Patent ID: 7873910

Claim:
In a computer system including a display screen comprising an area displaying a user interface, a computer-implemented method for adding desktop widgets to a widget layer, the method comprising: executing an operating system that provides an operating system user interface for receiving user inputs to user applications; executing at least one user application that is configured to receive a user input through the operating system user interface; executing a widget layer that is a part of the operating system, the execution of the widget layer separate from the execution of the at least one user application; executing within the widget layer at least one desktop widget; responsive to receiving a user input within the operating system user interface: activating the widget layer to enable the at least one desktop widget to receive a user input, and displaying the at least one desktop widget of the widget layer; and temporarily inactivating the operating system user interface and the at least one user application, wherein the at least one user application cannot receive user interactions while the operating system user interface is inactivated; responsive to receiving a user input within the widget layer, displaying within the widget layer a configuration bar that displays a plurality of desktop widgets; responsive to receiving a selection of a desktop widget from the plurality of desktop widgets displayed in the configuration bar, displaying the selected desktop widget within the widget layer; responsive to receiving a user input dismissing the widget layer: inactivating the widget layer thereby preventing the at least one desktop widget from receiving any user input; and reactivating the operating system user interface and the at least one user application, wherein the at least one user application can again receive user inputs.