User interface and method for maximizing the information presented on a screen

Abstract

A system provides a user interface for maximizing an amount of information presented on a computer generated display. The system includes a user interface management system (UIMS) that works with an operating system that manages the computer resources including a display screen and a user input device for tracking position. The UIMS is responsive to the user input device to effect changes in the computer generated display. The UIMS communicates with an application program using the user interface. The user interface has at least a first layer for displaying a primary dynamic image and a second layer for displaying a secondary dynamic image. The second layer has a plurality of display modes including a first mode corresponding to at least a portion of the second layer assuming an invisible state in the computer generated display. Selection of the display modes is effected by signals received from the user input device. Both the first and second layers are updated regardless of the mode of the second layer. The user interface is particularly applicable to air traffic control where the first layer is used for displaying a map plotting aircraft locations and the second layer is used for displaying various data concerning the aircraft, both being updated continuously.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A graphical user interface, comprising: 
 a first display layer for presenting a primary dynamic image;    a display position indicator responsive to a user input device; and    a second display layer for presenting a secondary dynamic image related to the primary dynamic image and positionable relative thereto, the second display layer having visible or invisible modes and assuming a visible mode in dependence upon a predetermined user selection and the primary and secondary dynamic images being updated regardless of position or mode of the second display layer.    
     
     
         2 . A graphic user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the mode of the second display layer is affected when the display position indicator is coincident therewith.  
     
     
         3 . A graphic user interface as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the user selection is one of a normally invisible mode, the timed mode, a locked mode or the timed-icon mode wherein for the normally visible mode the second display layer is normally invisible, for the timed mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined time, then becomes invisible, for the locked mode, second display layer is locked in a visible mode and for the time-icon mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined time then changes to an icon.  
     
     
         4 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the user selection method is by button depression using the user input device.  
     
     
         5 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 4  wherein the buttons are labeled normal, timed, locked and timed-icon.  
     
     
         6 . A system for providing a user interface for maximizing an amount of information presented on a computer generated display, said system comprising: 
 a user interface management system for receiving messages, from an operating system that manages the computer resources including a display screen and a user input device for tracking position, and in particular, messages in response to the user input device and for sending messages to the operating system effecting changes in the computer generated display and for receiving messages from and sending messages to an application program using the user interface;    the user interface having at least a first layer for displaying a primary dynamic image and a second layer for displaying a secondary dynamic image, the second layer having a plurality of display modes including a first mode corresponding to at least a portion of the second layer assuming an invisible state in the computer generated display, selection of the display modes being in dependence upon signals received from the user input device.    
     
     
         7 . A system as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the mode of the second display layer is affected when the display position indicator is coincident therewith.  
     
     
         8 . A system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein the user selection is one of a normally invisible mode, the timed mode, a locked mode or the timed-icon mode wherein for the normally visible mode the second display layer is normally invisible, for the timed mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined time, then becomes invisible, for the locked mode, second display layer is locked in a visible mode and for the time-icon mode the second display layer is visible for a predetermined time then changes to an icon.  
     
     
         9 . A system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the user selection method is by button depression using the user input device.  
     
     
         10 . A system as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein the buttons are labeled normal, timed, locked and timed-icon.  
     
     
         11 . A graphical user interface for air traffic control comprising: 
 a first display layer for presenting an aircraft tracking display;    a second display layer for presenting auxiliary data related to the first display layer;    a display position indicator responsive to the user interface device; and    the second display layer having a plurality of display modes including a mode in which a portion of the second display layer is in an invisible state.    
     
     
         12 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of display modes includes a thermally invisible mode in which the portion of the second display layer is in an invisible state until the display position indicator is coincident with the second display layer.  
     
     
         13 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality display modes includes a timed mode in which the portion of the second display layer is in an invisible state until the display position indicator is coincident with the second display layer which then remains in the invisible state for a predetermined time after the display position indicator is no longer coincident therewith, then the portion of the second display layer returns to an invisible state.  
     
     
         14 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of display modes includes a locked mode in which the second display layer is locked in an invisible state.  
     
     
         15 . A graphical user interface as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of display modes includes a timed icon mode in which the second display layer is normally displayed as a visible icon and is in a visible state when the position indicator is coincident with the icon, then returns to an invisible state after a predetermined time.  
     
     
         16 . A graphical display system for an application program, comprising: 
 a user interface manager for storing application oriented objects associated with said application program, hierarchical display lists of said objects, and raster images of said objects, said objects including representations each defined by an overall display layer and position, individually layered and positioned object components, and symbolic references to graphical constructs for each said component, a plurality of logical states defined by keys linked to representation changes and a plurality of behaviors defined by actions linked to symbolic object events;    a renderer module responsive to a presentation manager for maintaining said raster images according to the contents of said display lists and copying one or more of said raster images to hardware video memory for display on a display device; and    a presentation manager responsive to a motion event or user input for invoking said user interface module and said renderer.    
     
     
         17 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 16 , said presentation manager being operable to insert, modify, and delete graphical data in said display lists to reflect the representation properties of said application-oriented objects; maintain the hierarchical ordering of said display lists to reflect layering properties of said application-oriented objects; maintain a mapping from all graphical data in said display lists to application-oriented objects with which data is associated; translate operating system input events to symbolic object events on an object-by-object basis; and invoke user interface manager actions as required to implement predetermined behaviors of said objects.  
     
     
         18 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 16 , said display lists containing graphical data describing the appearance of the display and including graphical data consisting of vector-based graphical primitives and symbolic graphical attributes including color, drawing style, and/or text characteristics, a hierarchical structure in which any display list may contain other display lists and graphical data and in which the display lists, their contained display lists, and graphical data are sorted from a lowest underlying layer to highest overlying layer relative to a containing display list.  
     
     
         19 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 16 , said renderer being operable to traverse the display list hierarchy in either ascending or descending sort order and perform vector-by-vector conversion of graphical primitives to raster images constrained by an image extent or distance from a specific image pixel; determine a set of rendered pixels for each primitive based on primitive vectors and a translation of the symbolic graphic attributes for drawing styles and/or text characteristics; determine a value to be applied against a raster image for each rendered pixel based on a translation of the symbolic graphic attributes for color; determine a logical function for each rendered pixel specifying the manner in which a pixel value is to be applied against a raster image based on a translation of symbolic attributes for color, drawing styles, and/or text characteristics such that for transparent pixels, said logical function leaving the corresponding pixel in the raster image unchanged; for opaque pixels, said logical function replacing the corresponding pixel in the raster image and other logical functions provide different visual effects; updating one or more raster images from the rendered pixel set, values, and functions determined from a primitive; and copying some or all of one or more raster images to the hardware video memory.  
     
     
         20 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 16 , said renderer being operable to either map said raster images directly to video memory to graphics display hardware or block copy said raster images directly to the video memory, said raster images being comprising an array of pixel values arranged exactly as required for video display, said renderer being further operable to render overlying objects after rendering underlying objects so that pixels rendered for the overlying objects modify or replace those of underlying objects.  
     
     
         21 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 17 , said display lists containing graphical data describing the appearance of the display and including graphical data consisting of vector-based graphical primitives and symbolic graphical attributes including color, drawing style, and/or text characteristics, a hierarchical structure in which any display list may contain other display lists and graphical data and in which the display lists, their contained display lists, and graphical data are sorted from a lowest underlying layer to highest overlying layer relative to a containing display list.  
     
     
         22 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 21 , said renderer being operable to traverse the display list hierarchy in either ascending or descending sort order and perform vector-by-vector conversion of graphical primitives to raster images constrained by an image extent or distance from a specific image pixel; determine a set of rendered pixels for each primitive based on primitive vectors and a translation of the symbolic graphic attributes for drawing styles and/or text characteristics; determine a value to be applied against a raster image for each rendered pixel based on a translation of the symbolic graphic attributes for color; determine a logical function for each rendered pixel specifying the manner in which a pixel value is to be applied against a raster image based on a translation of symbolic attributes for color, drawing styles, and/or text characteristics such that for transparent pixels, said logical function leaving the corresponding pixel in the raster image unchanged; for opaque pixels, said logical function replacing the corresponding pixel in the raster image and other logical functions provide different visual effects; updating one or more raster images from the rendered pixel set, values, and functions determined from a primitive; and copying some or all of one or more raster images to the hardware video memory.  
     
     
         23 . A graphical display system as defined in  claim 22 , said renderer being operable to either map said raster images directly to video memory to graphics display hardware or block copy said raster images directly to the video memory, said raster images being comprising an array of pixel values arranged exactly as required for video display, said renderer being further operable to render overlying objects after rendering underlying objects so that pixels rendered for the overlying objects modify or replace those of underlying objects.  
     
     
         24 . A method of managing a graphical user interface associated with an application program operable on a computing device having a visual display device, a user input device for controlling a pointer on said display device, said application having a plurality of windows including a primary background window and one or more secondary windows overlying said background window, each said secondary window being configurable in normal, locked, timed and timed icon modes and in invisible, opaque, and iconified states, comprising the steps of: 
 a) storing predetermined data with respect to each said window;    b) storing hierarchical display lists of said windows;    c) storing raster images of said windows;    d) storing the identity of an window underlying said pointer as a current window;    e) responding to movement of said pointer over said windows by: 
 i. comparing the identity of the window immediately underlying said pointer against the identity of a previous window;  
 ii. determining the mode of the previous window and 
 a. placing said previous window in an invisible state when said previous window is in a normal mode; and  
 b. initiating an invisible time out when said previous window is in a timed or timed icon mode;  
 
 iii. removing an invisible state from said current window;  
 iv. storing the identity of said current window as said previous window; and  
 v. removing any pending time outs respecting said current window.  
   
     
     
         25 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , said step of storing predetermined data with respect to each said window including storing representations each defined by an overall display layer and position, individually layered and positioned object components, and symbolic references to graphical constructs for each said component, and the mode and state of said windows.  
     
     
         26 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , said step of initiating an invisible time out further including “setting” said previous window in an said invisible when a time out event occurs when said previous window was in a timed mode and setting said previous window in an said iconized state when a time out event occurs when said previous window was in a timed icon mode.  
     
     
         27 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein in said normal mode the contents of the window are exposed when said pointer moves into the area of said window, said window contents being exposed either by displaying the window displayed on an opaque background to enhances legibility of the window contents, or by displaying said window on a transparent background to enable the contents of background windows to be visible underneath the invisible window.  
     
     
         28 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein, in said “timed” mode, the contents of the window are exposed a predetermined period of time when said pointer moves into the area of said window, said window contents being exposed either by displaying the window displayed on an opaque background to enhances legibility of the window contents, or by displaying said window on a transparent background to enable the contents of background windows to be visible underneath the invisible window, and at the end of said predetermined period of time, returning the window to said invisible state.  
     
     
         29 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , wherein, in said “timed icon” mode, the contents of the window are exposed a predetermined period of time when said pointer moves into the area of said window, said window contents being exposed either by displaying the window displayed on an opaque background to enhances legibility of the window contents, or by displaying said window on a transparent background to enable the contents of background windows to be visible underneath the invisible window, and at the end of said predetermined period of time, reducing the window to said icon state.  
     
     
         30 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , further including the step of updating windows disposed beneath transparent windows including the steps of: 
 a) setting a current display list to a top level display list;    b) for each item in said display list: 
 i. if said item is not an embedded display list, determining the rendered pixel set, pixel values and logical functions associated with said item, and updating raster images from the rendered pixels associated with said item;  
 ii. if said item is an embedded display list, repeating steps a) and b) with respect to said embedded display list; and  
   c) when all items in all display lists have been processed, copying updated images to video memory.    
     
     
         31 . A method as defined in  claim 24 , further including the step of implementing the behavior of objects which are invisible, in response to movement of a tracking device, 
 a) determining the pixel coordinates of said tracking device from a tracking event;    b) determining which primitives in the display lists, searched from uppermost to lowermost layers, contain said pixel coordinates in their rendered pixel set;    c) if said lists contain at least one primitive, for each such primitive: 
 i. accessing the application-oriented object associated with said at least one primitive;  
 ii. invoking the actions linked to the object event according to a predetermined behavior definition;  
 iii. if said event allows event propagation, propagating said event to the next underlying object;  
   d) If said event is to be propagated or if said event cannot be mapped to a symbolic object event, deleting the primitive from the list.    
     
     
         32 . A computer readable memory or article of manufacture for storing the instructions or statements for use in the execution of the method of  claim 24.