Patent ID: 6831666
Filing Date: 2004-12-14
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computer system for advancing application programs from available status to active status, comprising:a multi-application windows type operating system capable of simultaneously running multiple application programs; availability roster for maintaining a roster of the application programs which have available status and are available for advancement to active status; display monitor responsive to the operating system, for displaying a stack of application windows having one window for each application program which is currently running on the operating system, for displaying an active window at the forefront of the stack of application windows of the presently active application program, and for displaying a selection window floating in front of the active window; symbol generator responsive to the availability roster for generating activation symbols representing at least a portion of the available application programs the generated activation symbols being displayed in the floating selection window on the monitor; input device for permitting a user to select available application programs for advancement from available status to active status through the activation symbols displayed in the floating selection window; and application advancer responsive to the input device selection for advancing the selected application programs to active status at the forefront of the stack of application windows directly behind the floating selection window, wherein the floating selection window is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent floating position just in front of the active window and is dedicated by the operating system to a permanent active status in which the activation symbols are always responsive to the input device.