Importance

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Abstract

A system for implementing an unobtrusive, always-on-top interface-to-interfaces comprises a spot interface that is sufficiently small that it may lie unobtrusively over any open window such that it is always on top thereby enabling a user conveniently to access any available window without first having to return to a main window or close other open windows. The spot interface comprises an active region represented by a small graphical display element (GDE) having the appearance of a sphere, which unless disabled by a user, is always visible regardless of which is the topmost window. When a mouse pointer is moved into the spot GDE, a ring or collar having four radial quadrants representing menu items is displayed after waiting a user specified length of time. These radial menu items are displayed around the GDE. When the mouse pointer is subsequently moved into any of the four quadrants of the collar, a secondary rectangular interface hierarchically associated with the quadrant is displayed after waiting a user specified length of time. The secondary interface may be locked opened such that it will not close when the mouse pointer is moved out of area defined by the interface. Periodic animation of the spot GDE may be provided.

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First Claim