EP0697691A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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A virtual desktop system and method
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1995-07-31
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2015-07-31
Abstract
Abstract A novel virtual desktop system organizes open applications of a computer into groups of programs that perform common functions or tasks. The groups of programs are called Desktops and the virtual desktop system provides a Desktop Manager for assigning ranges of display screen coordinates to these Desktops, and then assigning open applications to them. Specifically, the Desktop Manager is a system software program that contains a plurality of Desktop groups and that provides a user interface for managing the display of selected open applications assigned to the Desktops. These selected open applications are displayed in application windows on a display screen of the computer when switching between Desktops in the virtual desktop system.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Randall Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 07:50
CPC Classifications
G; G09; G09G; G09G5/00; G09G5/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
A method for organizing open applications executing on a computer for display in application windows of a display screen having a predetermined coordinate range representing a current view, said method comprising the steps of: assigning a range of display screen coordinates to each of a plurality of desktop display areas; positioning collections of said open applications into each of said desktop display areas for assignment therein, said collections of open applications being related by function; and setting said display screen coordinates of a selected desktop display area to the predetermined coordinate range of the current view to display said collection of open applications associated with said selected desktop display area in said application windows of said screen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing lists of said collections of open applications in data structures associated with said desktop display areas.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
43 words
The method as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2, wherein the step of assigning further comprises assigning a range of display screen coordinates to each of said desktop display areas equal to twice the predetermined coordinate range of the current view.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
32 words
The method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the step of setting comprises the step of moving each of said application windows to the predetermined coordinate range of the current view.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
37 words
The method as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising the step of storing a list of said desktop display areas and their assigned display screen coordinates in a data structure associated with a desktop manager program.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
A virtual desktop system for organizing open applications executing on a computer for display on a display screen having a predetermined coordinate range representing a current view, said virtual desktop system comprising: a plurality of application windows of the screen, said application windows configured for displaying on the screen said open applications executing on said computer; a plurality of desktop programs stored in a memory of said computer, each desktop program comprising a collection of said open applications related by function; and means for switching between said plurality of desktop programs stored in said memory so as to display a selected desktop program and associated selected collection of open applications in said application windows of said screen.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as claimed in claim 6 wherein said switching means comprises a desktop manager for assigning a range of display screen coordinates to each of said desktop programs.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said desktop manager is configured to further assign window positions to each of said selected open applications of said desktop programs.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
32 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8, wherein said switching means further comprises a window manager for managing said application windows used to display said selected open applications.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
38 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein said switching means further comprises means for setting said display screen coordinates of said selected desktop program to the predetermined coordinate range of the current view.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
33 words
The system as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10, wherein said setting means comprises means for moving each of said application windows to the predetermined coordinate range of the current view.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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