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:
Mar. 31, 2009
Filed:
Aug. 05, 2004
George G. Robertson, Seattle, WA (US);
Mary P. Czerwinski, Woodinville, WA (US);
Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirkland, WA (US);
Kirsten C. Risden, Bothell, WA (US);
Daniel C. Robbins, Seattle, WA (US);
Maarten R. Van Dantzich, Seattle, WA (US);
George G. Robertson, Seattle, WA (US);
Mary P. Czerwinski, Woodinville, WA (US);
Kenneth P. Hinckley, Kirkland, WA (US);
Kirsten C. Risden, Bothell, WA (US);
Daniel C. Robbins, Seattle, WA (US);
Maarten R. van Dantzich, Seattle, WA (US);
Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides a three-dimensional user interface for a computer system that allows a user to combine and store a group of windows as a task. The image of each task can be positioned within a three-dimensional environment such that the user may utilize spatial memory in order remember where a particular task is located. In further embodiments of the invention, the three-dimensional environment includes a stage, which is used to display the task with the current focus. When a user selects a new task in the gallery, the task is moved to the stage and given focus. If a previous task was on the stage, an image of the previous task is captured. This image is then moved into the task gallery away from the stage. This process allows users to switch between multiple window configurations with a simple action.