Application launchpad

Abstract

A software program provides a unified, ever-present user interface which manages a user's interaction with other software programs. The software program includes an executable portion and a dynamic linked library (DLL). The software program uses hooking and subclassing in a Windows environment to gain control over when and where display of the user interface occurs.

1 . A software program stored on a computer-readable medium, including computer instructions which, when executed by a computer having a display, cause the computer to execute a sequence of steps, the sequence of steps comprising: 
 identifying a user interface element of a process having a focus, the process executing on the computer and the user interface element being displayed on the display;    in response to identifying the user interface element of the process having the focus, visually attaching to the user interface element of the process having the focus a user interface element of the software program; and    moving and resizing, on the display, the user interface element of the software program together with the user interface element of the process having the focus, so the user interface element of the software program and the user interface element of the process having the focus together give a visual impression on the display of one user interface.    
     
     
         2 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 displaying a control for a user to enter context information used by one or more context managed application programs.    
     
     
         3 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 displaying a control which when activated displays context information.    
     
     
         4 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing applications which can be launched.    
     
     
         5 . The software program of  claim 4 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 defining a set of applications assigned to the scrollable set of tabs.    
     
     
         6 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 displaying a control which when activated, invokes an instantiation of a web browser pointed to a predetermined web site.    
     
     
         7 . The software program of  claim 6 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 defining the predetermined web site.    
     
     
         8 . The software program of  claim 6 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 defining a visual image for the control which invokes the web browser including a corporate logo.    
     
     
         9 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the sequence of steps further comprises: 
 defining controls on the user interface element dependent on an identified user.    
     
     
         10 . The software program of  claim 9 , wherein the step of defining controls further comprises: 
 displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing applications which the identified user has permission to launch.    
     
     
         11 . The software program of  claim 9 , wherein the step of defining controls further comprises: 
 displaying a set of controls defined for the identified user at a particular workstation.    
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling a computer having a display, the method comprising computer-implemented steps of: 
 identifying a user interface element of a process having a focus, the process executing on the computer and the user interface element being displayed on the display;    in response to identifying the user interface element of the process having the focus, visually attaching to the user interface element of the process having the focus a user interface element of a software program; and    moving and resizing, on the display, the user interface element of the software program together with the user interface element of the process having the focus, so the user interface element of the software program and the user interface element of the process having the focus together give a visual impression on the display of one user interface.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 displaying a control for a user to enter context information used by one or more context managed application programs.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 displaying a control which when activated displays context information.    
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing applications which can be launched.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising: 
 defining a set of applications assigned to the scrollable set of tabs.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 displaying a control which when activated, invokes an instantiation of a web browser pointed to a predetermined web site.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 defining the predetermined web site.    
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 defining a visual image for the control which invokes the web browser including a corporate logo.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising: 
 defining controls on the user interface element dependent on an identified user.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of defining controls further comprises: 
 displaying a scrollable set of tabs representing applications which the identified user has permission to launch.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the step of defining controls further comprises: 
 displaying a set of controls defined for the identified user at a particular workstation.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the computer-implemented steps are performed by the software program.  
     
     
         24 . The software program of  claim 1 , wherein the process having the focus is a first process, and wherein the sequence of steps further comprises steps of: 
 detecting that the focus has switched from the first process to a second process; and    in response to the step of detecting, detaching the user interface element of the software program from the first process and attaching the user interface element of the software program to a user interface element of the second process.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the process having the focus is a first process, and wherein the method further comprises computer-implemented steps of: 
 detecting that the focus has switched from the first process to a second process; and    in response to the step of detecting, detaching the user interface element of the software program from the first process and attaching the user interface element of the software program to a user interface element of the second process.