Patent ID: 8091038

Claim:
A method, comprising: displaying, by a computer device, a translucent graphical user interface area over a portion of a background, wherein the portion of the background is at least partially visible through the translucent graphical user interface area, wherein the portion of the background is less than all of the background, and wherein the translucent graphical user interface area is a window; wherein said displaying comprises: determining, by a computer device, a first visual characteristic of the portion of the background; and adjusting, by a computer device, a second visual characteristic of the translucent graphical user interface area, wherein said adjusting is dependent on the first visual characteristic and improves visibility of one or more elements of the translucent graphical user interface area relative to the portion of the background that is at least partially visible through the translucent graphical user interface area, wherein the second visual characteristic varies across the translucent graphical user interface area dependent on a variance of the first visual characteristic of the portion of the background that is at least partially visible through the translucent graphical user interface area, and wherein a first value of the second visual characteristic at a first location in a graphical feature of the translucent graphical interface area is different from a simultaneous second value of the second visual characteristic at a second location in the graphical feature of the translucent graphical user interface area in response to a difference between a first value of the first visual characteristic at a first location in the portion of the background and a simultaneous second value of the first visual characteristic at a second location in the portion of the background; and subsequent to a change to the portion of the background over which the translucent graphical user interface area is displayed, repeating said determining and said adjusting.