Peek Around User Interface

Abstract

An operating system shell has an underlying desktop object that is rendered according to different views. The operating system shell renders on a display screen a desktop graphical user interface with windows, tools, icons, etc. that are within a segment of the desktop object that can be observed (i.e., rendered) from one of the views. In illustrated implementations, the desktop object is of an extent that is greater than can be rendered from a single view. Allowing a user to select or access different views of the desktop object effectively provides an extended desktop that overcomes the fixed and limited display capabilities of conventional operating system shells.

1 . One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed on one or more processors, configure the one or more processors to present a graphical user interface, comprising:
 providing a variable viewing angle interface presented, on a display screen with a surface, in accordance with at least first and second viewing angles, the first viewing angle being perpendicular to a desktop object that is presented parallel to the surface of the display screen and the second viewing angle being non-perpendicular to the desktop object, the variable viewing angle interface employing parallax comprising causing at least one rectangularly presented window object to be presented trapezoidally in the second viewing angle.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 1 , the second viewing angle being pivoted about a vertical axis relative to the first viewing angle to provide a different lateral view with respect to the desktop object. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a user-controlled viewing angle selector for selecting between the first and second viewing angles. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 3 , the user-controlled viewing angle selector providing a selection between the first and second viewing angles according to a position of an operating system-controlled cursor within a predefined distance from a margin of the display screen. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 3 , the user-controlled viewing angle selector providing a selection between the first and second viewing angles according to a position of an operating system cursor within a predefined distance from a side margin of the display screen. 
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 1 , further comprising transitioning from the first and second viewing angles effectuated by eye pupil motion detection of a user's eyes. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer-readable media of  claim 1 , the first and second viewing angles being defined by a physical orientation of a line of sight directed from a user's eyes in relation to the display screen. 
     
     
         8 . A system comprising:
 memory;   one or more processors communicatively coupled to the memory;   a variable viewing angle interface module, stored in the memory and executable on the one or more processors, to present at least first and second viewing angles, a first viewing angle being perpendicular to a desktop object that is presented parallel to a surface of a display screen and the second viewing angle being non-perpendicular to the desktop object, the variable viewing angle interface module employing parallax to display one of the viewing angles.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein employing parallax comprises causing at least one rectangularly presented window object to be presented trapezoidally. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein employing parallax comprises shifting a rectangularly presented object into trapezoidally presented object. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , the at least one angular dimension includes a viewing angle that is pivoted about a viewing axis that is substantially parallel to the desktop object and has a substantially vertical orientation with respect to the display screen. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a user-controlled viewing angle selector module, stored in the memory and executable on the one or more processors, to select between the first viewing angle and second viewing angle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , the user-controlled viewing angle selector module being configured to provide selection between the first and second viewing angles according to a position of an operating system-controlled cursor being within a predefined distance from a margin of the display screen. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , transition from the first and second viewing angles effectuated by eye pupil motion detection of a user's eyes. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 8 , the first and second viewing angles being defined by a physical orientation of a line of sight directed from a user's eyes in relation to the display screen. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 providing a first viewing angle perpendicular to a desktop object that is presented parallel to a surface of a display screen; and   employing parallax to provide a second viewing angle being non-perpendicular to the desktop object.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising displaying the first viewing angle and/or the second viewing angle based at least in part on a position of an operating system-controlled cursor. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising displaying the first viewing angle and/or the second viewing angle based at least in part on eye pupil motion detection. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , the first and second viewing angles corresponding to respective first and second viewpoints relative to the desktop object. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein providing the second viewing angle includes defining the second viewing angle as being pivoted from the first viewing angle about a vertical axis to provide a different lateral view with respect to the display screen.