Guided Transition User Interfaces

• US 20090094552A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sunkammurali, Krishna, Watson, Eric, Coleman, Kenneth P.
• Application Number:
  US11/867,008
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094552A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A guided transition user interface may be used to transition from a first user interface to a second user interface. The guided transition user interface may include a representation of the second user interface as well as a description of a task to perform from the first user interface. The guided transition user interface may include a graphical image of the second user interface with annotated or highlighted areas that are related to the task. The guided transition user interface may be used for transitioning between areas of one application, transitioning between applications, and transitioning between interacting with different computing devices.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

presenting a first user interface, said user interface comprising a first link;

when said link is selected, transition to a second user interface by a method comprising;

launching said second user interface; and

presenting a guided transition user interface comprising a representation of said second user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, said first user interface being presented by a first application and said second user interface being presented by a second application.

3. The method of claim 2, said second user interface being a portion of said second application where a task described by said first link may be performed.

4. The method of claim 1, said first user interface being generated by a first computing device and said second user interface being generated by a second computing device, said first user interface and said second user interface being presented on a first display device.

5. The method of claim 4, said first computing device and said second computing device being a first physical device and a second physical device, respectively.

6. The method of claim 4, said first computing device and said second computing device being a first virtual device and a second virtual device, respectively.

7. The method of claim 1, said representation of said second user interface comprising at least one of a group composed of:

a box;

a circle;

a highlighted area;

a shaded area;

an area with altered color;

highlighted text; and

shaded text.

8. The method of claim 1, said guided transition user interface further comprising at least one of a group composed of:

a description of a task to perform, said description being at least one of a group composed of a textual description or a graphical description;

a description of a device providing said second user interface, said description being at least one of a group composed of iconic description, textual description, or graphical description;

a description of an application providing said second user interface, said description being at least one of a group composed of iconic description, textual description, or graphical description.

9. The method of claim 1, said guided transition user interface comprising at least one portion being dynamically configured.

10. The method of claim 9, said at least one portion comprising at least one of a group composed of text and graphical representation.

11. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 1.

12. A system comprising:

a display device;

a first user interface comprising a link, said link being related to a first task;

a processor adapted to;

transition to a second user interface when said link is activated by presenting a guided transition user interface for a predetermined period of time and launching a second user interface, said guided transition user interface comprising a representation of a portion of said second user interface and a representation of said first task.

13. The system of claim 12, said guided transition user interface having a user interactive device, said user interactive device being capable of not displaying said guided transition user interface when said link is subsequently activated.

14. The system of claim 12, said first user interface being provided by a first computing device and said second user interface being provided by a second computing device, said guided transition user interface comprising an indication of said second computing device.

15. The system of claim 14, said second computing device being a remote service.

16. The system of claim 12 being adapted to manage a plurality of computer server functions.

17. A method of transitioning from a first user interface to a second user interface comprising:

presenting an interactive device on said first user interface defining at least a part of a first task to perform;

when said interactive device is operated, launching said second user interface;

presenting a guided transition user interface comprising a reference to said first task and a representation of said second user interface.

18. The method of claim 17, said first user interface being provided by a first application and said second user interface being provided by a second application.

19. The method of claim 17, said first user interface being provided by a first computing device and said second user interface being provided by a second computing device.

20. A computer readable medium comprising computer executable instructions adapted to perform the method of claim 17.