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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented clock widget displayed on a display device of a computer system, the clock widget including:
 a time display that displays a current time corresponding to a location,   wherein an appearance of the clock widget is based on the location and actual sunrise and sunset times for the location, and   the appearance of the clock widget changes according to time of day, including:
 when the current time falls between the actual sunrise and sunset, displaying the clock widget with a first appearance that indicates day, 
 when the current time falls between actual sunset and sunrise, displaying the clock widget with a second appearance that indicates night, and 
 when the current time indicates times near sunset or sunrise, displaying the clock widget with a third appearance that is different from the first appearance and the second appearance to indicate times near sunset or sunrise. 
   
     
     
         2 . The clock widget of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second appearances comprise:
 a background color selected from at least two colors.   
     
     
         3 . The clock widget of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the at least two colors comprises a first color representing day and a second color representing night.   
     
     
         4 . The clock widget of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the third appearance comprises a third color representing twilight.   
     
     
         5 . The clock widget of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first color is selected as the background color responsive to the current time falling within a first time range; and   the second color is selected as the background color responsive to the current time falling within a second time range.   
     
     
         6 . The clock widget of  claim 5 , wherein the first time range comprises 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and the second time range comprises 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM. 
     
     
         7 . The clock widget of  claim 2 , wherein:
 when the time information falls between the actual sunrise and sunset, a first color is selected for displayed; and   when the time information falls between the actual sunset and sunrise, a second color is selected for displayed.