Composite Window Frame for Nonconforming App Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Nonconforming applications, such as immersive-type full-screen applications, are not designed for windowing environments, causing user confusion and preference mismatch, as they do not accommodate traditional windowing paradigms, leading to inefficient interaction and resource management.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented technique generates a composite window by combining a system-owned frame with an application window, allowing users to interact with nonconforming applications in a windowing environment, respecting application preferences and ensuring responsive control through system-owned features, while conserving resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If nonconforming applications are presented in full-screen mode, then the application can provide immersive experience, but users cannot interact with the application using traditional windowing paradigms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepresentation paradigm compatibilityVSAvoiduser interaction efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The application window is segmented into two parts: a system-owned frame that provides traditional windowing controls (move, resize, close buttons) and an application-owned content area that maintains the full-screen immersive experience. This segmentation allows the frame to handle user interactions in traditional windowing paradigms while the content area preserves the immersive application experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system-owned frame acts as an intermediary between the user and the nonconforming application. It provides familiar windowing interface elements that mediate user interactions, translating traditional windowing operations into commands that the nonconforming application can execute, thereby bridging the gap between traditional and non-traditional presentation paradigms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If nonconforming applications are forced to use windowing environment, then users can interact with familiar paradigms, but the application must be modified to accommodate windowing constraints

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser interaction efficiencyVSAvoidapplication code complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adapts the presentation paradigm based on the application type. For nonconforming applications, it automatically creates a composite window with a system-owned frame while allowing the application to run in its native full-screen mode. This dynamic approach eliminates the need for developers to modify their application code for different presentation paradigms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system-owned frame automatically provides windowing functionality (move, resize, close) without requiring the nonconforming application to implement these features. The frame serves itself by handling all window management operations, allowing the application to focus solely on its core functionality without worrying about windowing environment requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If system provides full control over composite window, then reliable control operations are ensured, but application-specific interaction requirements may not be met

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol operation reliabilityVSAvoidapplication preference accommodation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Different parts of the composite window have different ownership and control characteristics. The system-owned frame provides reliable system-level control for operations like move, resize, and close, while the application-owned content area allows the application to maintain its specific interaction requirements and preferences. This local differentiation of quality allows both reliable control and application-specific behavior to coexist.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes partial control by owning only the frame portion of the composite window, while leaving the content area under application control. This partial action approach allows the system to provide reliable control for essential window operations while permitting the application to maintain its specific interaction requirements without excessive system intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS11556235B2Interacting with nonconforming applications in a windowing environment

Publication Date: 2023.01.17 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A computer-implemented technique is described herein for efficiently and reliably interacting with a nonconforming application component in a windowing environment. The nonconforming application component corresponds to a type of application (such as, but not limited to, an immersive-type full-screen application) that was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment, or was not originally designed for presentation of application content in a windowing environment of a certain type. In some implementations, the computer-implemented technique generates a composite window by: creating a system-owned frame; receiving an application-owned window; and creating the composite window by combining the frame and the application-owned window. The technique can thereafter control the composite window by performing operations on the composite window via its system-owned frame.