Effecting multi-step operations in an application in response to direct manipulation of a selected object

• US 10,402,470 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Esterly, Jonathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Manglesh M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hasty, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US15/166,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20170235706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing

Abstract

An electronic document having a current layout can be presented in an application user interface. Based on a detected interaction with an object in the electronic document, an intent can be determined. The determined intent can be used to identify different sets of commands that result in corresponding visual representations that are likely to satisfy the determined intent. Different activation regions can be defined within the electronic document. A different command set, each identified from the determined intent, is associated with each different activation region. Movement and release of the selected object to a position within an activation region is detected, and the command set associated with the activation region is executed to perform a multi-step operation that modifies at least the current layout of the electronic document to result in the corresponding visual representation.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions configured to;

present an electronic document within a graphical user interface, the electronic document having a current page layout and content;

detect an interaction with a selected object of the content of the electronic document presented in the graphical user interface;

determine one or more intents of the interaction with the selected object according to context;

use the determined one or more intents to identify command sets for executing multi-step operations resulting in visual representations having a likelihood of satisfying the determined one or more intents;

define different activation regions within the electronic document, the different activation regions including different portions of a border of the electronic document;

associate a different command set with each different activation region, wherein each different command set, when executed, performs a different multi-step operation;

detect movement of the selected object within the electronic document to a position within an activation region within the electronic document; and

execute the command set associated with the activation region to perform a multi-step operation that modifies at least the current page layout of the electronic document.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the interaction with the selected object comprises an interaction that causes at least a portion of the selected object to overlap with other content presented within the graphical user interface.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the instructions configured to associate the different command set with each different activation region further comprise instructions configured to at least:

determine one or more intents of a subsequent interaction with the selected object according to context at time of the subsequent interaction;

identify second command sets for executing multi-step operations resulting in visual representations having a likelihood of satisfying the determined one or more intents of the subsequent interaction; and

associate the identified second command sets with each different activation region in place of the identified command sets, the identified second command sets being the different command sets.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to:

in response to detecting movement of the selected object to the position within the activation region and without receiving an indication the selected object is released, present a preview of a layout corresponding to the multi-step operation provided by the command set associated with the activation region on which the selected object is detected within;

wherein the command set is executed to perform the multi-step operation only after detecting a release action while the selected object is detected within the activation region.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of an image object.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of a text object.

7. The computing device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects format and style of both an image object and a text object.

20. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the context comprises one or more of application state, operation history, command history, and relationship between the selected object and other content of the electronic document.

8. A computer-implemented method of effecting multi-step operations in an application, comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface for an application;

presenting content of an electronic document in the graphical user interface;

detecting an interaction with a selected object of the content of the electronic document presented in the graphical user interface;

determining one or more intents of the interaction with the selected object according to context;

using the determined one or more intents to identify command sets for executing multi-step operations resulting in visual representations having a likelihood of satisfying the determined one or more intents;

defining regions of the electronic document to be used as activation regions;

associating the identified command sets with the activation regions; and

in response to receiving an indication that the selected object is moved while within the electronic document and released while within one of the activation regions, executing the command set associated with that activation region.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to receiving an indication that the selected object is within one of the activation regions and without receiving an indication the selected object is released, displaying a preview of a result corresponding to the multi-step operation provided by the command set associated with the activation region on which the selected object is detected within.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the preview overlays at least a portion of the electronic document.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

presenting indicators on the electronic document that identify the activation regions after defining the regions of the electronic document to be used as activation regions.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the indicators comprise thumbnail images of a result corresponding to the multi-step operation provided by the command set associated with the activation regions identified by the indicators.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of an image object.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of a text object.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects format and style of both an image object and a text object.

16. One or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, direct the processor to at least:

display a graphical user interface for an application;

present content of an electronic document in the graphical user interface;

detect an interaction with a selected object of the content of the electronic document presented in the graphical user interface while within the electronic document;

determine one or more intents of the interaction with the selected object according to context;

using the determined one or more intents, identify command sets for executing multi-step operations resulting in visual representations having a likelihood of satisfying the determined one or more intents;

define regions of the electronic document to be used as activation regions;

associate the identified command sets with the activation regions;

in response to receiving an indication that the selected object is within one of the activation regions and without receiving an indication the selected object is released, display a preview of a result corresponding to the multi-step operation provided by the command set associated with the activation region on which the selected object is detected within; and

in response to receiving an indication that the selected object is released while within the activation region, execute the command set associated with that activation region.

17. The media of claim 16, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of an image object.

18. The media of claim 16, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects both format and style of a text object.

19. The media of claim 16, wherein at least one of the command sets comprises commands to perform a multi-step operation that affects format and style of both an image object and a text object.