Visual characteristics of user interface elements in a unified interest layer

Abstract

A user-activatable dashboard (also referred to as a unified interest layer) contains any number of user interface elements, referred to herein as “widgets,” for quick access by a user. In response to a command from a user, the dashboard is invoked and the widgets are shown on the screen. The user can activate the dashboard at any time, causing the dashboard to temporarily replace the existing user interface display on the user's screen. Once the dashboard has been activated, the user can interact with any or all of the widgets, and can configure the dashboard by adding, deleting, moving, or configuring individual widgets as desired. When the user wishes to return to the normal user interface he or she was working with, the user issues a command causing the dashboard to be dismissed. Once the dashboard has been dismissed, the previous user interface state is restored, allowing the user to resume normal interactions with the operating system.

1 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a rollover close control for a user interface element on a display screen of a computer system, the user interface element comprising an active region, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying the user interface element; 
 responsive to an onscreen cursor being placed over the active region for at least a predetermined period of time, displaying a close control; 
 responsive to an onscreen cursor being moved off the active region for at least a predetermined period of time, removing the close control; and 
 responsive to the close control being activated, dismissing the user interface element. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the user interface element comprises displaying the user interface element in a unified interest layer. 
   
   
       3 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a preferences control for a first user interface element on a display screen of a computer system, the user interface element comprising an active region, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying the user interface element; 
 responsive to an onscreen cursor being placed over the active region for at least a predetermined period of time, displaying a preferences control; 
 responsive to an onscreen cursor being moved off the active region for at least a predetermined period of time, removing the preferences control; 
 responsive to the preferences control being activated, displaying at least one user interface element for specifying preferences. 
   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying the first user interface element comprises displaying the first user interface element in a unified interest layer. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein displaying at least one user interface element for specifying preferences comprises:
 displaying an animation simulating the first user interface element turning over; and   displaying the at least one user interface element for specifying preferences on the reverse side of the first user interface element.   
   
   
       6 . A computer-implemented method for displaying an animation to represent placement of a user interface element at a location on a display screen of a computer system, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 receiving user input moving a user interface element to a location on a screen; 
 receiving user input dropping the user interface element at the location; 
 displaying an animation resembling a ripple effect; and 
 displaying the user interface element at the location. 
   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the user input moving a user interface element to a location on a screen comprises a drag operation; and   the user input dropping the user interface element at the location comprises a drop operation.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein:
 receiving the user input moving a user interface element to a location on a screen comprises receiving a cursor movement while a button is held down; and   receiving the user input dropping the user interface element at the location comprises detecting that the button has been released.   
   
   
       9 . A computer-implemented method for dismissing a user interface element from a display screen of a computer system, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying the user interface element on a display screen; 
 receiving user input, via an on-screen control, indicating that the user interface element should be dismissed; 
 displaying an animation representing the user interface element being sucked into the on-screen control; and 
 removing the user interface element from the display screen. 
   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein displaying the user interface element comprises displaying the first user interface element in a unified interest layer, and wherein removing the user interface element comprises removing the user interface element from the unified interest layer. 
   
   
       11 . A computer-implemented method for dismissing a user interface element from a display screen of a computer system, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying the user interface element on a display screen; 
 receiving user input, via an on-screen control, indicating that the user interface element should be dismissed; 
 displaying an animation representing the user interface element being sucked into a configuration bar; and 
 removing the user interface element from the display screen. 
   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein displaying the user interface element comprises displaying the first user interface element in a unified interest layer, and wherein removing the user interface element comprises removing the user interface element from the unified interest layer. 
   
   
       13 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a user interface element representing a calculator on a display screen of a computer system, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying a calculator element, comprising a numeric display, a plurality of numeric keys, and a plurality of operator keys; 
 responsive to user input representing a click action within the calculator element, changing a visual characteristic of the numeric display to a first state to indicate that the calculator is active; and 
 responsive to user input representing a click action outside the calculator element, changing the visual characteristic of the numeric display to a second state to indicate that the calculator is not active. 
   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein changing a visual characteristic of the numeric display to a first state comprised lighting up the numeric display. 
   
   
       15 . A computer-implemented method for displaying a user interface element representing a calculator on a display screen of a computer system, the method comprising:
 using the computer system to perform the steps of:
 displaying a calculator element, comprising a numeric display, a plurality of numeric keys, and a plurality of operator keys; 
 responsive to user input representing a click action within a first operator key, highlighting the first operator key; and 
 responsive to user input representing a click action within a key other than the first operator key, restoring the first operator key to a non-highlighted state.