Patent ID: 7624351

Claim:
A method of controlling a plurality of applications on a computer having a graphical user interface using a control application installed in addition to an operating system of the computer, comprising: displaying an object, representing the control application and having a first sensitive area, within the graphical user interface; receiving a first user input at the first sensitive area on the object; sliding, from the object, a first window having a plurality of icons corresponding to the plurality of applications while continuing to display the first sensitive area; receiving a second user input in the first window corresponding to at least one of the plurality of icons; sliding, from the object, a second window displaying information associated with the at least one of the plurality of icons while continuing to display the first window; and controlling at least one of the applications based on the second user input, wherein receiving a third user input at a second sensitive area on the object results in the object closing and a tool tray state icon appearing or results in the object minimizing and a tab state icon appearing.