Method for handling obscured items on computer displays

Claims

We claim:

1. A method of displaying items in layers, the method comprising the steps, performed in a data processing system of:

executing first program code to display a plurality of items so that each of the items is displayed as a different layer with respect to each of the other items and so that at least portions of items in lower layers are obscured by items in upper layers, wherein one of the items is a note; and,

executing second program code to select the note so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of creating a cut-out area so as to expose the exposed portion of the selected note and so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the item revealed through the cut-out area is a first item, and wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of attaching a second item to the first item revealed through the cut-out area.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the second item is a second note, wherein the step of attaching the second item to the first item comprises the steps of (i) attaching the second note to the first item revealed through the cut-out area and (ii) creating a new cut-out area so as to expose an as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the second note.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of moving the item revealed through the cut-out area.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the item that is moved is a first item, and wherein the step of moving the item comprises the step of attaching the first item to a second item revealed in the cut-out area.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of attaching the first item to a second item comprises the step of creating a new cut-out area so as to expose an otherwise obscured portion of the first item and so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the first item.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of executing second program code to move the item comprises the step of selecting the item.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of attaching the note to the item revealed through the cut-out area.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of attaching the note to the item revealed through the cut-out area comprises the step of creating a new cut-out area so as to expose an otherwise obscured portion of the note and so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the note.

11. The method of claim 2 wherein the selected note is a first note, wherein the item revealed through the cut-out area of the selected note is a second note, and wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of moving the second note.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of moving the second note comprises the step of attaching the second note to an item revealed in the cut-out area.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the step of attaching the second note to an item revealed in the cut-out area comprises the step of creating a new cut-out area so as to expose an otherwise obscured portion of the second note and so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the second note.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of moving the second note comprises the step of selecting the second note.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of designating the selected note as a note which can only be attached to a particular layer.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of designating the selected note as a note which can only be attached to a particular layer comprises the step of moving the designated note so that the designated note is attached to the particular layer, so that the designated note cuts through those items which are displayed in layers above the designated note and which would otherwise obscure the designated note in order to expose at least a portion of the designated note, and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the designated note is revealed.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the steps of (i) creating the selected note, and (ii) moving the selected note to a layer so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of moving the selected note comprises the step of moving an active note.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of moving the selected note comprises the step of moving an inactive note.

20. The method of claim 17 comprising the further step of executing program code to select the selected note so that any active items remain active.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of (i) moving the selected note to a first location so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note at its first location and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed, and (ii) moving the selected note to a second location so as to continue to cut out the cut out items displayed in layers above the selected note at the first location and so as to continue to reveal at least a portion of an item which is layered below the selected note at the first location until the move of the selected note to the second location is completed.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of moving the selected note to a second location comprises the step of moving the selected note to the second location so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note at its second location and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of (i) moving the selected note to a first location so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note at its first location and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed, and (ii) moving the selected note to a second location so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note at its second location and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the item, which is layered below the selected note and which has the revealed portion, is accessible.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the accessible item is accessible by way of its revealed portion.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of displaying a cut-out border around the selected note, and wherein the revealed portion of the accessible item is accessible through the cut-out border.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of accessing the revealed portion of the accessible item through the cut-out border by way of an indicator.

28. The method of claim 26 comprising the further step of executing program code to select the accessible item.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible item comprises the step of selecting the accessible item so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected accessible item and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected accessible item, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected accessible item.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible item comprises the step of selecting the accessible item so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected accessible item.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the item, which is layered below the selected note and which has the revealed portion, is a note and is accessible.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the accessible note is accessible by way of its revealed portion.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of displaying a cut-out border around the selected note, and wherein the revealed portion of the accessible note is accessible through the cut-out border.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of accessing the revealed portion of the accessible note through the cut-out border by way of an indicator.

35. The method of claim 33 comprising the further step of executing program code to select the accessible note.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible note comprises the step of selecting the accessible note so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected accessible note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected accessible note, are cut out in order to expose the portion of the selected accessible note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected accessible note is revealed.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible note comprises the step of selecting the accessible note so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected accessible note.

38. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of displaying a cut-out border around the selected note so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected note, are cut out by the cut-out border in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected note is revealed through the cut-out border.

39. The method of claim 38 comprising the further step of executing program code to move the selected note so that the cut-out border continues to cut out the cut out items displayed in layers above the selected note and so that the cut-out border continues to reveal the otherwise obscured portion of the item which is layered below the selected note.

40. The method of claim 1 comprising the further step of executing program code to select an item so that any active items remain active.

41. A method of displaying items in layers, the method comprising the steps, performed in a data processing system, of:

executing first program code to display a plurality of items so that each of the items is displayed as a different layer with respect to each of the other items and so that at least portions of items in lower layers are obscured by items in upper layers, wherein one of the items is a note; and,

executing second program code to move the note to a layer so that, when the moved note is at the layer, those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the steps of (1) creating the moved note, and (ii) moving the moved note to a layer so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code to move the note comprises the step of moving an active note.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code to move the note comprises the step of moving an inactive note.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code to move the note comprises the step of moving the note so that any active items remain active.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code to move the note to a layer comprises the steps of (i) moving the moved note to a first location so that, when the moved note is at the first location, those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed, and (ii) moving the moved note to a second location so as to continue to cut out the cut out items displayed in layers above the moved note at the first location and so as to continue to reveal at least a portion of an item which is layered below the moved note at the first location until the move of the moved note to the second location is completed.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the step of moving the note to a second location comprises the step of moving the moved note to the second location so that, when the moved note is at the second location, those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code to move the note to a layer comprises the steps of (i) moving the moved note to a first location so that, when the moved note is at the first location, those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed, and (ii) moving the moved note to a second location so that, when the moved note is at the second location, those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed.

49. The method of claim 41 wherein the item, which is layered below the moved note and which has the revealed portion, is accessible.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the accessible item is accessible by way of its revealed portion.

51. The method of claim 47 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of displaying a cut-out border around at least a portion of the moved note, and wherein the revealed portion of the accessible item is accessible through the cut-out border.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of accessing the revealed portion of the accessible item through the cut-out border by way of an indicator.

53. The method of claim 51 comprising the further step of executing program code to select the accessible item.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible item comprises the step of selecting the accessible item so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the selected accessible item and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the selected accessible item, are cut out in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the selected accessible item.

55. The method of claim 54 wherein the step of executing program code to select the accessible item comprises the step of selecting the accessible item so as to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the selected accessible item.

56. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of executing second program code comprises the step of displaying a cut-out border around the moved note so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the moved note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the moved note, are cut out by the cut-out border in order to expose the otherwise obscured portion of the moved note and so that an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note is revealed through the cut-out border.

57. The method of claim 56 comprising the further step of executing program code to move the moved note so that the cut-out border continues to cut out the cut out items displayed in layers above the moved note and so that the cut-out border continues to reveal an otherwise obscured portion of an item which is layered below the moved note.

58. A method of displaying items in layers, the method comprising the steps, performed in a data processing system, of:

executing first program code to display a plurality of items so that each of the items is displayed as a different layer with respect to each of the other items and so that at least portions of items in lower layers are obscured by items in upper layers, wherein one of the items is a note; and,

executing second program code to select the note so that those items, which are displayed in layers above the note and which would otherwise obscure a portion of the note, are