OPERATING SYSTEM LAUNCH MENU PROGRAM LISTING

• US 20090222767A1
• Filed: 02/17/2009
• Published: 09/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Lerner, Matthew R., Matthews, David A., Stabb, Charles W.
• Application Number:
  US12/372,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222767A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

An operating system program launch menu, such as a Start menu, provides various mechanisms for a user to quickly and efficiently locate and launch desired data items such as programs, data files, storage locations, and the like. A search box within the program launch menu may be used to quickly locate programs, documents, communications, and other data items. An auto-complete feature may be used, e.g., when the user restricts the locations searched for the user-entered search text. A most commonly used program list may include programs based on various criteria including both frequency of use and recent use, thereby always including a most recently used item. An all programs view may display programs and documents in a hosted-tree view within the original confines of the program launch menu, thereby negating the need to open sub-menus on top of a large portion of the desktop displayed on the display device.

Claims

1. One or more computer storage media for storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform a method comprising;

displaying a nested tree view of a plurality of selectable menu items in a dynamic region of a predefined area revealing a first program launch menu of an operating system displayed on a computer display device;

presenting a selection control that allows a user to select one of various views comprising a listing of views, wherein the listing of views includes the first program launch menu;

receiving at the selection control a user-initiated indication of a second program launch menu within the listing of views;

upon receiving the user-initiated indication of a second program launch menu, transitioning from the first program launch menu to the second program launch menu;

modifying substance of the nested tree view of the plurality of selectable items presented in the dynamic region to correspond with the second program launch menu; and

responsive to a user selecting any launchable item displayed in the nested tree view of the plurality of selectable items presented in the dynamic region, executing a program application associated with the launchable item.

2. The computer storage media of claim 1, the method further comprising, in the nested tree view, responsive to a user selecting a first expandable item, rearranging items within the dynamic region to provide room to hierarchically display therein a subset of the plurality of selectable items, the subset including one or more children items of the first expandable item.

3. The computer storage media of claim 1, the method further comprising maximizing a height of the predefined area based on a height of an operating system graphical user interface.

4. The computer storage media of claim 1, the method further comprising changing a size of the predefined area only when a user explicitly resizes the program launch menu.

5. The computer readable media of claim 1, the method further comprising displaying an indication when a user selects an expandable item.

6. A computer system storing executable instructions to execute a display procedure, the procedure comprising:

displaying a launch menu upon receiving a user-initiated actuation of a button on a taskbar,

wherein the default launch menu has a non-computer-resizable predefined area to display a dynamic region and a selection control, and

wherein the dynamic region presents a first plurality of selectable items;

receiving a user-initiated indication at the selection control;

based upon the received user-initiated indication, identifying a second plurality of selectable items;

transitioning contents of the dynamic region from the first plurality of selectable items to the identified second plurality of selectable items;

displaying a nested tree view of a second plurality of selectable items within the dynamic region encompassed by the non-computer-resizable predefined area of the program launch menu; and

launching an application program corresponding to a user-selected launchable item from the second plurality of selectable items displayed in the dynamic region encompassed by the non-computer-resizable predefined area.

7. The computer system of claim 6, further storing executable instructions to, responsive to a user selecting a first expandable item in the nested tree view, rearrange items within the dynamic region to provide room to hierarchically display therein a subset of the second plurality of selectable items, the subset including one or more children items of the first expandable item.

8. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the selection control is a text box and the user-initiated indication is typing text into the text box.

9. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the selection control is a is a selection button that invokes a drop down list of views and the user-initiated indication is a selection of the nested tree view from the list of views.

10. The computer system of claim 6, wherein the selection control facilitates receiving user-initiated indications of one of two views, and wherein, upon detecting the user-initiated indications at the selection control, dynamically toggling between the two views.

11. One or more computer storage media for storing computer executable instructions that, when executed, perform operations comprising:

displaying on a computer display device a program launch menu, the program launch menu including a first region for presenting pinned items and a second region for presenting a first plurality of selectable items, wherein the pinned items remain in the first region regardless of changes to the items displayed in the first plurality of selectable items;

presenting a view control on the program launch menu; and

in response to selection of the view control, displaying a second plurality of selectable items that occupy a same region as the first and the second regions within the program launch menu previously occupied, wherein the second plurality of selectable items refer to executable application programs.

12. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein the second plurality of selectable times are displayed in a nested tree view, wherein an item in the nested tree view is expandable and collapsible.

13. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, further perform operations comprising determining items displayed in the first plurality of selectable items using a most commonly used algorithm.

14. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, further perform operations comprising removing an item from the first plurality of selectable items to be displayed in the second region when the item is to be displayed in the pinned items of the first region.

15. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, further perform operations comprising modifying the first region in response to user input.

16. The computer storage media of claim 15, wherein modifying the first region includes moving an item from the first plurality of selectable items to the first region, wherein the item becomes a pinned item in the first region.

17. The computer storage media of claim 13, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, further perform operations comprising:

monitoring both the frequency and recentness that items are selected to launch an application; and

inputting the frequency and recentness into the MCU algorithm to ascertain whether the monitored items are added or subtracted from the first plurality of selectable items.

18. The computer storage media of claim 15, wherein the computer executable instructions, when executed, further perform operations comprising in response to a selection of the view control, displaying a third plurality of selectable items that occupy a same region as the first region within the program launch menu previously occupied by the pinned items, wherein the third plurality of selectable items are pinned within the first region.

19. The computer storage media of claim 11, wherein presenting a view control on the program launch menu comprises revealing a view-selection button that, when actuated, presents a drop-down list of views, and wherein the computer executable instructions, when selected, further perform operations comprising:

receiving a selection of the view control;

presenting a drop-down list of views;

receiving a selection of a view within the drop-down list of views; and

displaying a third plurality of selectable items that occupy a same region as the second region within the program launch menu previously occupied by the second plurality of selectable items.

20. The computer storage media of claim 19, wherein presenting a view control on the program launch menu further comprises revealing a toggle button that, when actuated, switches between views, and wherein the computer executable instructions, when selected, further perform operations comprising:

receiving a selection of the view control; and

transitioning between displaying the second plurality of selectable items and the third plurality of selectable items that occupy the second region.