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US7954064B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Multiple dashboards

Assignee: Apple Inc
•
Filing: 2006-02-01
•
Granted: 2011-05-31
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Expires: 2026-02-01
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Abstract

Abstract Systems, methods, computer-readable mediums, user interfaces and other implementations are disclosed for organizing, managing and presenting widgets in display areas associated with multiple dashboard environments. In some implementations, a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets. A second display area associated with a second dashboard environment is configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets.

Inventors

  • 👤 Scott Forstall
  • 👤 Imran A. Chaudhri
  • 👤 John O. Louch
  • 👤 Eric Steven Peyton

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 23:45
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F3/00; G06F3/01; G06F3/048; G06F3/0481; G06F3/0482; G06F3/04817; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/44; G06F9/451; G06F2203/00; G06F2203/048; G06F2203/04803

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim 114 words
A method, comprising: providing a first dashboard layer including one or more first widgets; providing a second dashboard layer including one or more second widgets, the second dashboard layer being distinct from the first dashboard layer, the first and second dashboard layers each being selectably displayed as an overlay to a desktop user interface; and providing a transition for use when transitioning between the first dashboard layer and the second dashboard layer, wherein the desktop user interface is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop user interface cannot be interacted with while the first or second dashboard layer is displayed, and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop user interface is inactivated.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 114 words
A method, comprising: providing a first dashboard layer including one or more first widgets; providing a second dashboard layer including one or more second widgets, the second dashboard layer being distinct from the first dashboard layer, the first and second dashboard layers each being selectably displayed as an overlay to a desktop user interface; and providing a transition for use when transitioning between the first dashboard layer and the second dashboard layer, wherein the desktop user interface is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop user interface cannot be interacted with while the first or second dashboard layer is displayed, and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop user interface is inactivated.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 121 words
A system comprising: one or more processors configured to perform operations for generating a user interface, the user interface comprising: a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets; and a second display area associated with a second dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets where the first display area and the second display area are distinct layers selectably and independently displayed over a desktop user interface, where display of either the first display area or the second display area includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 121 words
A system comprising: one or more processors configured to perform operations for generating a user interface, the user interface comprising: a first display area associated with a first dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a first set of widgets; and a second display area associated with a second dashboard environment and configured for displaying at least one widget from a second set of widgets where the first display area and the second display area are distinct layers selectably and independently displayed over a desktop user interface, where display of either the first display area or the second display area includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one widget is in the first and second sets of widgets.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system of claim 2 , further comprising: a transition engine configured for transitioning from the first display area to the second display area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The system of claim 4 , wherein the transition occurs without closing or hiding the first display area.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 82 words
A method comprising: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from a number of dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 82 words
A method comprising: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from a number of dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein selecting a dashboard environment includes: evaluating the widget to determine a theme associated with the widget; selecting a dashboard environment based on the theme; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 22 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the selecting includes receiving a user selection of the dashboard environment for installing the widget.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 6 , wherein the selecting includes inferring the dashboard environment to install the widget on.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 93 words
A system, comprising: a processor operable to interact with a user interface to provide: a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the user interface; and a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment, where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop is inactivated.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 93 words
A system, comprising: a processor operable to interact with a user interface to provide: a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the user interface; and a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment, where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed and wherein a visual effect indicates that the desktop is inactivated.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system of claim 10 , wherein the second dashboard environment is configured to be invoked from a display area associated with the first dashboard environment.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 82 words
A method comprising: defining a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from a desktop user interface; and defining a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment, where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop user interface, where display of either the first dashboard environment or the second dashboard environment includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 82 words
A method comprising: defining a first dashboard environment configured to be invoked from a desktop user interface; and defining a second dashboard environment configured to be invoked from the first dashboard environment, where each dashboard environment includes a layer relative to a desktop and being separately displayable over the desktop user interface, where display of either the first dashboard environment or the second dashboard environment includes presenting a visual effect to indicate that visible portions of the desktop user interface are inactive.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 40 words
The method of claim 12 , further comprising managing a transition between a first display area associated with the first dashboard environment and a second display area associated with the second dashboard environment, including selecting a transition between the two.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 105 words
A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 105 words
A computer program tangibly embodied on a volatile or non-volatile medium including instructions, which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 41 words
The computer program of claim 14 , wherein selecting a dashboard environment includes: evaluating the widget to determine a theme associated with the widget; selecting a dashboard environment based on the theme; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 22 words
The computer program of claim 14 , wherein determining includes receiving a user selection of the dashboard environment for installing the widget.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 19 words
The computer program of claim 14 , wherein determining includes inferring the dashboard environment to install the widget on.
Claim 24
Independent Claim 120 words
A system for displaying widgets in multiple dashboard environments, comprising: a processor; a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed being separately displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.
Claim 25
Independent Claim 120 words
A system for displaying widgets in multiple dashboard environments, comprising: a processor; a computer-readable medium coupled to the processor and having instructions contained thereon, which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to perform the operations of: identifying a widget for installation in a dashboard environment; selecting the dashboard environment from at least two dashboard environments, each dashboard environment having a layer relative to a desktop and each configured to be separately or concurrently displayed being separately displayed over the desktop in response to a selection and where the desktop is inactivated such that visible elements on the desktop cannot be interacted with when the selected dashboard environment is displayed; and installing the widget in the selected dashboard environment.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2014-05-30 2014-11-29 2015-05-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2018-05-30 2018-11-29 2019-05-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2022-05-30 2022-11-29 2023-05-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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