Patent ID: 6061064
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A computerized method for providing an improved graphical user interface comprising the steps of:defining a view space in which graphical user interface windows can be selectively located by a user, said view space having a plurality of discrete portions each of which is large enough to hold an entire window;selectively associating one of said view-space portions with each of one or more physical locations external to, and not physically connected to, said computing apparatus;generating one or more of said windows for each of one or more computer processes;enabling a user to selectively locate one or more of said windows in one of said view-space portions which has been associated with one of said physical locations;detecting when a user motions toward a given one of said physical locations; andresponding to a detection that the user has motioned toward said given physical location by presenting a visual display to the user which shows the given view-space portion associated with the given physical location, together with any window located in the given view-space portion;wherein:an identifier object is associated with each of said physical locations; andthe step of detecting when a user motions toward a given physical location includes using an identifying device to detect when the user motions toward the identifier object associated with that location; andthe identifier objects are bar codes and the identifying device is a bar code reader.