{
  "patent_number": "US 5920316",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How the Windows Taskbar Manages Open Programs",
  "original_title": "Taskbar with start menu",
  "summary": "Microsoft's 1999 patent defines the mechanics of the Windows taskbar, allowing users to track open programs and manage window layouts through a persistent interface element.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent describes a persistent user interface element, known as the taskbar, that displays non-overlapping sub-elements (buttons) for every active application window. It allows a user to interact with these buttons using a cursor to bring specific windows to the foreground or trigger context-sensitive menus for window management, such as cascading or tiling. The system also supports hiding the taskbar entirely when a window is maximized, or anchoring it to different edges of the screen, providing a centralized control hub for multitasking.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover window management systems that rely solely on keyboard shortcuts without a visual taskbar element.",
    "Does not cover taskbars that fail to provide a non-overlapping sub-element for each active application.",
    "Does not cover mobile-style 'app drawer' interfaces that do not maintain a persistent list of currently running windows.",
    "Does not cover touch-based gesture interfaces that do not utilize a cursor-based interaction model."
  ],
  "filed": "1997-11-04",
  "granted": "1999-07-06",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Microsoft Corp",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/microsoft-corp",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Mark A. Malamud",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/mark-a-malamud"
    },
    {
      "name": "Kent D. Sullivan",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/kent-d-sullivan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Ian M. Ellison-Taylor",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ian-m-ellison-taylor"
    },
    {
      "name": "Daniel P. Oran",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/daniel-p-oran"
    },
    {
      "name": "Joseph D. Belfiore",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/joseph-d-belfiore"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jeffrey L. Bogdan",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/jeffrey-l-bogdan"
    },
    {
      "name": "Chee H. Chew",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/chee-h-chew"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 124,
  "tags": [
    "consumer_electronics",
    "software"
  ],
  "abstract": "A taskbar is provided that supplies visual cues, such as buttons, for each application having an active window. These visual cues inform a user of the currently active windows and may be used to display the active windows. The taskbar may also include a start menu button that enables a user to gain access to a menu for launching programs, opening documents and controlling system settings. The taskbar is resizable and may be anchored to different locations on a video display. The taskbar may operate in a mode where it is not obscurable by other windows. The taskbar may also be displayed in a mode where it is not displayed when another window is in a non-minimized state.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5920316/windows-explorer-tree-view",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/5920316/windows-explorer-tree-view/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US5920316",
  "relatedPatents": []
}