COMPUTER SYSTEM WITH ENHANCED USER INTERFACE FOR IMAGES

• US 20090249210A1
• Filed: 04/17/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: CAMARA, FRANC, OUZTS, TODD, GANESAN, RAJESH, GUZAK, CHRIS, SHELDON, MICHAEL G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,042,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/730
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer system and method are presented that enhance a user experience when viewing images displayed on the computer. The system includes a user interface for the computer that displays a number of thumbnail images that are small representations of image files existing on the computer. The thumbnail images are arranged in alignment with one another, such as at the bottom of a viewing window. An enlarged preview image is positioned adjacent the thumbnail images. The enlarged preview image corresponds to a selected thumbnail image and is a larger representation of an image file corresponding with the selected thumbnail image. A control is displayed in the window that enables the user to iterate through the thumbnail images in at least one direction. As the user iterates through the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image changes correspondingly.

Claims

1. A computer-storage medium embodying a file and folder system executable on a computer, the file and folder system for managing image and non-image files and folders stored in a computing environment and comprising a user interface, the user interface comprising:

a plurality of thumbnail images, representative of image files stored in the computing environment, in alignment with one another, wherein the thumbnail images are small representations of the images files and provide a quick glimpse of the image files; and

an enlarged preview image positioned adjacent to the thumbnail images and non-overlapping the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image corresponding to a selected one of the thumbnail images and comprising a sizable image allowing a user to readily view and identify details of an image file corresponding to the selected one of the thumbnail images, which is not available from viewing the selected one of the thumbnail images.

2. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, the user interface further comprising a control enabling a user to iterate through the thumbnail images in at least one direction, thereby altering the enlarged preview image.

3. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, the user interface further comprising a persistently visible menu adjacent to the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu listing options available for operation on the enlarged preview image.

4. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, the user interface further comprising a persistently visible menu adjacent the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu containing options for performing operations relating to the management of image and non-image files and folders stored in the computing environment.

5. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thumbnail images includes images in both a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

6. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, the user interface further comprising a file name description presented contemporaneously with each of the thumbnail images.

7. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of the thumbnail images is located in a single row immediately below the preview image.

8. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the plurality of thumbnail images is located in a single column immediately beside the preview image.

9. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the enlarged preview image is presented based on a determination that the plurality of thumbnail images is below a predetermined number of thumbnail images.

10. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-storage medium stores an operating system, the operating system incorporating the file and folder system.

11. The computer-storage medium of claim 1, wherein the computer-storage medium stores a browser, the browser incorporating the file and folder system.

12. A computing device comprising the computer-storage medium of claim 1.

13. A computer-storage medium storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for managing image and non-image files and folders stored in a computing environment, the method comprising:

presenting a plurality of thumbnail images, representative of image files stored in the computing environment, in alignment with one another, wherein the thumbnail images are small representations of the images files and provide a quick glimpse of the image files;

receiving a selection of one of the thumbnail images;

determining that the plurality of thumbnail images is below a predetermined number of thumbnail images; and

based on the determination that the plurality of thumbnail images is below the predetermined number of thumbnail images, presenting an enlarged preview image positioned adjacent to the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image corresponding to the selected one of the thumbnail images and comprising a sizable image allowing a user to readily view and identify details of an image file corresponding to the selected one of the thumbnail images, which is not available from viewing the selected one of the thumbnail images.

14. The computer-storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises presenting at least one navigational icon for user selection, the at least one navigational icon enabling a user to iterate through the thumbnail images in at least one direction, thereby altering the enlarged preview image.

15. The computer-storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises presenting a persistently visible menu adjacent to the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu listing options available for operation on the enlarged preview image.

16. The computer-storage medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises presenting a persistently visible menu adjacent the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu containing options for performing operations relating to the management of image and non-image files and folders.

17. A computing device comprising the computer-storage medium of claim 13.

18. A computing device including a processor and computer-storage medium storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for managing image and non-image files and folders, the method comprising:

presenting a plurality of thumbnail images, representative of image files, wherein the thumbnail images are small representations of the images files;

receiving a selection of one of the thumbnail images corresponding with an image file; and

presenting an enlarged preview image positioned adjacent to the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image corresponding to the selected one of the thumbnail images and comprising a larger representation of the image file compared to the selected one of the thumbnail images.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises presenting a persistently visible menu adjacent to the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu listing options available for operation on the enlarged preview image.

20. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises presenting a persistently visible menu adjacent the thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the menu containing options for performing operations relating to the management of image and non-image files and folders.