Systems and methods for creating and managing graphical user interface lists

• US 20050120361A1
• Filed: 01/07/2005
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Falcon, Stephen Russell, Sharpe, Timothy, Bailey, Richard St. Clair, Shoop, Kirk
• Granted Patent: US 7,752,560 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for providing a standard list function to create a graphical user interface list and list manager while allowing the graphical user interface to vary by appearance. An application developer can include a list manager control in an application. Properties are set that link the list manager to display controls, a data source and a scrolling behavior source. The list manager provides the appropriate content to the display controls in response to user selections of the display controls. The display controls and a user interface that contains them may vary without altering the basic functionality of the list manager.

Claims

1. A list generating engine that extends an application program interface (API) and works across different platforms and applications, comprising:

means for receiving properties of a user-selectable display list to be displayed in a graphical user interface;

means for attaching user-selectable display controls to the display list;

means for accessing data elements from a data source, the data elements to be displayed in the display controls;

means for establishing a display state of the display controls;

means for receiving a request to change data elements in the display controls; and

means for managing the data elements in the display controls according to the display state;

wherein the generic list generating engine is used on different computing platforms and in different applications to provide the display list.

2. The list generating engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for changing the display state of the display controls while continuing to manage the data elements in the display controls.

3. The list generating engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the display state of the display controls changes between a request to change data elements in the display controls and an actual change of the data elements in the display controls.

4. The list generating engine as recited in claim 2, wherein the display state of the display controls changes while data elements in the display controls are changing.

5. The list generating engine as recited in claim 4, wherein the display state changes in response to a selection of a user of the list generating engine.

6. The list generating engine as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for managing the display state of the display controls.

7. The list generating engine as recited in claim 6, wherein the means for managing the display state of the display controls functions simultaneously with the means for managing the data elements in the display controls.