IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,430,020
Granted Patent B2
US 12,430,020 · App. 17/708,978 · Granted Sep 30, 2025

Application window preview panels

Inventors: Matthias Baer (Seattle, WA); Bryan K. Mamaril (Seattle, WA); Isaiah Ng (Bellevue, WA); Garner B. Thomas (Kenmore, WA); Cassandra M. April (Seattle, WA); Richard Fang (Bellevue, WA); Matthew I. Worley (Issaquah, WA)
Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
G06F3/0486G06F3/0482G06F3/04886G06F3/1423G06F9/452G06F3/04817G06F3/04883G06F3/1454G06F2203/04803G09G2354/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,430,020
App. No.
17/708,978
Granted
Sep 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for modifying a user interface described herein can include a processor to detect a plurality of display screens electronically coupled to the system. The processor can also detect a first gesture corresponding to an application window displayed in one of the display screens and generate a preview panel in response to detecting the first gesture, the preview panel to be displayed proximate the application window, wherein the preview panel is to display a real-time image comprising content displayed in each of the display screens. Furthermore, the processor can detect a second gesture to move the application window to a different display screen modify the user interface to display the application window in the different display screen.

Claims (19)

1. A system for modifying a user interface comprising:

a processor; and

a memory to store a plurality of instructions that, in response to an execution by the processor, cause the system to:

display a user interface across a plurality of display screens coupled to two or more computing devices, wherein the user interface is configured to display content from the two or more coupled computing devices;

detect a first gesture for interacting with or selecting an application window displayed in a first display screen of the plurality of display screens;

in response to detecting the first gesture, generate a preview panel, wherein the preview panel includes a real-time image comprising representations of each of the display screens in the plurality of display screens, a seam between at least two of the display screens, and content displayed in each of the display screens;

detect a second gesture within the preview panel to move the application window to a second display screen of the plurality of display screens, wherein the second gesture terminates on the seam within the preview panel; and

in response to detecting the second gesture, modify the user interface to display the application window across two of the display screens adjacent the seam.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of display screens comprise:

a first display screen from a first computing device of the two or more coupled computing devices; and

a second display screen from a second computing device of the two or more coupled computing devices.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are based on a natural user interface input.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are detected via depth camera.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are contactless gestures.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture are touch gestures.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the display screens comprise at least one virtual desktop.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture correspond to a drag and drop operation, wherein the first gesture is associated with initiating the drag and drop operation on an application title bar and the second gesture is associated with a release of the drag and drop operation.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first gesture and the second gesture correspond to a drag and drop operation, wherein the first gesture is associated with initiating the drag and drop operation with a representation of an application window provided by an application switcher and the second gesture is to be associated with a release of the drag and drop operation.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the initiation of the drag and drop operation comprises a selection of an application title bar with an input device and the release of the drag and drop operation comprises releasing the selection from the input device in response to detecting a movement of the input device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2022
From: BAER, MATTHIAS; MAMARIL, BRYAN K.; NG, ISAIAH; THOMAS, GARNER B.; APRIL, CASSANDRA M.; FANG, RICHARD; WORLEY, MATTHEW I.
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 059448/0134 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15680908 · Aug 18, 2017
Related Publication 20220221970A1 · Jul 14, 2022
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