delineated shape.
9. A user interface as recited in claim 7 , wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes replacing an existing presentation of the application with a presentation of the application in the user-delineated shape.
10. A user interface as recited in claim 7 , wherein manipulation of the graphical presentation area for the application includes moving an existing presentation of the application to the user-delineated shape.
11. 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 user input comprising a geometric shape; and
presenting, on the display screen, an application window corresponding to the geometric shape.
12. A user interface system as recited in claim 11 , the indication of the user input being received via a touch input device of the user interface system.
13. A user interface system as recited in claim 11 , the operations further comprising, receiving a textual input within boundaries of the geometric shape.
14. A user interface system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the display screen includes a touch-sensitive display screen and the textual input comprises touch input received via the touch-sensitive display screen.
15. A user interface system as recited in claim 11 , the operations further comprising, at least partly in response to receiving the indication of the user input, launching a target application for presentation in the application window on the display screen.
16. A user interface system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the geometric shape causes manipulation of the application window for the target application.
17. A user interface system as recited in claim 16 , wherein the manipulation of the application window for the target application includes placing a presentation of the target application in the application window.
18. A user interface as recited in claim 16 , wherein the manipulation of the application window for the target application includes replacing an existing presentation of the target application with a presentation of the target application in the application window.
19. A method comprising:
receiving an indication of a user input including a graphical shape on a display screen;
defining an application window corresponding to the graphical shape on the display screen; and
providing an application for display in the application window at the location on the display screen in a window corresponding to the graphical shape.
20. A method as recited in claim 19 , the indication of user input including touch input.