Interface for presenting data representations in a screen-area inset

• US 20040183824A1
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Benson, Rodger William, Weinberg, Mark Jeffrey, Matthews, Joseph Howard
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method, application interface, and medium is provided for presenting a variety of data representations in a screen-area inset. The inset(s) can be one or more bounded portions of a graphical user interface. The inset offers a picture-in-picture type of functionality to present videos, data, pictures, audio, and other data representations in a persistently viewable screen area that does not consume the entirety of a display device. The API includes instructions to allow software components to use the inset. The method includes receiving one or more event requests related to the inset, communicating them to a software application or operating system, receiving one or more data sets to satisfy the event requests, and communicating the data sets to the original software application to present a data representation in the inset.

Claims

1. An application program interface (API) embodied on one or more computer-readable media having one or more computer-executable code segments embodied thereon that enable a software application to cause a data representation to be presented in a screen-area inset of a graphical user interface (GUI) presented by an operating system, the API comprising:

a first code segment that communicates to the GUI one or more event requests related to rendering data in the screen-area inset;

a second code segment that communicates to the operating system one or more audio event requests that facilitate audio playback said one or more audio event requests comprise audio mixing and sound levels.

a third code segment that receives one or more data sets necessary to satisfy the respective one or more event requests so that the data representation may be presented in the screen-area inset in response to the one or more event requests.

2. The API of claim 1, wherein the data representation is a data representation communicated from the software application.

3. The API of claim 2, wherein the data representation comprises at least one of:

a picture, a selection of album art, a video, a streaming-media presentation, a television program, an environment-attribute representation, a camera feed, a software-application preview, an audio rendition, an appliance status, a caller-ID message, an entertainment depiction, and a gaming-aspect representation.

4. The API of claim 3, wherein the environment-attribute representation includes at least a selection from:

a temperature reading and an entry-way-means status.

5. The API of claim 3, wherein the one or more event requests comprise at least one of:

a request to activate the inset;

a request for screen-location information of the inset;

a request to prepare the inset to render the data representation;

a request to adjust the dimensions of the inset, including minimizing and maximizing the inset;

a request to adjust the picture quality of the inset;

a request to facilitate input and output of data from the first software application;

a request to display the inset as a component within a software application;

a request to display the data representation(s) in response to an inputted key sequence;

a request for information related to a file to be presented in the inset;

a request to preserve or restore a state of the inset;

a request to terminate communication with the inset; and

a request to redirect said data representation to a communicatively coupled display component, wherein said display component includes at least one of a background display, another window, another display device including a remote monitor.

6. The API of claim 5, where the second code segment comprises one or more of audio-mixing data and sound-level data.

7. The API of claim 5, wherein the third code segment comprises code that receives one or more of the following:

an acknowledgement to activate the inset;

screen-location information related to displaying the inset;

an acknowledgement that the inset is prepared to render the data representation;

an acknowledgement that the dimensions of the inset are modified;

an input and/or output of data from the first software application; and

information related to a file to be presented in the inset.

8. A set of one or more application program interfaces (APIs) embodied on one or more computer-readable media comprising computer-useable instructions for performing a method of presenting data in a screen-area inset of a graphical user interface (GUI), the method comprising:

receiving an activation command to activate the screen-area inset;

receiving data-rendering instructions; and

communicating input information from the GUI, whereby the input information is rendered in the screen-area inset according to the data-rendering instructions.

9. The API set of claim 8, wherein receiving the activation command comprises communicating a command to substantiate, name, and reference the inset.

10. The API set of claim 9, wherein receiving data-rendering instructions comprises communicating one or more commands to preserve a state of the inset.

11. The API set of claim 10, wherein receiving data-rendering instructions further comprises communicating one or more commands to restore a state of the inset.

12. The API set of claim 9, wherein receiving data-rendering instructions comprises communicating commands to control an operation of the inset.

13. The API set of claim 12, wherein the commands to control an operation of the inset comprise computer code to accomplish one or more of the following:

pause playback, stop playback, rewind playback, fast-forward playback, record data presented in the inset, manipulate volume, resume playback, and adjust the size of the inset.

14. The API set of claim 8, further comprising presenting said input information to a communicatively coupled display component, wherein said display component includes at least one of a background display, another window, another display device including a remote monitor.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a software program to access a screen-area inset to be displayed on a communicatively coupled display device;

granting access to the software application to use the screen-area inset;

receiving rendering instructions from the software application that dictate how input information received from the software application is to be presented; and

rendering the input information consistent with the rendering instructions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein persistently displaying the inset comprises displaying the inset in a foreground of the display while a background of the display varies.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein rendering instructions include:

instructions regarding what to display;

instructions regarding how to depict a data representation in the inset; and

instructions that facilitate audio playback.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising presenting multiple insets on the display device.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising redirecting one or more of said multiple insets to a communicatively coupled display component, wherein said display component includes at least one of a background display, another window, another display device including a remote monitor.

20. One or more computer-readable medium comprising computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for executing the method of claim 15.

21. A system for presenting one or more media experiences on a display device in a computer system environment, comprising:

a screen-area inset occupying a portion of the display device, wherein the screen-area inset is dedicated to presenting one or more of the media experiences;

an application program interface (API) for a software application to utilize the screen-area inset; and

an instructions-processing component for processing rendering instructions from the software application.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the media experiences comprise at least one of:

a picture, a selection of album art, a video, a streaming-media presentation, television programming, an environment-attribute representation, a camera feed, a software-application preview, an audio rendition, an appliance status, a caller-ID message, an entertainment depiction, and a gaming-aspect representation.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising a presentation component for presenting multiple media experiences on the display device.

24. A method for displaying a screen inset that presents a variety of data representations in a bounded portion of a displayed user interface, comprising:

receiving from a software application an activation command that requests access to the inset;

returning a command granting access to the software application;

receiving an inset-information-request call having one or more information parameters; and

returning one or more populated information parameters, whereby data communicated by the software application can be presented in the inset.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the activation command comprises one or more instructions to at least substantiate, name, or reference the inset.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein data communicated by the software application comprises visual-representation data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein data communicated by the software application further comprises audio-representation data.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising presenting multiple media experiences in a plurality bounded portions of the displayed interface.

29. One or more computer-readable medium comprising computer-useable instructions embodied thereon for executing the method of claim 24.

30. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions for interfacing a software application with an operating system to enable the software application to cause a data representation to be persistently presented in a screen-area inset, comprising:

instructions for communicating from the software application to the operating system one or more event requests related to the screen-area inset; and

instructions for communicating from the operating system to the first software application one or more data sets necessary to satisfy the respective one or more event requests, whereby the screen-area inset presents the data representation in the screen area.

31. The media of claim 30, wherein the data sets include end-user settings to control a layout of the screen-area inset, wherein the end-user settings include one or more selections for the following:

resizing the screen-area inset, closing the screen-area inset, docking the screen-area inset, moving the position of the screen-area inset, and formatting the screen-area inset.

32. The media of claim 30, wherein the data representation is a representation of data communicated from the first software application.

33. The media of claim 32, wherein the representation of data communicated from the first software application comprises at least one of:

a picture, a selection of album art, a video, a streaming-media presentation, television programming, an environment-attribute representation, a camera feed, a software-application preview, an audio rendition, an appliance status, a caller-ID message, an entertainment depiction, and a gaming-aspect representation.

34. The media of claim 33, wherein the one of more event requests includes a request for naming an inset-presentation source.

35. The media of claim 33, wherein the one or more event requests includes a request for hosting the inset.

36. The media of claim 35, wherein hosting the inset includes displaying the inset in at least one of the following:

an Internet browser, a navigation bar, another software application, and a user-interface element.

37. An interface that allows a software application to present a variety of data representations in a screen-area inset of a user interface presented on a display device, comprising:

means for communicating one or more commands from the software application to the screen-area inset; and

means for communicating information to the screen-area inset, whereby the information is rendered and presented in the inset.

38. The interface of claim 37, wherein the information rendered includes audio data.