Method and apparatus for dynamically resizing windows

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for resizing windows and an apparatus for resizing windows. The method, in one embodiment, involves selecting a seam bordering a window, building a list of windows, and resizing more than one window in response to a single seam movement by a user. The apparatus, in one embodiment, is a computer readable medium comprising a computer program for resizing windows.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 at an electronic device with a display and one or more input devices:
 displaying, on the display, a plurality of windows including a first window and one or more other windows; 
 while displaying the plurality of windows, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a first input portion that corresponds to a request to move a seam that separates the first window from the one or more other windows in a first direction; and 
 in response to receiving the first input portion that corresponds to the request to move the seam:
 increasing a size the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; 
 decreasing a size of a second window of the one or more other windows in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 after increasing the size of the first window and decreasing the size of the second window receiving a second input portion that corresponds to a request to move the seam further in the first direction; and 
 
 in response to receiving the second input portion:
 resizing the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; 
 in accordance with a determination that the second window has not reached a minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, resizing the second window in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, forgoing resizing the second window. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein resizing the first window in accordance with movement of the seam includes increasing the size of the first window. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising resizing a set of windows that border the first window in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising maintaining an aspect ratio of the first and second windows while resizing the first and second windows in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of windows includes a third window adjacent to the second window. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising resizing the third window in a same proportion as the resizing of the second window in order to maintain a size ratio relationship between said first and second windows. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising in accordance with the determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in the dimension corresponding to the first direction, resizing the third window in the first direction. 
     
     
         22 . A non-transitory machine readable medium including instructions to, when executed by an electronic device with a display and one or more input devices, cause the electronic device to perform operations comprising:
 displaying, on the display, a plurality of windows including a first window and one or more other windows;   while displaying the plurality of windows, receiving, via the one or more input devices, a first input portion that corresponds to a request to move a seam that separates the first window from the one or more other windows in a first direction; and   in response to receiving the first input portion that corresponds to the request to move the seam:
 increasing a size the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; 
 decreasing a size of a second window of the one or more other windows in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 after increasing the size of the first window and decreasing the size of the second window receiving a second input portion that corresponds to a request to move the seam further in the first direction; and 
   in response to receiving the second input portion:
 resizing the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; in accordance with a determination that the second window has not reached a minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, resizing the second window in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, forgoing resizing the second window. 
   
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein resizing the first window in accordance with movement of the seam includes increasing the size of the first window. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 22 , further comprising resizing a set of windows that border the first window in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         25 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 22 , further comprising maintaining an aspect ratio of the first and second windows while resizing the first and second windows in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         26 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein the plurality of windows includes a third window adjacent to the second window. 
     
     
         27 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 26 , further comprising resizing the third window in a same proportion as the resizing of the second window in order to maintain a size ratio relationship between said first and second windows. 
     
     
         28 . The non-transitory machine readable medium of  claim 26 , further comprising in accordance with the determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in the dimension corresponding to the first direction, resizing the third window in the first direction. 
     
     
         29 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more input devices;   a display to:
 display a plurality of windows including a first window and one or more other windows; 
 while displaying the plurality of windows, receive, via the one or more input devices, a first input portion that corresponds to a request to move a seam that separates the first window from the one or more other windows in a first direction; and 
 in response to receiving the first input portion that corresponds to the request to move the seam:
 increase a size the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; 
 decrease a size of a second window of the one or more other windows in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 after increasing the size of the first window and decreasing the size of the second window receive a second input portion that corresponds to a request to move the seam further in the first direction; and 
 
 in response to receiving the second input portion:
 resize the first window in accordance with movement of the seam; 
 in accordance with a determination that the second window has not reached a minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, resize the second window in accordance with movement of the seam; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in a dimension corresponding to the first direction, forgo resizing the second window. 
 
   
     
     
         30 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , wherein to resize the first window in accordance with movement of the seam includes to increase the size of the first window. 
     
     
         31 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , wherein the display is further to resize a set of windows that border the first window in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         32 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , wherein the display is further to maintain a aspect ratio of the first and second windows while resizing the first and second windows in response to the movement of the seam. 
     
     
         33 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , wherein the plurality of windows includes a third window adjacent to the second window. 
     
     
         34 . The electronic device of  claim 33 , wherein the display is further to, in accordance with the determination that the second window has reached the minimum size in the dimension corresponding to the first direction, resize the third window in the first direction.