Exposing non-authoring features through document status information in an out-space user interface

• US 10,521,073 B2
• Filed: 03/26/2014
• Issued: 12/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Dukhon, Marina, Guntaur, Paula, Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Alberts, Amy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bhargava, Anil K
• Application Number:
  US14/226,421
• Publication Number:
  US 20140258933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

An out-space actuator is selected to access an out-space user interface for a document editor program. An out-space actuator is associated with an in-space user interface having a displayed document. When the out-space actuator is selected, an out-space user interface is displayed that includes an expanded feature selection surface. The out-space user interface may be used to display one or more status panes for providing status information about a document being edited in the in-space user interface. Application features for affecting changes to a given document'"'"'s status may be exposed in the out-space interface in proximity to associated status information. An out-space communication user interface (UI) component may be temporarily displayed in the document in-space user interface to communicate document status information that is presently available in the out-space user interface. A message bar may be displayed in the in-space user interface for communicating information from the out-space user interface.

Claims

1. A method of exposing document features in association with status information for a document, comprising:

displaying an in-space user interface and an out-space actuator associated with the in-space user interface, wherein the in-space user interface includes a display of authoring features and a display area for creating and editing the document, wherein the display area includes a display of the document, the document being editable within the display area;

receiving a selection of the out-space actuator;

in response to receiving the selection of the out-space actuator, removing the display of the document from the display area and displaying an out-space user interface in the display area, wherein the out-space user interface includes a display of a non-authoring feature; and

displaying the status information for the document in the out-space user interface; and

displaying a status control for changing a status of the document in the out-space user interface.

2. The method claim 1, wherein the status of the document is displayed in a document status tab.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the information about the non-authoring feature is presented as a selectable control in the document status tab.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the status of the document includes a first status comprising a security status that provides information about security of the document.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a first selectable control for managing security is displayed in association with the first status.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the status information includes a second status comprising a content status that provides information about disabling harmful content.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a second selectable control for enabling content in association with the second status.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes a compatibility status that provides information about document file format compatibility.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

displaying a selectable control for converting file format in association with the compatibility status.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes a collaboration status that provides information about co-authoring of the document.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a fourth selectable control for contacting collaborators in association with the fourth collaboration status.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the status information includes a digital signature status that provides information about a digital signature associated with the document.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying a selectable control for changing the digital signature in association with the digital signature status.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a selectable control for finalization in association with the document status tab and finalizes the status of the document.

15. One or more computer storage media having computer-executable components that upon execution perform a method for exposing document features in association with status information for a document, the method comprising:

displaying an in-space user interface and an out-space actuator associated with the in-space user interface, wherein the in-space user interface includes a display of authoring features and a display area for creating and editing a document, wherein the display area includes a display of the document, the document being editable within the display area;

receiving a selection of the out-space actuator;

in response to receiving the selection of the out-space actuator, removing the display of the document from the display area and displaying an out-space user interface in the display area, wherein the out-space user interface includes a display of a non-authoring feature;

displaying the status information for the document in the out-space user interface; and

displaying a status control for changing a status of the document in the out-space user interface.

16. The computer storage media of claim 15, wherein the status of the document is displayed in a document status tab.

17. The computer storage media of claim 16, wherein the information about the non-authoring feature is presented as a selectable control in the document status tab.

18. A computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory having computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processor, provide a method for exposing document features in association with status information for a document, the method comprising;

displaying an in-space user interface and an out-space actuator associated with the in-space user interface, wherein the in-space user interface includes a display of authoring features and a display area for creating and editing a document, wherein the display area includes a display of the document, the document being editable within the display area;

receiving a selection of the out-space actuator;

in response to receiving the selection of the out-space actuator, removing the display of the document from the display area and displaying an out-space user interface in the display area, wherein the out-space user interface includes a display of a non-authoring feature;

displaying the status information for the document in the out-space user interface; and

displaying a status control for changing a status of the document in the out-space user interface.

19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the status of the document is displayed in a document status tab.

20. The computer system of claim 19, wherein information about the non-authoring feature is presented as a selectable control in the document status tab.