Patent Document ID: 9213460
Application ID: 13745382

Base Claim:
1. A visual editing tool for editing an on-screen image displayed on an electronic display, comprising: a processor executing tangibly embodied program instructions implementing a graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising a workspace for rendering an edit document, the edit document responsive to editing modules for modification according to an edit function performed by each of the editing modules; each of the editing modules rendered as an editing icon displayed in an overlay in front of the workspace; a rendering area defined by a physical visual display surface including the on-screen image, the rendering area displaying at least a portion of the edit document; a buffer region adjacent to the edit document on the workspace, the buffer region allowing unimpeded viewing of the edit document by occupying a background area behind the editing icons, the overlay such that none of the editing icons overlay the edit document on the workspace; and a dock, the dock grouping the editing icons in the buffer region when the rendering area extends beyond the edit document and wherein the dock includes a retraction slot, the retraction slot retracting at least a portion of the editing icons, the retracted portion not visible in the rendering area such that an area occupied by the editing icons is available for rendering the edit document.

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Claim 7:
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the edit document is responsive to a rendering device for visual perception by a user.