Locating, viewing and interacting with information sources

• US 20080021932A1
• Filed: 07/21/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tolle, Kristin Michele, Martynov, Alexander, Patterson, Eric W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,788,259 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

A user interface is provided for allowing a user to quickly and easily connect to data and other informational sources. A user can use a user interface to interact with a collection of connection files to quickly and easily connect to various data sources and other informational sources. The user interface is configured to make data sources available at a glance, providing a user with a convenient and comprehensive display of the data sources. The user interface is designed to be a simplified experience for data import that is helpful to both novice and more experienced users in that the data is presented simply without a lot of extraneous information.

Claims

1. A user interface to provide information to a user comprising:

a locating component to locate one or more connection files associated with one or more data sources, wherein the one or more connection files are selected from at least one of a local connection file and a server connection file;

a collecting component to collect the one or more located connection files;

an organizing component to organize the collection of connection files; and

a presenting component to present the organized collection of connection files.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the presenting component is further configured to present the collection of connection files after organizing the collection of connection files according to a connection type.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the presenting component is further configured to present the collection of connection files after the organizing component organizes the collection of connection files according to the connection type selected from at least one of a local connection type, server connection type, and workbook connection type.

4. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the presenting component is further configured to present the collection of connection files using descriptive text and one or more icon identifiers after the organizing component organizes the collection of connection files according to the connection type.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the locating component is further configured to expose the one or more connection files based in part on an examination of a registry.

6. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a programming interface to share the one or more connection files.

7. The user interface of claim 6, wherein the programming interface is configured so a user can push one or more connection files associated with one or more data sources to one or more recipients.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the locating component is further configured to expose one or more connection files associated with one or more data sources.

9. A computer readable medium including executable instructions which, when executed, present information to a user by:

exposing one or more connections associated with one or more data sources, wherein the one or more connections are selected from at least one of a local connection and a server connection;

collecting the one or more connections to create a collection of connections; and

presenting the collection of connections.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by exposing one or more connections associated with one or more data sources by accessing at least one registry associated with the one or more connections.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by organizing the one or more connections according to at least one connection type.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by organizing the one or more connections according to the connection type selected from at least one of a local connection type, server connection type, and workbook connection type.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by exposing at least one database connection.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by sharing the one or more connections.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user by using an application programming interface (API) to expose the one or more connections associated with at least one networked server.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions, when executed, present information to a user using descriptive text and one or more icon identifiers after organizing the collection of connections according to the connection type.

17. A method of providing information comprising:

locating a connection file associated with a data source;

creating a collection of connection files including the located connection file and one or more other located connection files;

organizing the collection of connection files; and

presenting the collection of connection files in a user-friendly interface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising locating one or more connection files associated with one or more available data sources.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising exposing the connection file by accessing at least one registry associated with the connection file.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising interacting with the collection of connection files.