Patent Publication Number: US-2023161462-A1

Title: Tab visibility

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/249,157, filed Feb. 22, 2021, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/420,745, filed May 23, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/254,553, filed on Apr. 16, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,310,713, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/903,642, filed on Oct. 13, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,713,465, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/251,289, filed Oct. 13, 2009, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/360,194, filed on Jun. 30, 2010. The subject matter of all the above listed earlier filed applications is hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This description relates to managing a graphical user interface, and more specifically to managing tabs within the graphical user interface. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Generally, modern graphical user interfaces (GUIs) are based upon the idea of a “window.” In computing, a “window” is a visual area, usually rectangular, containing some kind of user interface. Windows are often two dimensional objects arranged on a plane called the “desktop.” In a modern full-featured windowing system windows may be resized, moved, hidden, restored or closed, etc. 
     Windows usually include other graphical objects, possibly including a menu-bar, toolbars, controls, icons and often a working area. In the working area, the document, image, folder contents or other main object is often displayed. Around the working area within the bounding window, there may be other smaller window areas, sometimes called panes or panels, showing relevant information or options. The working area may be capable of holding only one (single document interface) or more than one main object in a multiple document interface. In some applications, e.g., web browsers, multiple documents are displayed in individual “tabs.” These tabs are typically displayed one at a time, and are selectable via a tab-bar which sometimes resides above the contents of an individual tab. 
     Modern operating systems generally allow for the manipulation and selection of windows. A well known example is the Alt-Tab feature of Microsoft™ Windows™ systems (e.g., Windows XP™, Windows Vista™, Windows 7™, etc.), which allows a user to flip through active windows via the Alt-Tab keyboard shortcut. Alternatively, the Macintosh™ OS X™ system employs a window manager tool called “Exposé™” which tiles thumbnails or miniature versions of the windows within the display, allowing a user to select a window to move to the foreground. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to one general aspect, a method for manipulating tabs within a graphical user interface may include associating a tab with a window in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship, wherein the tab is the subordinate in the relationship, and wherein the tab and window are graphical user interface elements. The method may also include registering the tab and the tab&#39;s association with the window with a window manager, wherein the window manager is configured to manage tabs and windows within a graphical user interface. The method may include receiving a command, from a user, to display an organized representation of one or more tabs registered with the widow manager. The method may further include organizing the tabs registered with the window manager according to a predetermined organizational scheme. The method may include displaying the organized representation of the tabs to the user via a graphical display. 
     According to another general aspect, an apparatus may include an application interface, a user interface element or tab registry, a tab selection manager, and a tab organizer. The application interface may be configured to receive a tab association indicating that a tab is in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship with a window, wherein the tab is the subordinate in the relationship, and wherein the tab and window are graphical user interface elements. The user interface element registry may be configured to register the tab and the tab&#39;s association with the window. The tab selection manager may be configured to receive a command, from a user, to display an organized representation of one or more tabs registered with the user interface element registry. The tab organizer may be configured to organize the tabs registered with the user interface element registry according to a predetermined organizational scheme. The tab selection manager may be further configured to display the organized representation of the tabs to the user via a graphical display. 
     According to another general aspect, a computer-readable medium may be tangibly embodied and include executable code that causes an apparatus to: associate a tab with a window in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship, wherein the tab is the subordinate in the relationship, and wherein the tab and window are graphical user interface elements; register the tab and the tab&#39;s association with the window with a window manager, wherein the window manager is configured to manage tabs and windows within a graphical user interface; receive a command, from a user, to display an organized representation of one or more tabs registered with the widow manager; organize the tabs registered with the widow manager according to a predetermined organizational scheme; and display the organized representation of the tabs to the user via a graphical display. 
     The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     A system and/or method for manipulating a graphical user interface, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, as set forth more completely in the claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  3    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  4    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  5    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIGS.  6   a  and  6   b    are a series of diagrams of an example embodiment of a system of graphical user interface elements in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  7    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a system in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
         FIG.  8    is a flow chart of an example embodiment of a technique in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. 
     
    
    
     Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Described herein is a device and a technique for operating a device, or application (e.g., a web browser) such that tabs or other graphical user interface (GUI) elements (e.g., windows, tab groups, etc.) may be manipulated and organized. In various embodiments, tabs may be associated with a window or other GUI element (e.g., virtual desktop, etc.). In some embodiments, the GUI may display and organize the various tabs, regardless of the tabs&#39; association with their respective windows. A user may then move, remove, copy, etc. a tab from one window to another window. It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
       FIG.  1    shows an example of a generic computer device  100  and a generic mobile computer device  150 , which may be used with the techniques described here. Computing device  100  is intended to represent various forms of digital computers, such as laptops, desktops, workstations, personal digital assistants, servers, blade servers, mainframes, and other appropriate computers. Computing device  150  is intended to represent various forms of mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants, cellular telephones, smart phones, and other similar computing devices. The components shown here, their connections and relationships, and their functions, are meant to be exemplary only, and are not meant to limit implementations of the inventions described and/or claimed in this document. 
     Computing device  100  includes a processor  102 , memory  104 , a storage device  106 , a high-speed interface  108  connecting to memory  104  and high-speed expansion ports  110 , and a low speed interface  112  connecting to low speed bus  114  and storage device  106 . Each of the components  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , and  112 , are interconnected using various busses, and may be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate. The processor  102  can process instructions for execution within the computing device  100 , including instructions stored in the memory  104  or on the storage device  106  to display graphical information for a graphical user interface (GUI) on an external input/output device, such as display  116  coupled to high speed interface  108 . In other implementations, multiple processors and/or multiple buses may be used, as appropriate, along with multiple memories and types of memory. Also, multiple computing devices  100  may be connected, with each device providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., as a server bank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system, etc.). 
     The memory  104  stores information within the computing device  100 . In one implementation, the memory  104  includes a volatile memory unit or units. In another implementation, the memory  104  includes a non-volatile memory unit or units. The memory  104  may also be another form of computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk. 
     The storage device  106  is capable of providing mass storage for the computing device  100 . In one implementation, the storage device  106  may be or contain a computer-readable medium, such as a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, or a tape device, a flash memory or other similar solid state memory device, or an array of devices, including devices in a storage area network or other configurations. A computer program product can be tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product may also contain instructions that, when executed, perform one or more methods, such as those described above. The information carrier is a computer- or machine-readable medium, such as the memory  104 , the storage device  106 , or memory on processor  102 . 
     The high speed controller  108  manages bandwidth-intensive operations for the computing device  100 , while the low speed controller  112  manages lower bandwidth-intensive operations. Such allocation of functions is exemplary only. In one implementation, the high-speed controller  108  is coupled to memory  104 , display  116  (e.g., through a graphics processor or accelerator), and to high-speed expansion ports  110 , which may accept various expansion cards (not shown). In the implementation, low-speed controller  112  is coupled to storage device  106  and low-speed expansion port  114 . The low-speed expansion port, which may include various communication ports (e.g., USB, Bluetooth, Ethernet, wireless Ethernet) may be coupled to one or more input/output devices, such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a scanner, or a networking device such as a switch or router, e.g., through a network adapter. 
     The computing device  100  may be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it may be implemented as a standard server  120 , or multiple times in a group of such servers. It may also be implemented as part of a rack server system  124 . In addition, it may be implemented in a personal computer such as a laptop computer  122 . Alternatively, components from computing device  100  may be combined with other components in a mobile device (not shown), such as device  150 . Each of such devices may contain one or more of computing device  100 ,  150 , and an entire system may be made up of multiple computing devices  100 ,  150  communicating with each other. 
     Computing device  150  includes a processor  152 , memory  164 , an input/output (I/O) device such as a display  154 , a communication interface  166 , and a transceiver  168 , among other components. The device  150  may also be provided with a storage device, such as a micro-drive or other device, to provide additional storage. Each of the components  150 ,  152 ,  164 ,  154 ,  166 , and  168 , are interconnected using various buses, and several of the components may be mounted on a common motherboard or in other manners as appropriate. 
     The processor  152  can execute instructions within the computing device  150 , including instructions stored in the memory  164 . The processor may be implemented as a chipset of chips that include separate and multiple analog and digital processors. The processor may provide, for example, for coordination of the other components of the device  150 , such as control of user interfaces, applications run by device  150 , and wireless communication by device  150 . 
     Processor  152  may communicate with a user through control interface  158  and display interface  156  coupled to a display  154 . The display  154  may be, for example, a TFT LCD (Thin-Film-Transistor Liquid Crystal Display) or an OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) display, or other appropriate display technology. The display interface  156  may comprise appropriate circuitry for driving the display  154  to present graphical and other information to a user. The control interface  158  may receive commands from a user and convert them for submission to the processor  152 . In addition, an external interface  162  may be provide in communication with processor  152 , so as to enable near area communication of device  150  with other devices. External interface  162  may provide, for example, for wired communication in some implementations, or for wireless communication in other implementations, and multiple interfaces may also be used. 
     The memory  164  stores information within the computing device  150 . The memory  164  can be implemented as one or more of a computer-readable medium or media, a volatile memory unit or units, or a non-volatile memory unit or units. Expansion memory  174  may also be provided and connected to device  150  through expansion interface  172 , which may include, for example, a SIMM (Single In Line Memory Module) card interface. Such expansion memory  174  may provide extra storage space for device  150 , or may also store applications or other information for device  150 . Specifically, expansion memory  174  may include instructions to carry out or supplement the processes described above, and may include secure information also. Thus, for example, expansion memory  174  may be provide as a security module for device  150 , and may be programmed with instructions that permit secure use of device  150 . In addition, secure applications may be provided via the SIMM cards, along with additional information, such as placing identifying information on the SIMM card in a non-hackable manner. 
     The memory may include, for example, flash memory and/or NVRAM memory, as discussed below. In one implementation, a computer program product is tangibly embodied in an information carrier. The computer program product contains instructions that, when executed, perform one or more methods, such as those described above. The information carrier is a computer- or machine-readable medium, such as the memory  164 , expansion memory  174 , or memory on processor  152 , that may be received, for example, over transceiver  168  or external interface  162 . 
     Device  150  may communicate wirelessly through communication interface  166 , which may include digital signal processing circuitry where necessary. Communication interface  166  may provide for communications under various modes or protocols, such as GSM voice calls, SMS, EMS, or MMS messaging, CDMA, TDMA, PDC, WCDMA, CDMA2000, or GPRS, among others. Such communication may occur, for example, through radio-frequency transceiver  168 . In addition, short-range communication may occur, such as using a Bluetooth, WiFi, or other such transceiver (not shown). In addition, GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver module  170  may provide additional navigation- and location-related wireless data to device  150 , which may be used as appropriate by applications running on device  150 . 
     Device  150  may also communicate audibly using audio codec  160 , which may receive spoken information from a user and convert it to usable digital information. Audio codec  160  may likewise generate audible sound for a user, such as through a speaker, e.g., in a handset of device  150 . Such sound may include sound from voice telephone calls, may include recorded sound (e.g., voice messages, music files, etc.) and may also include sound generated by applications operating on device  150 . 
     The computing device  150  may be implemented in a number of different forms, as shown in the figure. For example, it may be implemented as a cellular telephone  180 . It may also be implemented as part of a smart phone  182 , personal digital assistant, or other similar mobile device. 
       FIG.  2    is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system  200  in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In various embodiments, the system  200  may include a computer or other computing device (e.g., smart-phone, etc.) that executes an operating system  206 , a window manager  202  and an application  221  or window  220 . In one embodiment, the computer may include or be connected to a graphical display  204  (e.g., a monitor, touch-screen, etc.) and be controlled, at least in part, by a user  290 . 
     In one embodiment, the user  290  may be running or causing the operating system  206  to execute an application  221  or window  220 . For purposes of illustration the window  220  will be referred to as a web browser, although it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. In various embodiments, this window  220  may include a plurality of panes or tabs  222 . 
     In some traditional windows-based graphical user interfaces (GUIs), a window manager would recognize and manage only the window  220 . If two or more windows  220  &amp;  220   b  existed and were displayed within the display  204 , the window manager would keep track of merely those windows  220  &amp;  220   b.  However, a hierarchal window manager  202  may be configured to register and manipulate not only the windows  220  &amp;  220   b  but also the tabs  222  &amp;  222   b.    
     In one embodiment, the tabs  222  may be associated with the window  220 . In such an embodiment, this association may include a hierarchical relationship between the window  220  and the tabs  222 . The window  220  may be superior or hierarchically higher than the tabs  222 . As such, the tabs  222  may be said to be in a superior-subordinate relationship with the window  220 , wherein the tabs  222  are the subordinates or hierarchically lower in the relationship. In such a relationship, when something occurs to the window  220  (e.g., closed, moved, resized, etc.) the subordinate tabs  222  may follow such an action (e.g., closing the tab, moving the tab, resizing relative to the window, etc.). 
     In various embodiments, once the window  220  creates or generates a tab  222 , the window may establish the hierarchal relationship between the two GUI elements. Further, the window  220  or the application  221  which generated the window  220 , may register the newly generated tab  222  and the tab&#39;s  222  association and relationship with the window  220  with the window manager  202 . 
     In such an embodiment, the window manager  202  may receive this association via an application interface  214 . The application interface  214  may be configured to communicate commands and data between the window manager  202  and the graphical application(s)  221  executing within the operating system  206 . The application interface  214  may pass this information to a tab manipulator  212 . The tab manipulator  212 , or in some embodiments, the application interface  214  itself, may store this association and hierarchal relationship information within a tab database (DB) or registry  210 . In various embodiments, the tab DB or registry  210  may be configured to store information and hierarchal associations or relationships of a plurality of GUI elements (e.g., windows, tabs, etc.). In such an embodiment, the tab DB or registry  210  may be generally referred to as a GUI element registry. 
     Likewise, similar actions may occur when creating a second window  220   b  and that window&#39;s  220   b  associated tabs  222   b.  In various embodiments, the second window  220   b  may be created by the application  221  or another application (not shown). Further, while only two windows (windows  220  and  220   b ) are shown, it is understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited to a specific number of applications, windows, or tabs. 
     In various embodiments, the user  290  may wish to select one of the tabs (e.g., from tabs  222  or  222   b ) to bring to the foreground or otherwise select as the tab to receive “focus.” In the computing context, a UI element is considered to “have focus” if the operating system  206  has selected or identified that UI element as the proper element to receive user input. In such an embodiment, the user  290  may indicate their desire (e.g., via a keyboard combination, mouse click, shaking the device, etc.) to see a display of tabs  222  &amp;  222   b  organized according to a predetermined organizational scheme. 
     In such an embodiment, the window manager  202  may be configured to receive such a command from the user  290 . The window manager  202  or the tab organizer  216  may be configured to organize the tabs  222  &amp;  222   b  or representations thereof that are registered with the window manger  202  and stored within the tab DB or registry  210 . In such an embodiment, the organization may occur regardless of the tab&#39;s association with a window (e.g., window  220  or  220   b ). The window manager  202  or the tab selection manager  218  may be configured to then display the organized representation of the tabs  222  to the user  290  via the display  204 . Such a display of the tabs  222  may be seen in  FIG.  4   , and discussed in more detail below in reference to that figure. 
     In one embodiment, the tab organizer  216  may be configured to organize the representation of the tabs  222  &amp;  222   b  according to a predetermined system or scheme of organization. For example, in one system of organization, tabs  222  and  222   b  may be sorted according to the time the tab was most recently accessed. In another embodiment, the tabs  222  and  222   b  may be grouped according to a functional definition associated with the tab (e.g., media player, document, commerce, etc.). Other systems of organization may include sorting by time created, grouping by window or other hierarchal UI element, most recently updated, least recently used, associated filename, directory, or universal resource locator (URL), memory or other system  200  resources used by the tabs, associated service provider (e.g., Netflix, Amazon, etc.), etc. It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     In various embodiments, the user  290  may wish to manipulate one or more tabs  222  and their associations with the windows  220  and  220   b.  For example, a user  290  may wish to move a tab  222  from window  220  to window  220   b.  In such an embodiment, the user  290  may indicate this using a command and the displayed organized tabs, although it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     The window manager  202  or the tab manipulator  212  may be configured to change the association of the tab  222  from the window  220  to window  220   b.  It may do this by altering the association and the hierarchal relationship between the UI elements (tabs, windows, etc.) stored within the tab DB or repository  210 . The tab manipulator  212  may communicate, via the application interface  214 , with the application  221  or window  220  to delete or remove the tab  222  that has been disassociated with the window  220 . The tab manipulator  212  may communicate with the window  220   b  to create or add the tab  222  that has been newly associated with the window  220   b.    
     In various embodiments, the tab DB or registry  210  may include information regarding the tab  222  in addition to the tab  222 &#39;s associations and hierarchal relationships. Such information may include information required to create the tab  222  anew (e.g., filename or URL used by the tab, status of the tab, user permissions associated with the tab, etc.). In another embodiment, the tab manipulator  212  may request this or similar information from the window  220  before instructing the window  220  to delete or remove the tab  222 . This information may be provided to the new window  220   b  in order to make the movement of the tab  222  between windows as seamless as possible. 
     In various embodiments, other tab manipulation operations or commands may be performed by the tab manipulator  212  or the window manager  202 . For example, a tab may be moved between windows, duplicated between windows, minimized or maximized within the display, removed from a window, etc. It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
       FIG.  3    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In one embodiment, the GUI may include two windows, window  300  and window  350 . In this illustrated embodiment the two windows are web browsers but it is understood that any applications may be included. The elements of  FIG.  3    are used to describe the organization and manipulation of tab UI elements further described in  FIGS.  4  and  5   . 
     In one embodiment, the first window  300  may include four tabs: tabs  302 ,  304 ,  306 , and  308 . As shown, tab  302  is currently in the foreground and has “focus.” Graphically the handle of tab  302  is highlighted to show this. Likewise, the second window  350  may include three tabs: tabs  352 ,  354 , and  356 . Tab  352  is in the foreground of window  350 , but for purposes of this illustration window  350  does not have “focus.” Window  300  and more specifically tab  302  of window  300  has “focus.” 
       FIG.  4    is a diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface  400  in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In various embodiments, the user may issue a command to the window manager to display an organized representation of the tabs registered with the window manager. In such an embodiment, the window manager may display the tabs as shown in UI  400 . 
     UI  400  shows a series of tabs (tabs  302 ,  352 ,  306 ,  308 ,  354 ,  356 , and  304 ) organized according without regard to which window (e.g., window  300  or  350 ) each of the tabs are associated or have a hierarchal relationship with. Instead, the tabs are displayed in a “most recently used” arrangement. Such a UI differs from traditional window-based switching UIs (e.g., Exposé, Alt-Tab, etc.) in that those UIs only show the UI elements at the window-level, and offer no further granularity, whereas UI  400  shows UI elements at the tab granularity level, and in other embodiments, may be configured to show multiple levels of UI element granularity (e.g., a desktop level, a window level, and a tab level, etc.) in which UI elements may be moved or manipulated within and between levels of granularity. 
     Further, UI  400  has the freedom to organize tabs in ways that do not take into consideration the windows associated with the particular tabs. As can be seen in  FIG.  4   , UI  400  has mixed tabs of various windows (e.g., windows  300  &amp;  350 ) when organizing the tabs, such tabs, for example, tab  302  of window  300  is followed by tab  352  of window  350 , and then followed by tab  306  of window  300 . In various embodiments, the organization may show or take into consideration the associated windows or other hierarchal associations of the various tabs. 
     Also, while an organization scheme of “most recently used” is employed in UI  400  other organization schemes are contemplated, as described above. In various embodiments, a user may select between a variety of organization schemes or systems by selecting one of a number of various commands, each command corresponding to an organizational scheme. In one embodiment, a hot key may be employed to cycle through tabs regardless of which window or application the tabs belong. For example, the Ctrl-Tab key combination may employ the “most recently used” scheme, whereas the Shift-Tab key combination may employ a “least recently used” scheme. Although, it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     In various embodiments, the UI  400  may include means for manipulating the tabs and the tabs&#39; relationships with the windows or other hierarchal UI elements. UI element or menu  402  illustrates that, in one embodiment, a right-click menu may be used to allow a user to issue commands to the window manager to manipulate the tab (e.g., tab  356 ) and the tab&#39;s association with the window UI elements. In another embodiment, other means for manipulating tabs may be employed (e.g., dragging tabs, double-clicking, touch/mouse gestures, buttons, etc.), although it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the menu  402  allows a user to move the tab to another window, duplicate the tab in another window, or delete the tab, although it is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     In some embodiments, the UI  400  may include static pictures or thumbnail versions of the tabs. In such an embodiment, the thumbnail may be a miniature picture of the tab designed to aid recognition of the tab, but scaled such that multiple tab thumbnails may fit within the graphical display. In the illustrated embodiment, UI  400  employs thumbnails of the tabs in order to display the multiple tabs within the graphical display. In various embodiments, the thumbnails may not be static pictures but may include active or dynamic versions or thumbnails of the tabs. In such an embodiment, as the tabs or the contents within the tabs change the thumbnails may change to reflect the change in the tab. For example, if a movie is playing in a tab (e.g., tab  356 ), an active thumbnail of that tab may show a small version of the movie. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a user may choose to move tab  356  from window  350  (which tab  356  is currently associated with) to window  300 . In such an embodiment, the window manager may obtain the necessary information to re-create tab  356  (e.g., URL, history, status, etc.) from window  350  or the application that created window  350 . As described above, in various embodiments, this information may already be stored within a tab DB or registry. The window manager may then instruct window  300  or the application which created the window  300 , to create tab  356  within window  300 . As part of the creation of the tab  356  within window  300  the window manager may register a superior-subordinate relationship between the window  300  and the tab  356 . The window manger may then instruct the window  350  to delete the tab  356  and, as a result or as port of that operation, the window manager may disassociate the tab  356  from window  350  and sever the superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship between the two. 
     In various embodiments, the window manager may determine if the moved or manipulated tab (e.g., tab  356 ) is compatible with the window or UI element to which it is to be moved. For example, the old and new windows may be created by different applications which are incapable of sharing information and tabs. To give a specific example, a video game application may not be capable of being associated with or being a superior in a hierarchal relationship to a tab comprising calendaring information. It is understood that the above is merely an illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
       FIG.  5    is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a graphical user interface in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. Again windows  300  and  350  are shown. However, as described above, tab  356  has been moved from window  350  and is now included or associated with window  300 . 
       FIGS.  6   a  and  6   b    are a series of diagrams of an example embodiment of a system  600  of graphical user interface elements in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In various embodiments, the window-tab hierarchal relationship may not be the only relationship within the hierarchy of UI elements. 
     System  600  illustrates a multi-level hierarchal system of GUI elements. In the illustrated embodiment (numbering shown in  FIG.  6   a   ), the system  600  starts with a user level  602  which lists each user executing tasks or applications on a given computing device (e.g., a computer, mainframe, etc.). Subordinate to the user level  602  may be a desktop level  604  which comprises one or more desktops or, as they are often referred to when a plurality of desktops are used, virtual desktops. Subordinate to the desktop level  604  may be a window level  606 . Finally, the window level  606  may be superior to the tab level  608 , as described above. 
     It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. For example, in some embodiments, an application level (not shown) may be employed in place of or subordinate to the desktop level  604 , or in another embodiment may be employed in place of or superior to the window level  606 . 
     As described above, tabs (e.g., tab  610 ) or other UI elements (e.g., windows, etc.) may have their respective hierarchal relationships manipulated (e.g., created, deleted, moved, duplicated, etc.) by the window manager. For example, in one embodiment, a user may choose to move tab  610  from the window  612  to the window  622  (numbering shown in  FIG.  6   b   ). Although, it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     As described above, the movement of tab  610  may include the window manager removing or deleting the subordinate-superior relationship between the tab  610  and the window  612 . In some embodiments, a subordinate-superior relationship may explicitly exist between the tab  610  and the desktop  614 , in which case, the window manager may also alter this relationship. In another embodiment, the relationship may be implicit, via the relationships that tab  610  and desktop  614  have with window  612 , and therefore may change as the relationship between the tab  610  and window  612  changes. 
     As described above, the movement of tab  610  may include the window manager creating or adding the subordinate-superior relationship between the tab  610  and the window  622 . Likewise, the relationship between tab  610  and desktop  624  may be created depending upon the nature of the grandchild-grandparent or multi-level subordinate-superior relationships of the embodiment. 
     Further, it is understood that in various embodiments, tabs or other UI elements (e.g., windows, etc.) may be moved amongst the UI element hierarchy  600 . For example, a first user (e.g., Admin) may duplicate or mirror a virtual desktop (e.g., desktop  624 ) from a second user (e.g., Joe), allowing both users to view the desktop and windows, tabs, etc. within or subordinate to the desktop. Or, in another example, a user (e.g., Joe) may move a window  632  and all of its associated tabs from a first desktop  624  to a second desktop  614 . It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     Also, in various embodiments, a user may create a new window or other UI element by moving a tab. For example, a user may move a tab (e.g., tab  610 ) from a window (e.g., window  606 ) to the desktop or other UI element. In response, the window manager, may create a new window to include the moved tab. It is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     In some embodiments, a user may associate multiple tabs (e.g., tab  610 , etc.) together into a tab group. In such an embodiment, such a tab group may be manipulated en masse or all together. For example, a user may go to a news site and open a number of tabs, each tab displaying a story from the news site. These tabs may be grouped together. The user may then, move or otherwise manipulate the entire tab group from one window to another. In various embodiments, the tabs comprising a tab group may be referred to as “sub-tabs.” 
       FIG.  7    is a block diagram of an example embodiment of a system  700  in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In one embodiment, the system  700  may include a first or local computer  701  (e.g., tablet, laptop, etc.) and a second or remote computer  703  (e.g., a desktop, a second laptop, etc.). In such an embodiment, a user (not shown) may wish to move, duplicate, or otherwise manipulate one or more tabs or other UI elements across computers  701  &amp;  703 . 
     In the illustrated embodiment, a user may wish to move a tab  722  from their remote (e.g., bedroom) computer  703  to a local (e.g., living room) computer  701 . The user may be physically situated at their local computer  701 . In this example the user may have been viewing a web page (via tab  722 ) on their bedroom computer  703 , moved downstairs to their living room, and wish to continue viewing that web page on their now local living room computer  701 , although it is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. 
     In such an embodiment, the local computer  701  may include a window manager  202  and a display  204 . The window manager  202  may include tab manipulator  212  and application interface  214 . The window manager  202  may further include elements illustrated in  FIG.  2   , as described above. The display  204  may show or display window  220 , possibly a web browser. Likewise, remote computer  703  may include a window manger  702 , having a tab manipulator  712 , application interface  714 , and tab DB or registry  710 . The remote computer  703  may include a display  704  showing or displaying a window  720  with a tab  722 . 
     In various embodiments, the user, from the local computer  701 , may request to see or otherwise be made aware of the tabs (e.g., tab  722 ) or other UI elements (e.g., window  720 ) included in the remote computer  703 . The user may then instruct the remote computer  703  to manipulate the tabs in some way. In this embodiment, the user may request that tab  722  may be moved from remote computer  703  to local computer  701 . 
     In such an embodiment, the window manager  702  of the remote computer  703  may transmit, in whole or part, the window manager&#39;s  702  tab DB or registry  710 . In one embodiment, the window manager  702  may only transmit the hierarchal relationships of the UI elements subordinate to the user (e.g., desktops, windows, tabs, etc.). In another embodiment, the window manager  702  may only transmit the hierarchal relationships of the UI elements but not extra information (e.g., most recently used, URL information, status, state, etc.). 
     The user may, in the illustrated embodiment, the user may select or command that a UI element (e.g., tab  722 ) be moved or copied from the remote computer  703  to the local computer  701 . In such an embodiment, if the transmitted portion of the remote tab DB or registry  710  does not include enough information to create the tab  772  locally, the local window manager  202  may request the additional information (e.g., URL, status, filename, etc.) from the remote window manager  702 . The local window manager  202  may then access the information regarding the copied or moved tab  772  from the received portion of the tab DB  710 . 
     Using this information the local window manager  202  may instruct or request that the window  220 , or application thereof, create a tab  722   b  that is substantially equivalent to the remote tab  722 . Likewise, if the tab  722  is to be moved, as opposed to merely copied, the local window manager  202  may transmit a message to the remote window manager  702 . This message may request that the window manager  702  delete the tab  722 . The remote window manager  702  may request, via tab manipulator  712  and application interface  714 , that the window  720  or application thereof delete tab  722 . 
     It is understood that the above is merely one illustrative example to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. In various embodiments, other UI element manipulation actions may be performed across two or more machines or computers. Further, in some embodiments, a variety of UI elements (e.g., desktops, windows, tabs, etc.) may be manipulated between two or more machines or computers. 
       FIG.  8    is a flow chart of an example embodiment of a technique in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In various embodiments, the technique  800  may be used or produced by the systems such as those of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 . Furthermore, portions of technique  800  may be used or produced by the systems such as that of  FIG.  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  6     a , or  6   b . Although, it is understood that the above are merely a few illustrative examples to which the disclosed subject matter is not limited. It is understood that the disclosed subject matter is not limited to the ordering of or number of actions illustrated by technique  800 . 
     Block  802  illustrates that, in one embodiment, a tab may be associated with a window in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship, wherein the tab is the subordinate in the relationship, as described above. In various embodiments, the tab and window may be GUI elements, as described above. In some embodiments, the window may be associated in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship with a virtual desktop, where the window is the subordinate in the relationship, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or application interface  214  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  804  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the tab and the tab&#39;s association with the window may be registered with a window manager, as described above. As described above, the window manager may be configured to manage tabs and windows within a graphical user interface. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or tab registry  210  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  806  illustrates that, in one embodiment, a command may be received (e.g., from a user) to display an organized representation of one or more tabs registered with the widow manager, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or tab selection manager  218  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  808  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the tabs registered with the widow manager may be organized according to a predetermined organizational scheme, as described above. In various embodiments, organizing the tabs may include organizing the tabs irrespective of the tabs&#39; associations with the tabs&#39; respective windows, as described above. In another embodiment, organizing the tabs may include organizing the tabs irrespective of an organizational scheme employed by the tabs&#39; windows to arrange the respective tabs within the windows, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or tab organizer  216  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  810  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the organized representation of the tabs may be displayed to the user via a graphical display, as described above. In various embodiments, displaying the representation of the tabs includes displaying an active thumbnail of the tabs, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or tab selection manager  218  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  812  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the association and hierarchical relationship between the tab and the tab&#39;s associated window may be manipulated, as described above. In various embodiments, manipulating may include disassociating the tab from a first window and associating the tab in a superior-subordinate hierarchal relationship with a second window, wherein the second window is the superior in the relationship, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window manager  202  or tab manipulator  212  of  FIG.  2   , as described above. 
     Block  814  illustrates that, in one embodiment, at least a portion of a registry of tabs from a second window manager executing on a second computer may be received by a first computer, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window managers  202  &amp;  702  or tab registry  710  of  FIG.  2  or  7   , as described above. 
     Block  816  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the information, from the portion of the registry of tabs received from the second window manager, regarding a tab may be accessed by the first window manager, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window managers  202  &amp;  702  or tab registry  710  of  FIG.  2  or  7   , as described above. 
     Block  818  illustrates that, in one embodiment, a window executed by the first computer may be instructed to create a new tab substantially identical to the accessed tab, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window managers  202  &amp;  702  or tab manipulator  212  of  FIG.  2  or  7   , as described above. 
     Block  820  illustrates that, in one embodiment, the second window manager may be instructed, for example by the widow manager, to delete the accessed tab, as described above. In various embodiments, one or more of the action(s) illustrated by this Block may be performed by the apparatuses or systems of  FIG.  1 ,  2   , or  7 , the window managers  202  &amp;  702  or tab manipulators  212  &amp;  712  of  FIG.  2  or  7   , as described above. 
     Various implementations of the systems and techniques described herein can be realized in digital electronic circuitry, integrated circuitry, specially designed ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), computer hardware, firmware, software, and/or combinations thereof. These various implementations can include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. 
     These computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor, and can be implemented in a high-level procedural and/or object-oriented programming language, and/or in assembly/machine language. As used herein, the terms “machine-readable medium” “computer-readable medium” refers to any computer program product, apparatus and/or device (e.g., magnetic discs, optical disks, memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)) used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions as a machine-readable signal. The term “machine-readable signal” refers to any signal used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor. 
     To provide for interaction with a user, the systems and techniques described herein can be implemented on a computer having a display device (e.g., a CRT (cathode ray tube) or LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor) for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device (e.g., a mouse or a trackball) by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback (e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback); and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. 
     The systems and techniques described herein can be implemented in a computing system that includes a back end component (e.g., as a data server), or that includes a middleware component (e.g., an application server), or that includes a front end component (e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation of the systems and techniques described here), or any combination of such back end, middleware, or front end components. The components of the system can be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication (e.g., a communication network). Examples of communication networks include a local area network (“LAN”), a wide area network (“WAN”), and the Internet. 
     The computing system can include clients and servers. A client and server are generally remote from each other and typically interact through a communication network. The relationship of client and server arises by virtue of computer programs running on the respective computers and having a client-server relationship to each other. 
     A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter. 
     In addition, the logic flows depicted in the figures do not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. In addition, other steps may be provided, or steps may be eliminated, from the described flows, and other components may be added to, or removed from, the described systems. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 
     Implementations of the various techniques described herein may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, or in computer hardware, firmware, software, or in combinations of them. Implementations may be implemented as a computer program product, i.e., a computer program tangibly embodied in an information carrier, e.g., in a machine-readable storage device or in a propagated signal, for execution by, or to control the operation of, data processing apparatus, e.g., a programmable processor, a computer, or multiple computers. A computer program, such as the computer program(s) described above, can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, and can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network. 
     Method steps may be performed by one or more programmable processors executing a computer program to perform functions by operating on input data and generating output. Method steps also may be performed by, and an apparatus may be implemented as, special purpose logic circuitry, e.g., an FPGA (field programmable gate array) or an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit). 
     Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. Elements of a computer may include at least one processor for executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer also may include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. Information carriers suitable for embodying computer program instructions and data include all forms of non-volatile memory, including by way of example semiconductor memory devices, e.g., EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory devices; magnetic disks, e.g., internal hard disks or removable disks; magneto-optical disks; and CD-ROM and DVD-ROM disks. The processor and the memory may be supplemented by, or incorporated in special purpose logic circuitry. 
     To provide for interaction with a user, implementations may be implemented on a computer having a display device, e.g., a cathode ray tube (CRT) or liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor, for displaying information to the user and a keyboard and a pointing device, e.g., a mouse or a trackball, by which the user can provide input to the computer. Other kinds of devices can be used to provide for interaction with a user as well; for example, feedback provided to the user can be any form of sensory feedback, e.g., visual feedback, auditory feedback, or tactile feedback; and input from the user can be received in any form, including acoustic, speech, or tactile input. 
     Implementations may be implemented in a computing system that includes a back-end component, e.g., as a data server, or that includes a middleware component, e.g., an application server, or that includes a front-end component, e.g., a client computer having a graphical user interface or a Web browser through which a user can interact with an implementation, or any combination of such back-end, middleware, or front-end components. Components may be interconnected by any form or medium of digital data communication, e.g., a communication network. Examples of communication networks include a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN), e.g., the Internet. 
     While certain features of the described implementations have been illustrated as described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes and equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the scope of the embodiments.