Edge docking foster window

Claim 2

A user interface for a data processing system, the user interface comprising: a desktop having a workspace; means for movably displaying a first window within said workspace, said first window having a first stand alone application program associated therewith; means responsive to user input for removably attaching a second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, said second window having a second stand alone application program, different from the first stand alone application program, associated therewith; and means for automatically repositioning and resizing respectively said second window responsive to user input for repositioning and resizing respectively said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration; wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

Claim 3

A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said second window includes dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

Claim 4

A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said second window includes control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

Claim 5

A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for detaching said second window from said first window and displaying said second window within said workspace.

Claim 6

A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

Claim 7

A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.

Claim 8

A user interface according to claim 1 further comprising means for automatically converting said second window to an access bar displayed within said desktop in response to user input for resizing said first window to a maximum size within said workspace.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 8 further comprising displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 7 wherein said second window is resized along only one dimension.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 8 further comprising limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 8 further comprising automatically resizing said second window responsive to user input for resizing said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration.

Claim 16

A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

Claim 17

A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.

Claim 18

A user interface for a data processing system, the user interface comprising: a desktop having a workspace; means for movably displaying a first window within said workspace, said first window having a first stand alone application program associated therewith; means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program; means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs; means for intercepting user input to resize and reposition said first window; and means for resizing and repositioning respectively said second window responsive to intercepted user input to resize and reposition said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration; wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

Claim 19

A user interface for a data processing system, the user interface comprising: a desktop having a workspace; means for movably displaying a first window within said workspace, said first window having a first stand alone application program associated therewith; means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program; means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs; means for intercepting user input to resize and reposition said first window; and means for resizing and repositioning respectively said second window responsive to intercepted user input to resize and reposition said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration; wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

Claim 20

A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

Claim 21

A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

Claim 22

A user interface according to claim 16 further comprising means for limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

Claim 23

A computer program product for enhancing a first stand alone application program associated with a first window displayed within a desktop workspace of a data processing system user interface, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising: computer readable program code means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program; computer readable program code means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs; computer readable program code means for automatically repositioning said second window responsive to user input for repositioning said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a generally rectangular attached configuration; and computer readable program code means for automatically resizing said second window responsive to user input for resizing said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration; wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

Claim 24

A computer program product for enhancing a first stand alone application program associated with a first window displayed within a desktop workspace of a data processing system user interface, said computer program product comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied in said medium, said computer readable program code means comprising: computer readable program code means for displaying information associated with a second stand alone application program in a second window, wherein the second application program is related to the first application program; computer readable program code means for removably attaching said second window along an edge portion of said first window such that said first and second windows have a combined rectangular attached configuration, and wherein said second window is associated with the second application programs; computer readable program code means for automatically repositioning said second window responsive to user input for repositioning said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a generally rectangular attached configuration; and computer readable program code means for automatically resizing said second window responsive to user input for resizing said first window, such that said first and second windows maintain a combined rectangular attached configuration; wherein each application program may be started and displayed without the other, and wherein the attaching of the first and second windows causes the second application program to enhance the first application program.

Claim 25

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

Claim 26

A computer program product according to claim 20 further comprising: computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for intercepting user input to said first window; and computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for resizing said second window responsive to intercepted user input to said first window.

Claim 27

A computer program product according to claim 22, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for resizing said second window along only one dimension.

Claim 28

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means embodied in said medium for limiting resizing of said first window within said workspace based on a predefined minimum size of said second window.

Claim 29

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for displaying within said second window dynamically updated indicia for indicating operational status of at least one of said first or second application programs.

Claim 30

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for displaying within said second window control means for enhancing said first application program via said second application program.

Claim 31

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for detaching said second window from said first window and displaying said second window within said workspace.

Claim 32

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for removing said first window from said workspace.

Claim 33

A computer program product according to claim 20, further comprising computer readable program code means for automatically removing said second window from said workspace in response to user input for ending data processing functions of said first application program.