Method and system for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context

• US 20050268306A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 12/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Evelyn L. Williams, Mark S. Anspach, Robert Raymond, Rock D. Barney
• Original Assignee: Evelyn L. Williams, Mark S. Anspach, Robert Raymond, Rock D. Barney
• Inventors: Barney, Rock D., Anspach, Mark S., Raymond, Robert, Williams, Evelyn L.
• Application Number:
  US11/135,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20050268306A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A method and system are described for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context. According to an exemplary method, access to a plurality of task domains associated with the object is provided through a shared user interface. A portion of the actions associated with the object directly related to a task domain is identified. The portion of the actions directly related to the task domain is presented using a first element of the user interface, such as a context menu displayable near a location of a representation of the object within the user interface. A software link is provided between the first element and a second element of the user interface, such as a dialog box, configured to present a remaining portion of the actions associated with the object.

Claims

1. A method for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context, the method comprising:

providing access to a plurality of task domains associated with the object through a shared user interface;

identifying a portion of the actions associated with the object directly related to a task domain;

presenting the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain using a first element of the user interface; and

providing a software link between the first element and a second element of the user interface configured to present a remaining portion of the actions associated with the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain using a first element of the user interface comprises:

including each action of the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain as an item in a menu associated with the object;

including a linking item in the menu;

associating the software link with the linking item; and

displaying the menu in response to activating a user interface control.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein activating a user interface control comprises:

positioning a pointer over a representation of the object included in the user interface using a pointing device; and

activating a control on the pointing device while the pointer is positioned over the representation of the object.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the menu is a context menu displayable near a location of the representation of the object within the user interface.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein activating a user interface control comprises:

positioning a pointer over a menu bar item included in user interface; and

activating a control on the pointing device while the pointer is positioned over the menu bar item.

6. The method of claim 2, comprising:

including each action of the remaining portion of the actions associated with the object in a list displayable within a dialog box;

associating the software link with the dialog box; and

displaying the dialog box in response to activating a control associated with the linking item.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein activating a control associated with the linking item comprises:

positioning a pointer over the linking item included in the menu using a pointing device; and

activating a control on the pointing device while the pointer is positioned over the linking item.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising:

arranging a representation of the object within the user interface based on an attribute of the task domain.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each task domain comprises a plurality of related tasks associated with the object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein each task domain is associated with a respective application program controllable using the shared user interface.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each task domain includes tasks associated with a plurality of application programs, each application program controllable using the shared user interface.

12. A system for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context, the system comprising:

a display;

a shared user interface displayable on the display, the user interface configured to provide access to a plurality of task domains associated with the object; and

a processor coupled to the display, the processor including;

logic configured to identify a portion of the actions associated with the object directly related to a task domain;

logic configured to present the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain using a first element of the user interface; and

logic configured to provide a software link between the first element and a second element of the user interface configured to present a remaining portion of the actions associated with the object.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first element is a menu and the processor comprises:

logic configured to include each action of the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain as an item in the menu;

logic configured to include a linking item in the menu;

logic configured to associate the software link with the linking item; and

logic configured to display the menu in response to activating a user interface control.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface control comprises at least one of a representation of the object and a menu bar item included in the user interface.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the menu is a context menu displayable near a location of the representation of the object within the user interface.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the second element is a dialog box and the processor comprises:

logic configured to include each action of the remaining portion of the actions associated with the object in a list displayable within the dialog box;

logic configured to associate the software link with the dialog box; and

logic configured to display the dialog box in response to activating a control associated with the linking item.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor comprises:

logic configured to arrange a representation of the object within the user interface based on an attribute of the task domain.

18. The system of claim 12, comprising:

memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to store program instructions for a plurality of application programs, each application program being controllable using the shared user interface and configured to perform tasks associated with the object corresponding to a respective task domain.

19. A system for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context, the system comprising:

means for accessing a plurality of task domains associated with the object;

means for identifying a portion of the actions associated with the object directly related to a task domain;

means for presenting the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain; and

means for providing access from the presented portion of the actions directly related to the task domain to a remaining portion of the actions associated with the object.

20. The system of claim 19, comprising:

means for including each action of the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain as an item in a menu associated with the object;

means for including a linking item in the menu;

means for associating a software link with the linking item; and

means for displaying the menu in response to activating a user interface control.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the user interface control comprises at least one of a representation of the object and a menu bar item included in the user interface.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the menu is a context menu displayable near a location of the representation of the object within the user interface.

23. The system of claim 20, comprising:

means for including each action of the remaining portion of the actions associated with the object in a list displayable within a dialog box;

means for associating the software link with the dialog box; and

means for displaying the dialog box in response to activating a control associated with the linking item.

24. The system of claim 19, comprising:

means for arranging the object within the user interface based on an attribute of the task domain.

25. A computer readable medium containing a computer program for presenting actions associated with a managed object in a task context, wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:

providing access to a plurality of task domains associated with the object through a shared user interface;

identifying a portion of the actions associated with the object directly related to a task domain;

presenting the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain using a first element of the user interface; and

providing a software link between the first element and a second element of the user interface configured to present a remaining portion of the actions associated with the object.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:

including each action of the portion of the actions directly related to the task domain as an item in a menu associated with the object;

including a linking item in the menu;

associating the software link with the linking item; and

displaying the menu in response to activating a user interface control.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:

including each action of the remaining portion of the actions associated with the object in a list displayable within a dialog box;

associating the software link with the dialog box; and

displaying the dialog box in response to activating a control associated with the linking item.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:

arranging a representation of the object within the user interface based on an attribute of the task domain.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein the computer program comprises executable instructions for:

a plurality of application programs, each application program being controllable using the shared user interface and configured to perform tasks associated with the object corresponding to a respective task domain.