MULTI-CONTEXT SERVICE

• US 20110072393A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 03/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilairat, Weerapan
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,609 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/811
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A multi-context service is described. In embodiments, a first input on a touch-screen of a portable device is detected as a selection of an object icon displayed on the touch-screen. A second input on the touch-screen is detected as a selection of an application icon displayed on the touch-screen. The object icon is associated with a content object, and the application icon is associated with a command provider that performs one or more actions on the content object. The content object is associated with the command provider to initiate the command provider to perform at least one of the actions on the content object based on the content object being associated with the command provider.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method on a portable device, the method comprising:

detecting a first input on a touch-screen as a selection of an object icon displayed on the touch-screen, the object icon being associated with a content object;

detecting a second input on the touch-screen as a selection of an application icon displayed on the touch-screen, the application icon being associated with a command provider that is configured to perform one or more actions on the content object; and

associating the content object with the command provider to initiate the command provider to perform at least one of the actions on the content object based on the content object being associated with the command provider.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the command provider automatically performs the at least one action on the content object based on a type of the content object that is associated with the command provider.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a list of commands corresponding to the one or more actions that the command provider is configured to perform on the content object; and

receiving a selectable input of a command to initiate the at least one action on the content object.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein the commands are displayed in the list in a ranked order from a first command that corresponds to a most likely action to be performed on the content object, to a last command that corresponds to a least likely action to be performed on the content object.

5. A method as recited in claim 4, wherein the commands are displayed in the list in the ranked order based on at least one of a ranking selected by the command provider or the ranking received as user-selectable inputs to the portable device.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

registering at least one of an electronic document, image, or data as the content object; and

registering a software application as the command provider that is configured to perform the one or more actions on the content object.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second input on the touch-screen is detected while the first input remains in contact with the touch-screen.

8. A portable device, comprising:

at least a memory and a processor that implement a multi-context service configured to associate a content object with a command provider to initiate the command provider to perform one or more actions on the content object;

a touch-screen configured to display an object icon that is associated with the content object, and display an application icon that is associated with the command provider;

a touch-screen driver configured to;

detect a first input on the touch-screen as a selection of the object icon that is associated with the content object; and

detect a second input on the touch-screen as a selection of the application icon that is associated with the command provider, the multi-context service configured to said associate the content object with the command provider based on the selection of the object icon and the selection of the application icon.

9. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the multi-context service is further configured to said initiate the command provider to automatically perform at least one action on the content object based on a type of the content object that is associated with the command provider.

10. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the touch-screen is further configured to display a list of commands corresponding to the one or more actions that the command provider is configured to perform on the content object; and

the touch-screen driver is further configured to detect a selectable input of a command to initiate at least one action on the content object.

11. A portable device as recited in claim 10, wherein the commands are displayed in the list in a ranked order from a first command that corresponds to a most likely action to be performed on the content object, to a last command that corresponds to a least likely action to be performed on the content object.

12. A portable device as recited in claim 11, wherein the commands are displayed in the list in the ranked order based on at least one of a ranking selected by the command provider or the ranking received as user-selectable inputs to the portable device.

13. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the multi-context service is further configured to:

register at least one of an electronic document, image, or data as the content object; and

register a software application as the command provider that is configured to perform the one or more actions on the content object.

14. A portable device as recited in claim 8, wherein the touch-screen driver is further configured to detect the second input on the touch-screen while the first input remains in contact with the touch-screen.

15. Computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a portable device, initiate the portable device to:

detect a first input on a touch-screen as a selection of an object icon displayed on the touch-screen, the object icon being associated with a content object;

detect a second input on the touch-screen as a selection of an application icon displayed on the touch-screen, the application icon being associated with a command provider that is configured to perform one or more actions on the content object; and

associate the content object with the command provider to initiate the command provider to perform at least one of the actions on the content object based on the content object being associated with the command provider.

16. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further initiate the portable device to associate the content object with the command provider to initiate that the command provider automatically perform the at least one action on the content object based on a type of the content object that is associated with the command provider.

17. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further initiate the portable device to:

display a list of commands corresponding to the one or more actions that the command provider is configured to perform on the content object; and

receive a selectable input of a command to initiate the at least one action on the content object.

18. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 17, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further initiate the portable device to display the commands in the list in a ranked order from a first command that corresponds to a most likely action to be performed on the content object, to a last command that corresponds to a least likely action to be performed on the content object.

19. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 18, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further initiate the portable device to display the commands in the list in the ranked order based on at least one of a ranking selected by the command provider or the ranking received as user-selectable inputs to the portable device.

20. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 15, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed, further initiate the portable device to:

register at least one of an electronic document, image, or data as the content object; and

registering a software application as the command provider that is configured to perform the one or more actions on the content object.