Virtual Desktop Preview and Auto-Creation for Easier Task Switching

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current virtual desktop management systems are inefficient and unintuitive, requiring multiple user inputs for access and lacking awareness and ease of use, leading to low adoption among users.

Innovation Solution

A system that provides quick and efficient access to virtual desktops through a task view icon preview, allows users to hover over icons for desktop previews, and offers notifications for creating new desktops, with optional automatic organization and naming of desktops based on user context and ML models.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If virtual desktops are implemented to separate multiple tasks, then task management capability is improved, but accessibility and ease of use deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetask management capabilityVSAvoidaccessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-creates virtual desktops based on detected application categories before the user needs to access them. When a user launches an application, the system automatically creates or selects the appropriate virtual desktop in advance, eliminating the need for users to manually navigate through multiple desktops to find their tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual desktop management system operates autonomously by monitoring application launches and automatically organizing windows onto appropriate virtual desktops without requiring user intervention. The system self-manages desktop creation, window distribution, and desktop switching based on predefined categorization rules.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple virtual desktops are created to organize applications, then application organization is improved, but user awareness and intuitiveness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication organizationVSAvoiduser awareness

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides continuous visual feedback to users through a task view interface that displays thumbnails of active applications and their associated virtual desktops. When users switch between desktops or create new ones, the interface immediately updates to reflect the current state, ensuring users are always aware of where their applications are located.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The task view interface segments the virtual desktop environment into visually distinct thumbnails, each representing a separate desktop with its associated applications. This segmentation allows users to quickly perceive the state of each desktop without needing to switch between them, maintaining awareness while preserving organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of operation

If manual desktop creation is required, then user control is maintained, but operation time and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser controlVSAvoidoperation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-configures virtual desktops with appropriate names and categories before the user needs to access them. When a user launches an application, the system automatically creates the necessary virtual desktop in advance with the correct organization, eliminating the need for users to spend time manually creating and naming desktops.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The virtual desktop creation process transitions from static manual configuration to dynamic automatic generation. The system dynamically creates desktops based on real-time application launch events, automatically assigning applications to appropriate desktops without requiring predetermined user configuration, thus reducing operation time while maintaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4260182B1System and method of providing access to and managing virtual desktops

Publication Date: 2025.11.26 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

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AI summary

A system for providing access to virtual desktops may include receiving an input indicating hovering of a pointer over an icon in a toolbar, identifying one or more existing virtual desktops, determining a state for each of the one or more existing virtual desktops by identifying one or more instances of any applications that are currently running in each of the one or more existing virtual desktops and determining a running state for each of the one or more instances, and displaying a preview of each of the one or more existing virtual desktops in response to the hovering of the pointer over the icon. The preview may include displaying the running state for one of the one or more instances for each existing virtual desktop. A method for creating a new virtual desktop in a client device comprises determining if the new virtual desktop would be beneficial to a user of the client device. Upon determining that the new virtual desktop would be beneficial, displaying a notification about creating the new virtual desktop and receiving a user input via the notification, the user input indicating a user's approval of creating the new virtual desktop. Upon receiving the user input, displaying a user interface element for creating the new virtual desktop.