Page Bar Control

• US 20060294473A1
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Published: 12/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Switzer, David, Keely, Leroy B., Swanson, Shawna, Stephas, Tamara, Paulson, Kevin P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/776
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Graphical user interfaces for computer display devices include a page bar control element that allows a user to easily and quickly navigate among the pages of a multiple page electronic document and/or among the pages of a plurality of electronic documents. In some examples, the page bar control element displayed on the computer system provides a visual representation of a multiple pages of the document(s), wherein the visual representation includes several tabs or markers, each marker representing one or more pages of the document(s). In some examples, the markers are rendered in colors that enable quick identification of the current page and/or the page being viewed as well as pages viewed in a riffling action. The page bar control element also may include a visual “flag” that helps users quickly locate text that they have previously flagged or that the system has automatically flagged for them.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a display device configured to display at least a portion of a current page of a document that includes multiple pages; and

a processor configured to render a page bar control element that provides a visual representation of a plurality of pages of the document, wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of markers, each marker representing one or more pages of the document, wherein a background of the marker corresponding to the current page corresponds to a background of the current page on the display device and wherein backgrounds of the markers not corresponding to the current page differ from the background of the current page.

2. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable steps for performing a method comprising:

rendering a content display including at least a portion of a current page of a document that includes multiple pages;

rendering a page bar control element that provides a visual representation of a plurality of pages of the document, wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of markers, each marker representing one or more pages of the document; and

rendering at least a portion of a new page of the document when a user provides input through the page bar control element indicating a desire to view the new page, wherein the user provides input indicating the desire to view the new page by hovering a user input device proximate a marker of the page bar control element corresponding to the new page.

3. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises:

changing the current page to the new page if the user selects the new page.

4. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein, in the method, as the user moves the user input device proximate to different markers of the page bar control element, the rendered new page portion changes to correspond to the page represented by the marker where the user input device is located.

5. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein, in the method, when the user discontinues hovering the user input device proximate to a marker of the page bar control element without selecting a new page, the content display displays the current page.

6. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page includes rendering a thumbnail view of the new page while the current page remains at least partially displayed.

7. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page completely replaces the rendering of the current page.

8. The computer-readable medium according to claim 2, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page at least partially replaces the rendering of the current page.

9. A computer-readable medium including computer-executable steps for performing a method comprising:

rendering a content display including at least a portion of a current page of a document that includes multiple pages;

rendering a page bar control element that provides a visual representation of a plurality of pages of the document, wherein the visual representation includes a plurality of markers, each marker representing one or more pages of the document; and

providing a flag on each marker that corresponds to a page on which a user has set a flag or on which a flag has automatically been set.

10. The computer-readable medium according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises rendering at least a portion of a new page of the document when a user provides input through the page bar control element indicating a desire to view the new page, wherein the user provides input indicating the desire to view the new page by hovering a user input device proximate a marker of the page bar control element corresponding to the new page.

11. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, in the method, as the user moves the user input device proximate to different markers of the page bar control element, the rendered new page portion changes to correspond to the page corresponding to the marker where the user input device is located.

12. A computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein, in the method, when the user discontinues hovering the user input device proximate a marker of the page bar control element without selecting a new page, the content display displays the current page.

13. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page includes rendering a thumbnail view of the new page while the current page remains at least partially displayed.

14. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page completely replaces the rendering of the current page.

15. The computer-readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the rendering of at least a portion of the new page at least partially replaces the rendering of the current page.