Aggregation of PC settings

• US 20070067737A1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barker, Guy, Hahn, Christopher, Mak, William, Soin, Ravipal, Zielinski, Tobiasz, Cukierman, Ryan, Stallard, Jennifer, Tumsi Dayakar, Kamesh
• Granted Patent: US 8,225,231 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming

Abstract

Systems and methods for enabling users to roam between networking environments are disclosed. In one embodiment, different machine settings may be stored in a memory for different network locations under se network profiles. In another embodiment, these and other settings may be automatically adjusted upon entering a different location. In one such embodiment, a logical network may be employed to determine which settings are adjusted. Another aspect relates to a graphical user interface to implement the above and other methods of adapting a computing device to different network locations. In one embodiment, a graphical use interface may allow the use to modify which application and which aspects of those applications are displayed on the menu. In still yet another embodiments, a memory can update a network profile as the changes occur. In still yet further embodiments, the user may derive or otherwise create new network profiles from existing network profiles. Another aspect relates to systems and methods that allow a user to configure various settings explicitly for different network locations by means of a consolidated UI.

Claims

1. A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating a menu of adjustable set in a computing environment, the instructions comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a series of inputs regarding the status of a user-adjustable aspect for a plurality of applications available to a user;

(b) receiving at least one icon location for each application, wherein the icon location maps to a physical location within a computer readable medium comprising at least one graphical representation, the graphical representation configured to visually display at least one state of the user-adjustable aspect;

(c) generating first display data for generating tiles on a display device, each tile configured to repent an application and further having at least one icon, the status of the plurality of applications, and a user-selectable display element for positioning within each tile, and

(d) upon selection of a user-selectable display element of (c);

receiving executing instructions for allowing a use to adjust the at least one user-adjustable aspect for the displayed applications.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the computer readable instructions fiber comprise the step of:

(e) receiving launching instructions that, when executed, utilize second display data to launch a second display to allow the user to view other user-adjustable aspects associated with at least one of the plurality of applications.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein step (b) includes receiving a plurality of icon locations for at least one aspect of one application, wherein are the icon locution utilized for the tile depends on the state of the application.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one application comprises a plurality of applications having at least one hardware application and one software application

5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable display element comprises a slidable scale.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the user-selectable display element comprises a button.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the icon is configured to be a user-selectable display element to execute the launching instructions of step (e).

8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

(e) generating application data for determining the identity of applications from which the first display data is derived.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8, further comprising the step of:

(f) gentling aspect data to for determining the identity of the aspect of the applications from which the first display data is derived.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein to application data is derived from at least one of the data categories selected from the group consisting of:

the power source of the computer, applications presently active on the computer, the networking environment, applications most utilized on the computer, synchronization status, applications most likely to be utilized on the computer, applications rig most frequent adjustment, and combinations thereof.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the aspect data is derived from at least one of the data categories selected from the group consisting of the power source of the computer, aspects of the applications presently active on the computer, the networking environment, aspects of the applications most utilized on the computer, aspects of the applications most likely to be utilized on the computer, brightness of at least one display device operatively connected to the computer, orientation of at least one display device operatively connected to the computer power source of the computer, synchronization status, audio volume, and combinations thereof.

12. In a computer system having a graphical user interface including a display and a user interface selection device, a method of allowing a user to readily adjust at least one aspect, each of a plurality of unrelated applications in a single menu comprising the steps of;

(a) displaying on the display a collection of tiles in a menu, each tile representing an application available to the user, each tile further comprising an icon, an indicia of the current status of an aspect of the application, a first selectable display element and a second user-selectable display element positioned within each tile;

(b) receiving a selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device selecting the first user-selectable display element within a tile and, based upon the selection signal adjusting the state of the displayed aspect within the tile;

(c) receiving data regarding an aspect of at least one application represented by a tile in step (a) and based upon the data, updating the displayed indicia of the current status of the adjusted aspect; and

(d) configuring the second user-selectable display element to, when selected by indication of a selection signal indicative of the user interface selection device selecting the second user-selectable display element, display a second menu, the second menu comprising adjustable aspects associated with the application represented by the tile the second user-selectable display element is within, wherein the user may adjust user-adjustable settings not displayed in the first menu.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the second user-selectable display element is incorporated within the icon.

14. The computer system of claim 12, wherein computer-executable instructions are executed periodically to determine the current status of the aspect of the application and generate the indicia of the current status of the application.

15. The computer-executable instructions of claim 12, further comprising the step of:

(g) determining the identity of the aspect of the applications from which the first display data is derived.

16. A computer having a process and a computer readable medium, the computer readable medium comprising instructions that when executed by the processor allows a user of the computer to change settings of the computer, the system comprising:

(a) a first menu comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile having at least one graphical representation, the graphical representation configured to visually display at least one state of a user-adjustable aspect of an application available to the user;

(b) a first user-selectable display element that, when selected will adjust the user-adjustable aspect displayed on the tile; and

(c) a second user-selectable display element that, when selected will cause the display to display a second menu, the second menu comprising adjustable aspects associated with the application represented by the tile the second use-selectable display element is within.

17. The computer of claim 16, wherein to at least one graphical representation in the first menu comprises an icon.

18. The computer of claim 17, wherein the icon is the second user-selectable display element.

19. The computer of claim 16, wherein the computer readable medium further contains instructions for displaying an indicia of the current status of the user-adjustable aspect of the application.

20. The computer of claim 16, wherein the computer readable medium further contains instructions for deriving the user-adjustable a from at least one of the data categories selected from the group consisting of:

the power source of the compute, aspect of the applications presently active on the computer, the networking environment, aspects of the applications most utilized on the computer, aspects of the applications most likely to be utilized on the compute, aspects of applications requiring most frequent adjustment, and combinations thereof.