Graduated visual and manipulative translucency for windows

摘要

Methods and systems for providing graphical user interfaces are described. Overlaid, information-bearing windows whose contents remain unchanged for a predetermined period of time become translucent. The translucency can be graduated so that, over time, if the window's contents remain unchanged, the window becomes more translucent. In addition to visual translucency, windows also have a manipulative translucent quality. Upon reaching a certain level of visual translucency, user input in the region of the window is interpreted as an operation on the underlying objects rather than the contents of the overlaying window.

主权项

1. A method for rendering a window in a graphical user interface, comprising:
rendering the window at a first level of translucency; detecting passage of a predetermined length of time during which no user input directed toward the window was received; and rendering, in response to detecting the predetermined length of time during which no user input, the window at a second level of translucency, wherein the second level of translucency is more translucent than the first level of translucency.