Abstract:
A user interface has a mini-program window display means, a launch selection area display means and an activating means. The mini-program window display means displays a plurality of mini-program windows within a first panel interface. Each mini-program window has a first background pattern. Each mini-program window represents a virtual computing screen. Mini-windows shown in the mini-program windows each represent an application window displayed in the represented virtual computing screen. The launch selection area display means displays a plurality of application launch selection areas within a second panel interface. The activating means activates an application process associated with a first application launch selection area in a first virtual computing screen represented by a first mini-program window in response to a user indicating a selection of the first application launch selection area from the application launch selection areas and the selection of the first mini-program window from the plurality of mini-program windows.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/085,538, filed Jun. 30, 1993 and now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/936,692, filed Aug. 27, 1992 and now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention concerns a user interface with individually configurable panel interfaces for use in a computer system. 
     In a computer systems such as personal computers, there is a continual search to provide a user simple and intuitive interfaces to computer applications and resources. For example, many personal computers use the Microsoft Windows operating system, available from Microsoft Corporation having a business address of One Microsoft Way, Redmond, Wash. 98052. 
     Various utilities have been designed to run with the Microsoft Windows operating system. These include, for example, Amish Utilities available from Amish Software, Inc., having a business address of 541 Cowper Street, Suite A, Palo Alto, Calif. 94301, the KwikInfo utility available from PC-Kwik Corporation having a business address of 15100 SW Koll Parkway, Beaverton, Oreg. 97006, the PowerLauncher utility available from hDC Computer Corporation, having a business address of 6742 185th Ave NE, Redmond Wash. 98052, the SideBar utility available from Paper Software, Inc., having a business address of P.O. Box 567 New Paltz, N.Y. 12561, the Rooms for Windows utility available from Xerox Corporation, XSoft Production Education, having a business address of 3400 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, Calif. 94303, the Wide Angle utility available from Attitash, having a business address of 20 Trafalgar Square, Nashua, N.H. 03063, the Squeegee utility available from ICOM Simulations, Inc., having a business address of 648, S. Wheeling Road, Wheeling, Ill. 60090, the SYSTEM INFO utility available from Symantec, as part of the Norton Desktop for Windows, and the Gallery View utility available from Abadst Software Company. The above described utilities variously implement functionality for launching programs, printing, viewing screens and showing virtual screens. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a user interface is presented. The user interface has a main module and a plurality of panel modules. The main module presents a user interface shell on the display screen to a user. The plurality of panel modules are in communication with the main module. Each panel module presents a panel interface within the user interface shell. Each panel module is individually configurable and each panel is configurable as part of the user interface presented by the main module. In addition the user interface has a mini-program window display means, a launch selection area display means and an activating means. 
     The mini-program window display means displays a plurality of mini-program windows within a first panel interface. Each mini-program window has a first background pattern. Each mini-program window represents a virtual computing screen. Mini-windows shown in the mini-program windows each represent an application window displayed in the represented virtual computing screen. 
     The launch selection area display means displays a plurality of application launch selection areas within a second panel interface. The activating means activates an application process associated with a first application launch selection area in a first virtual computing screen represented by a first mini-program window in response to a user indicating a selection of the first application launch selection area from the application launch selection areas and the selection of the first mini-program window from the plurality of mini-program windows. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the activating means activates the application process in response to a user placing a cursor over the first application launch selection area, depressing a mouse button, moving the cursor over the first mini-program window and releasing the mouse button. Also, in the preferred embodiment a first virtual computing screen is displayed in response to a user selecting a first user defined hot key and a second virtual computing screen is displayed in response to the user selecting a second user defined hot key. The first user defined hot key and the second user defined hot key are changed in response to user selections. 
     Additionally in the preferred embodiment, a first arrangement of application windows displayed in virtual computing screens may be designated as a start-up layout in response to a user selection. The application windows in the virtual computing screens are opened in the first arrangement upon starting up the user interface shell. 
     In the preferred embodiment of the present application, when a first application is designated by a user as a sticky application, a first application window for the first application is displayed within every virtual computer computing screens being currently displayed. The first background pattern may also be changed to be substantially similar to a screen background pattern for each virtual computing screen in response to a first user selection. Likewise, the first background pattern may be changed to be substantially similar to a bit mapped pattern contained in a first file in response to a second user selection. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a dashboard interface, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows a computing system which runs the dashboard interface shown in FIG. 1, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 shows a mouse utilized in the computing system shown in FIG. 2, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 4 through 22 show computer screens which illustrate implementation of a dashboard interface in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1 shows a graphic representation of an interface in accordance with the preferred embodiment of present invention. A computer &#34;dashboard&#34; interface 10 is placed on a computer screen, for example, in an unused region near the bottom of the screen. In the preferred embodiment, the default position of dashboard interface 10 can be anywhere on the computer screen. For information on computer dashboard interfaces, see co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/079,720, filed Jun. 18, 1993, by Claudia Carpenter, George A. Hansen, Beatrice M. Y. Lam, Lawrence Lozares, Krisztina Mako, Paul A. Mernyk, and Robert Chris Robnett for USER INTERFACE WITH INDIVIDUALLY CONFIGURABLE PANEL INTERFACES FOR USE IN A COMPUTER SYSTEM, which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, dashboard interface 10 includes various panels. For example, FIG. 1 shows a quick launch panel which includes a quick launch button 11, a quick launch button 12, a quick launch button 200, an alarm clock panel 13, an extended screens display panel 14, a resource panel 15 and a printer manager panel 32. Additionally, there is shown an about button 18, a customize button 19, a help button 20, a maximize button 43, a minimize button 29, a show/hide program menu button 28, a title bar 54, a system menu button 51, a task menu button 52, a layout menu button 53 and a program menu panel 50. Printer manager panel 32 includes a first printer button 16 and a first default printer indicator button 40. Selection of the default printer indicator button under a printer icon results in that printer becoming the default printer. An area within the default printer indicator button for the selected default printer is highlighted indicating the default printer to the computer user. 
     Extended screens display panel 14 includes a mini-program window 34, a mini-program window 35, a mini-program window 36, a selection bar 37, a selection bar 38 and a selection bar 39. Program menu panel 50 includes a program group button 21, a program group button 22 and a program group button 23. A shift button 30 is used to shift group tabs in program menu 50 to the left. A shift button 31 is used to shift group tabs in program menu 50 to the right. 
     A program from program menu panel 50 may be launched by first selecting the program group button. All of the programs within that group will then be displayed. A listed program may then be selected to run. Also, the group window may be opened to display all programs as icons. 
     FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a computer system which generates and displays dashboard interface 10. A computer 68 controls a monitor 64. A keyboard 69 and a mouse 60 are utilized to interface with the computer system. FIG. 3 shows mouse 60 to include a button 62 and a button 63. 
     A highlight in selection bar 38 indicates that mini-program window 35 is the active (i.e. the displayed) virtual computing screen. Also, the mini-program window for the active virtual computing screen is highlighted. 
     Mouse 60 and a cursor 56 may be used to launch a program within any available virtual computing screen. For example, the NewWave application, represented by quick launch button 200, may be launched in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36 by placing cursor 56 over quick launch button 200, depressing button 62, moving cursor 56 to be over mini-program window 36 and releasing button 62. The result is seen in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, a mini-window 66 for the NewWave application appears within mini-program window 36. 
     Mouse 60 and cursor 56 may also be used to launch the Write application, represented by quick launch button 12. For example the Write application is launched in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 34 by placing cursor 56 over quick launch button 11, depressing button 62, moving cursor 56 to be over mini-program window 34 and releasing button 62. The result is seen in FIG. 5. In FIG. 5, a mini-window 61 for the Write application appears within mini-program window 34. 
     Using cursor 56 and mouse 60 to select customize button 19 results in a customize window 71 appearing, as shown in FIG. 5. Within customize window 71, customize menu 72 lists items within dashboard interface 10. These include a listing 73 for dashboard interface 10, a listing 74 for the program menu, a listing 75 for Quick launch, a listing 76 for alarm clock 13, a listing 77 for extended screens display 14, a listing 78 for resource gauge 15 and a listing 79 for printer manager 32. Also shown are a hide/show button 87, an undo button 88 and a done button 89. 
     In FIG. 5, extended screens listing 77 is highlighted. Therefore, an extended screens preferences sub-window is shown. The extended screens sub-window includes an extended screens preferences selection box 91, a number of virtual computing screens selection box 92, a display preference selection box 93 and a background selection area 90. Background selection area 90 includes a predefined background selection 94, a predefined background selection box 95, a &#34;Use Windows background&#34; selection 96, a bitmap background selection 97, a bitmap background selection box 99 and a browse button 98. 
     Background selection area 90 is used to select a background for mini-program windows 34, 35 and 36 within extended screens display panel 14. In FIG. 5, a &#34;Sierras&#34; background is selected, as seen in predefined background selection box 95. In a FIG. 6, &#34;Use Windows background&#34; selection 96 is used to select the same background for mini-program windows 34, 35 and 36 as is used for the background of Windows. Also, bitmap background selection 97 and bitmap background selection box 99 may be used to select a background from a bitmap file. 
     In FIG. 6, no bitmap file is shown within bitmap background selection box 99. By selecting browse button 98, a browse window 111 appears, as shown in FIG. 7. Browse window 111 includes a file name selection box 112, a file listing box 113, a file type box 114, a directory box 115, a drives box 116, an OK button 117, a Cancel button 118 and a Help button 119. Browse window 111 may be used to select a source file for a bitmap background. 
     When &#34;Sticky Apps and Hotkeys&#34; is selected in extended screens preferences selection box 91, customize window 71 includes hotkey selection boxes 101, sticky application listing box 102, add button 103 and delete button 104, as shown by FIG. 8. For each extended screen, hotkeys may be added in hotkey selection boxes 101. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the hotkey &#34;F5&#34; is added to the hotkey selection box associated with virtual computing screen #1 (mini-program window 34), the hotkey &#34;F6&#34; is added to the hotkey selection box associated with virtual computing screen #2 (mini-program window 35), and the hotkey &#34;F7&#34; is added to the hotkey selection box associated with virtual computing screen #3 (mini-program window 36). 
     Once hotkeys have been added, they may be used to scroll between virtual computing screens. For example, depressing the key &#34;F7&#34; on keyboard 69 results in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36 being displayed, as shown in FIG. 10. The virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36 includes a window 121 for the NewWave application. A highlight in selection bar 39 indicates that mini-program window 36 is now the active (i.e. the displayed) virtual computing screen. Also, mini-program window 36 for the active virtual computing screen is highlighted. 
     Depressing the key &#34;F5&#34; on keyboard 69 results in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 34 being displayed, as shown in FIG. 11. The virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 34 includes a window 122 for the Write application. A highlight in selection bar 37 indicates that mini-program window 34 is now the active (i.e. the displayed) virtual computing screen. Also, mini-program window 34 for the active virtual computing screen is highlighted. 
     In FIG. 12, the application &#34;Write&#34; has been designated a sticky application in sticky application listing box 102. A sticky application is an application which is displayed in the active display virtual computing screen, even as the particular active display virtual computing screen changes. For example, window 122 for the application Write is originally in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 34. When a user selects the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 35 as the active virtual computing screen, for example, by placing cursor 56 over selection bar 38 and clicking mouse button 62, window 122 for the write application is displayed in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 35, as shown in FIG. 13. When the user selects the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36 as the active virtual computing screen, for example, by placing cursor 56 over selection bar 39 and clicking mouse button 62, window 122 for the write application is displayed in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36, as shown in FIG. 14. 
     A dashboard task manager window 131, shown in FIG. 15, may be accessed, for example, by placing cursor 56 over the windows background and clicking button 62 on mouse 60 twice in quick succession, or typing CTRL+ESC on keyboard 69. Dashboard task manager window 131 includes a task list 132, a minimized application list 133, a switch to button 134, a Close selected button 135, a select all button 136, a tile button 137, a cascade button 138, a done button 139 and a help button 140. 
     Selecting tile button 137 results in tiling of windows. For example, FIG. 16 shows window 121 for the NewWave application tiled with window 122 for the Write application. 
     Placing cursor on layout menu button 53 and depressing button 62 on mouse 60 results in a pull-down menu 151 being shown, as shown in FIG. 17. Selecting the selection &#34;Save Layout . . . &#34; from pull-down menu 151 results in the appearance of a Save Layout window 161 as shown in FIG. 18. 
     Save Layout window 161 includes a layout name box 162, a load layout box 163, a program listing 164, an edit button 165, a delete button 166, an OK button 167, a Cancel button 168 and a Help button 169. 
     As shown in FIG. 19, the current layout has been named &#34;Starting layout&#34; as seen in layout name box 162. In FIG. 19, load layout box 163 is selected indicating that the current layout (&#34;Starting layout&#34;) will be loaded upon the start-up of dashboard 10. 
     Selection of &#34;iconic&#34; in the display preference selection box 93 results in the display of extended screens display panel 14 being altered to appear in icon form, as shown in FIG. 20. Extended screens display panel 14 includes a button 171, a button 172 and a button 173, each representing a virtual computing screen. Selection of a button results in the associated virtual computing screen being displayed. 
     Even though the layout of dashboard 10 has changed, when dashboard 10 is started anew, &#34;Starting layout&#34; will be loaded as shown in FIG. 21. When dashboard 10 is started, the active window is the window represented by mini-program window 34. Therefore, mini-window 61 for the Write application appears within mini-program window 34, because in the &#34;Starting layout&#34; the Write application is a sticky application. When the user selects the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36 as the active virtual computing screen, for example, by placing cursor 56 over selection bar 39 and clicking mouse button 62, window 122 for the write application is displayed in the virtual computing screen represented by mini-program window 36, as shown in FIG. 22. FIG. 22 shows window 121 for the NewWave application tiled with window 122 for the Write application. Window 121 for the NewWave application is tiled with window 122 for the Write application because in the &#34;Starting layout&#34; tile button 137 is selected. 
     Appendix A includes the source listing of a software module, SCREENS.C which gives an example of a software implementation of the features of the present invention. 
     For example, for a drag of a launch button to an extended screen to launch an application, the source of the drag can be a number of locations. If the source is from a Dashboard panel, SCREENS.C will get the message WM --  DBDROPFlLES (line 875). If the source is from the windows file manager, the standard drag- drop protocol defined by Windows is used, in which case SCREENS.C gets the message WM --  DROPFILES (line 865). Both cases are handled similarly--the first calls ProcessDBDropFile (line 1232) and the second calls ProcessDropFile (line 1162). 
     ProcessDBDropFile has a &#34;for&#34; loop (line 1264) which cycles through each file dropped onto screens. For each file, SCREENS.C runs the program by calling RKExec. After the program is run, MoveWindowToSpace (line 1315) is called to move the application To the virtual screen that it was dropped on. 
     When a hotkey is used to display a virtual computing screen, when a hot key is pressed, the routine TestHotKey (line 1348) is called. SCREENS.C has an global array of hotkeys (gConfig.hotkeys), each corresponding to a virtual screen. This array is checked to see if the hotkey entered (&#34;wCode&#34;) corresponds to one of the screens hotkeys (for loop at line 13). If it does, a WM --  COMMAND is sent to the main screens window procedure with the command ID --  CHANGESPACE. The array element which matched the entered hotkey corresponds to the virtual screen to switch to. This is passed in the message also (PostMessage at line 1364). 
     The ID --  CHANGESPACE is processed at line 110. Most of the work is done in the routine MoveAllWindows (line 1371). In this routine, the &#34;newScreen&#34; is passed in as a parameter. First, all application windows that should appear in the current screen are moved so that they are now visible. Then all remaining windows are moved the same distance. This causes windows that were on the previous active screen to be moved away so that they are no longer visible. 
     When the user changes the user defined hot key in the Screens Preferences dialog box, the window procedure to the screens configuration (ConfigDlgProc) receives the message WM --  HOTKEYCHANGE. An entry in the global array gConfig.hotkeys is set to the new hotkey (line 1539). This is now the new hotkey for the given screen. 
     The data for a layout is written in the routine WriteLayout (line 1785). The data for each layout is stored in a global array gLayoutList. The field &#34;startup&#34; within this array is set to TRUE if the layout is a startup layout. The value is determined by calling the windows routine &#34;IsDlgButtonChecked&#34;. This returns TRUE if the user has checked the dialog box checkbox for startup layouts (line 1844). 
     When the shell is started, the screens panel posts a message WM --  STARTUPLAYOUT to itself (line 463). This message is processed at line 468. It checks each layout in gLayoutList to see if the startup field is set. If it is, the layout is a startup layout and the routine LoadLayout is called to load the layout. The routine LoadLayout (line 1853) loads each of the applications in the specified layout. For each application, it also moves the application to the virtual screen stored in gLayoutList. 
     When the user designates an application as a sticky application, the routine AddStickyApp (line 2088) is called. The global memory array ghStickyApps is used to hold the classname of each sticky application (a &#34;classname&#34; is a unique string for every windows application). The routine AddStickyApp expands the array ghStickyApps, and adds the classname for the designated sticky application to the array. 
     The routine ResetSticky (line 2140) is then called. This goes through the internal task list maintained by SCREENS.C and sets a field &#34;bSticky&#34; to TRUE for any tasks that have a classname that is in ghStickyApps. 
     Every time the current virtual screen is changed, the routine MoveAllWindows is called. This routine calls IsAMoveableWindow (line 2160) to determine if a window should be moved. If an application has the bSticky field as TRUE, it will not be moved. Thus, whenever the user switches screens, the sticky application will not be moved and will always appear on the current screen. 
     When the user selects the &#34;Use Windows Background&#34; radio button, the screens configuration window procedure receives a WM --  COMMAND with ID BACKGROUNDWIN --  RB (line 1584). The global variable gConfig.background is set to BACKGROUND --  TYPE --  WIN to indicate that the background should be taken from the current windows background. The routine LoadBackgrounds is called to get a copy of the current windows background. InvalidateSpaceRect is called to mark the screens background as invalid. This results in a repaint with the new background. 
     When the user selects the &#34;Bitmap&#34; radio button, the screens configuration window procedure receives a WM --  COMMAND with ID --  BACKGROUNDFILE --  RB (line 1596). The global variable gConfig.background is set to BACKGROUND --  TYPE --  FILE to indicate that the background should be taken from a bitmap file. The actual file is not opened yet because the user may not have typed in the file name. 
     The routine CheckConfig (line 2229) is called when the screens dialog box is ready to be closed. At this time, the file name for the screens background should have already been typed in. The file name is retrieved by a call to the windows routine GetDlgItemText (line 2237). If the file exists, the routine LoadBackgrounds is called to get a copy of the image contained in the file. Finally, InvalidateSpaceRect is called to mark the screens background as invalid. This results in a repaint with the new background. 
     The foregoing discussion discloses and describes merely exemplary methods and embodiments of the present invention. As will be understood by those familiar with the art, the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Accordingly, the disclosure of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, but not limiting, of the scope of the invention, which is set forth in the following claims. ##SPC1##