Lightweight reference user interface

• US 20070073652A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Bailey, Eric, Taboada, Roberto
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A lightweight information user interface is provided for displaying information about a selected text item, data item or other object in an electronic document that minimizes interruption of workflow with the electronic document. Upon selection of an item in an electronic document a quick look-up function may be invoked for retrieving information from a local or remote information source about the selected item. Retrieved information, for example, dictionary definitions, translations, contacts information and research information, is displayed in close proximity to the selected item in a lightweight user interface.

Claims

1. A method of providing information associated with a selected item in an electronic document, comprising:

receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document;

passing data representing the selected item to an information source;

at the information source, parsing a data source for information associated with the selected item;

returning the information associated with the selected item;

displaying a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the selected item; and

displaying the information associated with the selected item in the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes:

passing the data representing the selected item to a recognizer module for determining whether the selected item corresponds to a given data type;

if the selected item corresponds to a given data type, passing the data representing the selected item to an information source containing information associated with the given data type; and

whereby returning the information associated with the selected item includes returning information associated with the selected item that is further associated with the given data type.

3. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document includes receiving a selection of a text item.

4. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document includes receiving a selection of a data item.

5. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document includes receiving a selection of a selectable object.

6. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes passing the data representing the selected item to a local information source.

7. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes passing the data representing the selected item to an information source accessible via a distributed computing network.

8. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes passing the data representing the selected item to a dictionary source for obtaining a definition of the selected item.

9. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes passing the data representing the selected item to a translation source for obtaining a translation of the selected item from a first language to a second language.

10. The method of claim 1, whereby if the information associated with the selected item will not fit in an available display space provided in the user interface, truncating a portion of the information such that only a portion of the information that will fit in the available display space provided in the user interface is displayed.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a selection for displaying the truncated portion of the information; and

displaying the truncated portion of the information in the user interface.

12. The method of claim 11, prior to receiving a selection for displaying the truncated portion of the information, disposing a selectable control on the user interface, which when selected, causes a display of the truncated portion of the information.

13. The method of claim 1, whereby if the information associated with the selected item is received from more than one information source, displaying the information in the user interface in one or more sections where information from a first information source is displayed in a first section and where information from a second information source is displayed in a second section.

14. The method of claim 13,

whereby if an available display space in the user interface will not accommodate a display of all sections of information received for display in the user interface, displaying information from a number of sections that will fit in the user interface;

collapsing any sections of information the display of which will not fit in the user interface; and

providing a selectable control in the user interface, which when selected, causes a display of an associated collapsed section of information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising prioritizing the sections of information according to a preferred display order where a most preferred section is displayed first and a least preferred section is displayed last.

16. The method of claim 1, in response to receiving a selection for expanding the user interface for providing additional display space in the user interface, automatically expanding the user interface for providing additional display space in the user interface.

17. The method of claim 1, whereby passing data representing the selected item to an information source includes passing an Extensible Markup Language formatted query to the information source that identifies a type of information associated with the selected item that is requested from the information source.

18. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing information associated with a selected item in an electronic document, comprising:

receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document;

passing data representing the selected item to a recognizer module for determining whether the selected item corresponds to a given data type;

if the selected item corresponds to a given data type, passing the data representing the selected item to an information source containing information associated with the given data type;

at the information source, parsing a data source for information associated with the selected item;

returning information associated with the selected item that is further associated with the given data type;

displaying a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the selected item; and

displaying the information associated with the selected item in the user interface.

19. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing information associated with a selected item in an electronic document, comprising:

receiving a selection of an item contained in an electronic document;

querying one or more data sources for information associated with the selected item;

displaying a user interface in the electronic document in proximity to the selected item; and

if the information associated with the selected item is received from more than one source, displaying the information in the user interface in one or more sections where information from a first data source is displayed in a first section and where information from a second data source is displayed in a second section.

20. The method of claim 19,

whereby if an available display space in the user interface will not accommodate a display of all sections of information received for display in the user interface, displaying information from a number of sections that will fit in the user interface;

collapsing any sections of information the display of which will not fit in the user interface; and

providing a selectable control in the user interface, which when selected, causes a display of an associated collapsed section of information.