The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 27, 2003
Filed:
Oct. 06, 1999
Deborah L. Dubrow, Kirkland, WA (US);
Laura J. Butler, Seattle, WA (US);
Jane L. Dailey, Seattle, WA (US);
Claus T. Giloi, Redmond, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
User interface for displaying and interacting with images corresponding to applications shared over a computer network in a data conference is described. The described interface provides a user with greater control over the use of a desktop by providing controls for moving and sizing images, including fake windows, corresponding to shared applications by displaying such windows in a frame. The frame is the entity that is manipulated by a user with familiar graphical symbols, or even custom designs, thus avoiding potential complexity in managing control over the images of the shared applications. This user interface facilitates frames that may optionally be semi-transparent or transparent in order to allow a user to keep track of icons and windows covered by the frame. Frames are also useful in reducing network traffic by providing a method for detecting the level of interest of a user in a shared application. Thus, they can be used to modulate the frequency of updating images of shared applications to reflect the need for changes determined by whether the frame is in focus or even closed.