Centralized user interface for displaying contextually driven business content and business related functionality

• US 20070124696A1
• Filed: 03/30/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Singh, Sangya, Mullender, Maarten, Danas, Eric, Hilwig, Jay, MacCubbin, Karen
• Granted Patent: US 8,434,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• 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 centralized User Interface (UI) comprising a supplementary UI and a desktop UI is employed to bring in enterprise constructs into the desktop application. The supplementary UI is generated and dynamically positioned based on selections on the desktop application UI. Summary information associated with data that is to be synchronized or transferred between the desktop application and an LOB application is presented in the supplementary UI along with controls that enable a user to bind additional items to be synchronized.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for displaying contextually driven business content, comprising:

determining a first element of a first application User Interface (UI) that is associated with a second application through data binding;

generating a supplementary UI, wherein the supplementary UI includes at least one region configured to provide summary information associated with data bound between the first element of the first application UI and the second application; and

positioning the supplementary UI dynamically based on a position and size of the first application UI, wherein a behavior of the supplementary UI is controlled based on actions associated with the first application UI.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the first element of the first application UI includes detecting a selection associated with the first element.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein generating the supplementary UI includes activating the supplementary UI automatically when the first element is selected for the first time.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, further comprising:

deactivating the supplementary UI when the first element is deselected for the first time; and

reactivating the supplementary UI responsive to a user action during subsequent selections of the first element.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one other region in the supplementary UI for content control, wherein the content control enables a user to specify a second element of the first application UI to be associated with the second application.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one other region in the UI for content control, wherein the content control enables a user to modify data to be synchronized between the first application and the second application.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing at least one other region in the UI for dynamic messages.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least one other region in the UI for linking related reports and related actions.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first application includes at least one from a set of:

an electronic mail application, a scheduling application, a calendar application, a word processing application, a spreadsheet application, a database application, and a browser application.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second application is a Line Of Business (LOB) application.

11. A system for providing summary information and control over data exchanged between a desktop application and an LOB application, comprising:

a desktop application UI capable of providing a plurality of views each view including a plurality of elements, wherein a portion of the elements are associated with the LOB application; and

a task pane configured to provide content control and summary information associated with data to be exchanged between the desktop application and the LOB application based on a selected first element of the desktop application UI, wherein the task pane is generated and positioned about the desktop application UI in response to the first element being selected.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the task pane is managed by an add-in module of the desktop application.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the task pane is dynamically positioned and sized adjacent to the desktop application UI based on a size and position of the desktop application UI.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the task pane is dynamically positioned and sized hovering over to the desktop application UI based on a size and position of the desktop application UI.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the desktop application UI includes an explorer view and at least one inspector view.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein an order, a layout, an emphasis, and a selection of graphics associated with regions of the task pane that present at least one from a set of:

object identification, dynamic messages, content control, description of direct actions, links to related reports, links to related actions, and contextual data, are determined based on the selected first element.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein the task pane is associated with and dynamically positioned about one of an active one of the explorer view and the at least one inspector view of the desktop application UI.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for providing a supplementary UI to present summary information and content control associated with data being exchanged between a desktop application and an LOB application, the instructions comprising:

receiving a selection associated with a first element of a desktop application UI, wherein the first element is associated with the LOB application through data binding;

generating regions of the supplementary UI to present at least one from a set of;

object identification, dynamic messages, content control, description of direct actions, links to related reports, links to related actions, and contextual data, based on the first element; and

positioning the supplementary UI dynamically about the desktop application UI based on a position and size of the desktop application UI, wherein a behavior of the supplementary UI is controlled based on actions associated with the desktop application UI.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further include:

activating the supplementary UI automatically when the first element is selected for the first time;

deactivating the supplementary UI when the first element is deselected for the first time;

reactivating the supplementary UI responsive to a user action during subsequent selections of the first element; and

associating the supplementary UI with an active inspector view of the desktop application UI when multiple inspector views are opened.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein an action included within the supplementary UI are determined based on an attribute of the first element.