Method and apparatus for displaying and accessing control and status information in a computer system

Claim 2

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a processor; a data display screen coupled to the processor; a cursor control device coupled to said processor for positioning a cursor on said data display screen; a window generation and control logic coupled to the processor and data display screen to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window region having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and an indicia generation logic coupled to the data display screen to execute at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is sensitive to user input, and further wherein the window generation and control logic and the indicia generation logic use message-based communication to exchange information to coordinate activities of the indicia generation logic to enable interactive display activity.

Claim 3

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

Claim 4

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein said at least one display area is variably sized.

Claim 5

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein size of the first window region is variable.

Claim 6

The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that none of the plurality of display areas is visible.

Claim 7

The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that all of the plurality of display areas are visible.

Claim 8

The display system defined in claim 4 wherein the first window region is sized such that a portion of the plurality of display areas is visible.

Claim 9

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of the display areas only displays information.

Claim 10

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of the display areas acts to provide access to control information when selected.

Claim 11

The display system defined in claim 9 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas displays an additional display element.

Claim 12

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

Claim 13

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

Claim 14

The display system defined in claim 1 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

Claim 15

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a processor; a data display screen coupled to the processor; a cursor control device coupled to said processor for positioning a cursor on said data display screen; window generation and control logic coupled to the processor and data display screen to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window-region having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and at least one indicia graphics generation logic coupled to the processor and the window generation and control logic, wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic generates user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area by executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules; wherein the window generation and control logic determines when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user and signals said at least one indicia graphics generation logic in response to user selection, and further wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic initiates a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

Claim 16

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a processor; a data display screen coupled to the processor; a cursor control device coupled to said processor for positioning a cursor on said data display screen; window generation and control logic coupled to the processor and data display screen to create an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein the window generation and control logic generates and displays a first window-region having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and at least one indicia graphics generation logic coupled to the processor and the window generation and control logic, wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic generates user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area by executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules; wherein the window generation and control logic determines when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user and signals said at least one indicia graphics generation logic in response to user selection, and further wherein said at least one indicia graphics generation logic initiates a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

Claim 17

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region is always visible to the user.

Claim 18

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

Claim 19

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein said at least one display area is variably sized.

Claim 20

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

Claim 21

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

Claim 22

The display system defined in claim 14 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

Claim 25

The method defined in claim 21 wherein one of said plurality of indicia comprises status information.

Claim 26

The method defined in claim 21 wherein one of said plurality of indicia comprises control information.

Claim 27

The method defined in claim 21 further comprising: the first programming module requesting a set of features supported by said programming module, wherein said requesting comprises sending a first message to said programming module; and said programming module returning a second message indicative of features supported by said programming module, such that said first programming module interacts with said programming module in response to user interaction with the first programming module based on indicated features as set forth by said programming module.

Claim 30

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a means for positioning a cursor on a data display screen; a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and a means for executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is-sensitive to user input, wherein an interactive display activity is enabled.

Claim 31

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a means for positioning a cursor on a data display screen; a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; and a means for executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules to generate information for display in one of the plurality of display areas in the first window region, wherein at least one of the plurality of display areas and its associated programming module is-sensitive to user input, wherein an interactive display activity is enabled.

Claim 32

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

Claim 33

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas is variably sized.

Claim 34

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein size of the first window region is variable.

Claim 35

The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window region is sized such that none of the plurality of display areas is visible.

Claim 36

The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window regions is sized such that all of the plurality of display areas are visible.

Claim 37

The display system defined in claim 29 wherein the first window regions is sized such that a portion of the plurality of display areas is visible.

Claim 38

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas only displays information.

Claim 39

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein said at least one of the plurality of display areas acts to provide access to control information when selected.

Claim 40

The display system defined in claim 34 wherein said at least one of the data areas display an additional display element.

Claim 41

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

Claim 42

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

Claim 43

The display system defined in claim 26 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all application layers.

Claim 44

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a means for positioning a cursor on said data display screen; a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; a means for generating user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area; a means for determining when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user; and a means for initiating a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

Claim 45

An interactive computer-controlled display system comprising: a means for positioning a cursor on said data display screen; a means for creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions, wherein a first window region is displayed having a plurality of display areas on said data display screen, wherein the first window region is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, and wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; a means for generating user sensitive graphics for display in at least one data display area; a means for determining when said at least one data display area has been selected by the user; and a means for initiating a response from said at least one of the plurality of programming modules.

Claim 46

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region is always visible to the user.

Claim 47

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region comprises a control strip.

Claim 48

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein said at least one data display area is variably sized.

Claim 49

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein each of the plurality of display areas is individually and variably sized.

Claim 50

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region always appears in front of application windows.

Claim 51

The display system defined in claim 39 wherein the first window region is implemented in a private window layer that appears in front of windows for all applications layers.

Claim 52

A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for generating control information comprising: creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions; generating a first window sized to accommodate a plurality of display areas for indicia resulting from executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules, wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, and wherein the first window is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; displaying the indicia in each of the plurality of display areas by executing one of a plurality of individual programming modules corresponding to each indicia; and selecting one of the indicia, wherein the selecting comprises a first programming module determining which of the plurality of display areas is selected and sending a message to a programming module of the plurality of individual programming modules responsible for generating a display of a selected indicia, and the programming module performing a function in response to a selection.

Claim 53

A computer readable medium containing executable computer program instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform a method for generating control information comprising: creating an operating environment for a plurality of individual programming modules associated with different application programs that provide status and/or control functions; generating a first window sized to accommodate a plurality of display areas for indicia resulting from executing at least one of the plurality of individual programming modules, wherein each of the plurality of display areas is associated with one of the plurality of individual programming modules, and wherein the first window is independently displayed and independently active of any application program, the first window region and the plurality of independent display areas implemented in a window layer that appears on top of application programming windows that may be generated; displaying the indicia in each of the plurality of display areas by executing one of a plurality of individual programming modules corresponding to each indicia; and selecting one of the indicia, wherein the selecting comprises a first programming module determining which of the plurality of display areas is selected and sending a message to a programming module of the plurality of individual programming modules responsible for generating a display of a selected indicia, and the programming module performing a function in response to a selection.

Claim 54

The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 wherein ones of the indicia comprises status information.

Claim 55

The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 wherein one of the indicia comprises control information.

Claim 56

The computer readable medium as set forth in claim 46 further comprising: the first programming module requesting a set of features supported by said programming module, wherein requesting comprises sending a first message to said programming module; and said programming module returning a second message indicative of features supported by said programming module, such that said first programming module interacts with said programming module in response to user interaction with the first programming module based on indicated features as set forth by said programming module.