Dynamic thumbnails for applications

Abstract

A dynamic thumbnail corresponding to an application is displayed. The dynamic thumbnail includes content corresponding to the content of the application. User modifications to the content in the dynamic thumbnail are reflected in the content of the application. In some aspects, the content of the dynamic thumbnail is also modified based on modifications to the content of the application. The modifications may be done in real-time.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . One or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 displaying a dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding to content of an active application;   receiving a user modification to the content of the dynamic thumbnail; and   modifying the content of the active application based on the user modification to the content of the dynamic thumbnail.   
     
     
         2 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise: dynamically modifying the content of the dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of the active application. 
     
     
         3 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 2 , wherein the content of the dynamic thumbnail is modified in real-time as the content of the active application is modified. 
     
     
         4 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 3 , wherein the active application comprises a media player application, wherein the content of the media player application comprises a video being played and displayed by a media player view, and wherein the content of the dynamic thumbnail corresponds to the video being played. 
     
     
         5 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 4 , wherein the operations further comprises:
 removing the media player view from being displayed, wherein the media player application continues to play the video; and   while the media player view is not displayed, continuing to display the video in the dynamic thumbnail as the media player application continues to play the video.   
     
     
         6 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the active application comprises a calculator application and the content of the dynamic thumbnail comprises a calculator corresponding to a calculator provided by the calculator application, wherein receiving the user modification to the content of the dynamic thumbnail comprises receiving user input to the dynamic thumbnail causing a calculation result to be presented in the dynamic thumbnail, and wherein modifying the active application based on the user modification to the content of the dynamic thumbnail comprises modifying the content of the active application to display the calculation result. 
     
     
         7 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving user input to no longer display the dynamic thumbnail; and   upon receipt of the user input to no longer display the dynamic thumbnail, removing the dynamic thumbnail from display.   
     
     
         8 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 displaying an icon corresponding to the active application; and   receiving an input indicative of a user interacting with the icon, wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to the input.   
     
     
         9 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the icon comprises a taskbar button in a taskbar. 
     
     
         10 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 8 , wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed adjacent to the icon. 
     
     
         11 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to receiving input indicative of a user pressing a combination of keys on a keyboard. 
     
     
         12 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 11 , wherein a plurality of additional dynamic thumbnails corresponding to a plurality of additional active applications are also displayed in response to receiving the input indicative of the user pressing the combination of keys. 
     
     
         13 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of dynamic thumbnails are displayed that include the dynamic thumbnail and one or more additional dynamic thumbnails, wherein the plurality of dynamic thumbnails are initially positioned based on an initial z-order associated with each dynamic thumbnail, and wherein the operations further comprise changing the z-order associated with the plurality of dynamic thumbnails. 
     
     
         14 . The one or more computer storage media of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of thumbnails are cascaded. 
     
     
         15 . A method implemented by a computing device comprising a processor and one or more computer storage media, the method comprising:
 displaying a dynamic thumbnail corresponding to an active application, the dynamic thumbnail containing content corresponding to content of the active application;   modifying the content of the dynamic thumbnail based on modifications to the content of the active application;   receiving user input modifying the content of the dynamic thumbnail; and   modifying the content of the active application based on the user input to the dynamic thumbnail.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the content of the dynamic thumbnail is modified in real-time as the content of the active application is modified. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the dynamic thumbnail is displayed in response to a user interaction with an icon corresponding to the active application. 
     
     
         18 . A computer system comprising:
 one or more processors; and   one or more computer storage media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:
 display an alternate display element corresponding to an active application, the alternate display element being different from a primary display element for the active application and containing content corresponding to content of the active application, 
 dynamically modify the content of the alternate display element based on modifications to the content of the active application, 
 receive a user modification to the content of the alternate display element; and 
 modify the content of the active application based on the user modification to the content of the alternate display element. 
   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the alternate display element is a thumbnail. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the primary display element is an application window.