VISUALLY EMPHASIZING PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF A USER INTERFACE
First Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for bringing visual emphasis to reduced size portions of a total available area of a user interface, the method comprising:
- receiving an indication to configure a specified portion of the user interface;
displaying on the user interface a set of configuration options for the specified portion;
visually emphasizing the specified portion of the user interface, wherein visually emphasizing the specified portion comprises one or more of magnifying in size the specified portion, highlighting the specified portion, or highlighting an area around the specified portion, and wherein visually emphasizing the specified portion creates an emphasized portion;
receiving a configuration selection for the specified portion of the user interface; and
displaying the emphasized view of the specified portion with effects of the configuration selection.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and computer-readable media for visually emphasizing small and typically unnoticed portions of a user interface are provided. A user indicates a desire to modify or customize certain settings for a particular portion of a user interface by, for example, opening a control panel window. Portions that can be modified or customized include a toolbar, taskbar, or system tray. The portion may be magnified or highlighted to draw the user'"'"'s attention to that area, and any modifications that the user makes to that portion may be immediately displayed on the emphasized portion, which establishes a clear visual association between a set of configuration options for the portion of the user interface, and the portion itself. The portion may be emphasized at different times, such as when the configuration settings are displayed, when the user makes a change, or after the changes have been made.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for bringing visual emphasis to reduced size portions of a total available area of a user interface, the method comprising:
-
receiving an indication to configure a specified portion of the user interface; displaying on the user interface a set of configuration options for the specified portion; visually emphasizing the specified portion of the user interface, wherein visually emphasizing the specified portion comprises one or more of magnifying in size the specified portion, highlighting the specified portion, or highlighting an area around the specified portion, and wherein visually emphasizing the specified portion creates an emphasized portion; receiving a configuration selection for the specified portion of the user interface; and displaying the emphasized view of the specified portion with effects of the configuration selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for bringing visual emphasis to a reduced size icon, the method comprising:
-
listening for a state change associated with one or more reduced size icons on a user interface; and upon reaching a pre-determined level of state change, applying a surrounding emphasizing indicia to the one or more reduced size icons. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A computer-implemented method for bringing visual emphasis to reduced size portions of a total available area of a user interface, the method comprising:
-
receiving a user indication to configure one or more specified portions of the user interface; displaying on the user interface a set of configuration options for the one or more specified portions of the user interface; incident to displaying the set of configuration options for the one or more specified portions of the user interface, magnifying in size the one or more specified portions of the user interface; receiving one or more configuration selections for the one or more specified portions of the user interface; incident to receiving the one or more configuration selections, displaying in the one or more specified portions effects of the one or more configuration selections; receiving the user indication to complete configuration of the one or more specified portions of the user interface; and reverting the size of the one or more specified portions to an original size.
-
Specification