Providing smart user interfaces based on document open and/or edit context

• US 20060282784A1
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Saliba, Hani, Shaw, Rhae-Christie, Taylor, Brandon
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/71 Version control security arrangements therefor G06F21/57; Configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products provide intelligent user interfaces based on a context or mode of a document. A method involves opening the document in a context that only facilitates reading, disabling editing commands associated with the document and/or disabling typing functionality for editing the document, and displaying a transition button via the intelligent user interface. The transition button is operative, when selected, to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing. The method also involves receiving a selection of the transition button, in response to receiving the selection and transitioning from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing. Transitioning to the editing context includes enabling the editing commands and typing functionality. The method may also involve transitioning from the context that facilitates editing back to the context that only facilitates reading.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing an intelligent user interface based on a context of a document, the method comprising:

opening the document in a context that only facilitates reading;

disabling at least one of editing commands or typing functionality for editing the document; and

displaying a transition button via the intelligent user interface, the transition button operative when selected to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the transition button;

in response to receiving the selection, transitioning from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing wherein transitioning to the context that facilitates editing comprises enabling at least one of the typing functionality for editing the document or the editing commands; and

transitioning from the context that facilitates editing back to the context that only facilitates reading.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining whether the document is checked out to another user wherein when the document is checked out to another user displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to save a copy of the document and transition the copy to the context that facilitates editing.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the document is checked out to a same user of the document; and

upon determining that the document is checked out to the same user, transitioning from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether checkout of the document is required wherein when the document is not checked out and checkout is required displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to checkout and transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

checking out the document to a same user of the document in response to receiving the selection and checkout being required thereby obtaining a long-term lock.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether checkout of the document is required wherein when checkout is not required displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

locking the document from edits by other users of the document in response to receiving the selection and checkout not being required thereby obtaining a short-term lock.

7. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether the document is digitally signed wherein when the document is digitally signed displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to invalidate the digital signature and transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

invalidating the signature and saving a copy of the document in response to receiving the selection thereby displaying a ‘

Save As’

dialog.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein opening the document comprises opening a document stored on a server computer and wherein the document stored on a server computer is capable of being shared among multiple users.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein opening the document comprises opening a digitally signed document on a client computer and wherein transitioning from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing invalidates a signature of the digitally signed document.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the transition button comprises displaying a transition button operative, when selected, to save a copy of the document and transition the copy to the context that facilitates editing, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the transition button operative, when selected, to save a copy of the document and transition the copy to the context that facilitates editing; and

in response to receiving the selection, saving the document as a copy thereby displaying a ‘

Save As’

dialog.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein opening the document comprises one of the following:

opening a document from a file system marked as ‘

Read-Only’

;

opening a document recommended by a software application as a read only document;

opening a document via a ‘

File/Open as Read-Only’

menu selection;

opening a document received as an attachment to an email; and

opening a document having information rights management protection.

12. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium having control logic stored therein for causing a computer to provide an intelligent user interface based on a context of a document, the control logic comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to:

open the document in a context that only facilitates reading;

disable and hide editing commands associated with the document;

disable typing functionality for editing the document; and

display a transition button via the intelligent user interface, the transition button operative when selected to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to:

receive a selection of the transition button;

in response to receiving the selection, transition from the context that only facilitates reading to the context that facilitates editing wherein the computer enables the typing functionality for editing the document and enables and reveals the editing commands; and

transition from the context that facilitates editing back to the context that only facilitates reading.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to determine whether the document is checked out to another user wherein when the document is checked out to another user the computer readable-program code for causing the computer to display a transition button comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to display a transition button operative, when selected, to save a copy of the document and transition the copy to the context that facilitates editing.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to:

determine whether checkout of the document is required wherein when the document is not checked out and checkout is required the computer readable-program code for causing the computer to display a transition button comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to display a transition button operative, when selected, to checkout and transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

check out the document to a same user of the document in response to receiving the selection and checkout being required.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to:

determine whether checkout of the document is required wherein when checkout is not required the computer readable-program code for causing the computer to display a transition button comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to display a transition button operative, when selected, to transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

lock the document from edits by other users of the document in response to receiving the selection and checkout not being required.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer-readable program code for causing the computer to:

determine whether the document is digitally signed wherein when the document is digitally signed the computer readable-program code for causing the computer to display a transition button comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to display a transition button operative, when selected, to invalidate the digital signature and transition the document to the context that facilitates editing; and

invalidate the signature and save a copy of the document in response to receiving the selection.

18. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the computer-readable program code for causing the computer to open the document comprises computer-readable program code for causing the computer to one of the following:

open a document from a file system marked as ‘

Read-Only’

;

open a document recommended by a software application as a read only document;

open a document via a ‘

File/Open as Read-Only’

menu selection;

open a document received as an attachment to an email; and

open a document having information rights management protection.

19. A system for providing an intelligent user interface based on a mode of a document, the system comprising:

a client computer having a display unit, the client computer operative to;

open the document in a mode that only facilitates reading;

disable editing commands associated with the document;

disable typing functionality for editing the document; and

display via the display unit a transition button operative when selected to initiate transition of the document between the context that only facilitates reading and a context that facilitates editing.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

a server computer in communication with the client computer, the server computer operative to store the document and share the document among multiple users.