Interacting with nonconforming applications in a windowing environment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10198167-B2
Application number	US-201514798372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2015
Priority date	Jul 13, 2015
Publication date	Feb 5, 2019
Grant date	Feb 5, 2019

Abstract

A computer-implemented technique is described herein for efficiently and reliably interacting with a nonconforming application component in a windowing environment. The nonconforming application component corresponds to a type of application (such as, but not limited to, an immersive-type full-screen application) that was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment, or was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment of a certain type. In some implementations, the computer-implemented technique generates a composite window by: creating a system-owned frame; receiving an application-owned window; and creating the composite window by combining the frame and the application-owned window. The technique can thereafter control the composite window by performing operations on the composite window via its system-owned frame.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. One or more computing devices comprising:
one or more processing devices; and
one or more storage resources storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to implement an operating system configured to:
provide a windowing environment for presentation of content by a plurality of applications;
receive an application window from a nonconforming application designed for a processing environment other than the windowing environment provided by the operating system, the application window comprising one or more application-owned control features controlled by the nonconforming application;
generate a frame representing an operating system resource that is controlled by the operating system of the one or more computing devices, the frame comprising one or more operating system-owned control features;
create a composite window by combining the frame and the application window;
present the composite window on a graphical user interface presentation;
receive input events;
for first input events that are directed to an individual application-owned control feature, route corresponding first input information to the nonconforming application; and
for second input events that are directed to an individual system-owned control feature, process corresponding second input information using the operating system without routing the second input events to the nonconforming application.

2. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the nonconforming application corresponds to an immersive-type full-screen application that was originally designed to present application content that fills an entire space defined by the graphical user interface presentation.

3. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
generate placement information defining a placement of the composite window within the graphical user interface presentation, the placement information being generated based on at least:
persistence information that defines a last placement of the composite window in the graphical user interface presentation, and
at least one application preference defined by the nonconforming application; and

present the composite window on the graphical user interface presentation in accordance with the placement information.

4. The one or more computing devices of claim 3 , wherein said at least one application preference defined by the nonconforming application specifies one or more of:
a maximum size of the application window; and/or
a minimum size of the application window; and/or;
one or more discrete permitted sizes of the application window; and/or
one or more permitted presentation modes of the application window.

5. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
receive specification information from the nonconforming application that specifies a domain within the composite window that is to be associated with a particular system-owned feature; and
register the particular system-owned feature in response to the specification information.

6. The one or more computing devices of claim 5 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
define a default system-owned feature in an instance when the nonconforming application fails to provide the specification information.

7. The one or more computing devices of claim 5 , wherein the particular system-owned feature provides a mechanism by which a user can manipulate the composite window.

8. The one or more computing devices of claim 5 ,
wherein the particular system-owned feature provides a security-related mechanism, and
wherein interaction by a user with the security-related mechanism does not entail interaction with the nonconforming application.

9. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
perform respective hit-tests on the input events to identify the first input events as being directed to the individual application-owned control feature and the second input events as being directed to the individual system-owned control feature.

10. The one or more computing devices of claim 9 , wherein the individual system-owned control feature is defined by specification information provided by the nonconforming application.

11. The one or more computing devices of claim 9 , wherein the individual system-owned control feature corresponds to a drag-capable region, and wherein the operating system is configured to:
move the composite window in response to interaction by a user with the drag-capable region.

12. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the nonconforming application is an immersive full-screen application.

13. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the nonconforming application is configured to perform an application-specific function in response to the first input events.

14. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
receive, via an individual second input event, a frame-manipulation request to manipulate the composite window from a current placement to a new placement;
determine whether the frame-manipulation request is allowed; and
when the frame-manipulation request is allowed, provide the composite window at the new placement.

15. The one or more computing devices of claim 14 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
determine whether the frame-manipulation request is allowed based at least on whether at least one application preference specified by the nonconforming application is satisfied.

16. The one or more computing devices of claim 1 , wherein the operating system is configured to:
receive a suspend instruction that is directed to the frame;
suspend the nonconforming application in response to the suspend instruction, while maintaining the frame of the composite window;
receive a resume instruction;
resume the nonconforming application that has been suspended in response to the resume instruction;
create a resumed application window;
create a new composite window which provides the resumed application window within the frame; and
display the new composite window.

17. A method performed by one or more computing devices, the method comprising:
receiving an event which triggers presentation of a composite window;
generating the composite window, the composite window including:
a frame, provided by and controlled by an operating system of the one or more computing devices, the frame comprising one or more system-owned control features, and
an application window, provided by and controlled by a nonconforming application component, the application window comprising one or more application-owned control features;

displaying the composite window in a graphical user interface presentation provided by one or more presentation devices; and
controlling interaction with the composite window via operations performed on the composite window, the controlling comprising:
hit testing received inputs to determine whether the received inputs are directed to the one or more system-owned control features of the frame or the one or more application-owned control features of the application window;
for first input events that are directed to an individual application-owned control feature, directing corresponding first input information to the nonconforming application component; and
for second input events that are directed to an individual system-owned c

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Wei Yaou
• Swan Christopher E
• Snitkovskiy Alex
• Wong Tsz Yan
• Yamamoto Hirofumi
• Tricanowicz Steven J
• Beck Brian D
• Vranjes Miron

Classifications

• G06F3/0481

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F2203/04803

  Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/04847 Primary

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• G06F9/4443

  Physics · mapped topic