OVERLAY USER INTERFACE FOR COMMAND CONFIRMATION

• US 20110131526A1
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sundling, Rebecca Jo, Vronay, David, Qiao, Li, Paniaras, Yannis
• Application Number:
  US12/628,234
• Publication Number:
  US 20110131526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]

Abstract

Confirmation is provided each time a command is initiated at an application program in the form of a temporary non-modal user interface (UI) overlay that is displayed in front of the UI windows generated by the application program that received the command. The overlay includes a bounding shape having text contained therein that identifies the command. The overlay might also include a graphical, textual, or numerical indication of a value being adjusted by a user in conjunction with execution of the command. The overlay might be displayed by fading the display of the overlay in over a period of time. The display of the overlay may then be removed by fading the display of the overlay out over a period of time. The overlay might also be displayed at the same on-screen position each time it is displayed.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing command confirmation, the computer-implemented method comprising performing computer-implemented operations for:

detecting the initiation of a command at an application program executing on a computer; and

each time a command is initiated at the application program, temporarily displaying a non-modal overlay in front of one or more user interface windows generated by the application program, the overlay providing a visual confirmation of the initiation of the command.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises a command affecting content displayed by the application program.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlay comprises a bounding shaping having text contained therein that identifies the command.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the overlay further comprises an indication of a value being adjusted by a user in conjunction with execution of the command.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein temporarily displaying the overlay comprises fading in a display of the overlay for a first period of time and fading out the display of the overlay out for a second period of time.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the first period of time and the second period of time are user-definable.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlay is displayed at the same location each time it is displayed.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the location is user-definable.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlay is displayed using one or more colors that visually distinguish the overlay from the user interface windows generated by the application program.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the colors are user-definable.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the overlay is displaying using a bounding shape that visually distinguishes the overlay from the user interface windows generated by the application program.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the bounding shape is user-definable.

13. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

receive a request to perform a command at an application program; and

in response to receiving the request, to display a non-modal overlay in front of one or more application windows generated by the application program, the non-modal overlay comprising a bounding shape having text contained therein for confirming the performance of the command.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay further comprises an indication of a value being adjusted by a user in conjunction with the performance of the command.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein temporarily displaying the overlay comprises fading in a display of the overlay for a user-definable first period of time and fading out the display of the overlay out for a user-definable second period of time.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay is displayed at the same user-definable location each time it is displayed.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the overlay is displayed using one or more user-definable colors that visually distinguish the overlay from the user interface windows generated by the application program.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the bounding shape comprises a user-definable shape that visually distinguishes the overlay from the user interface windows generated by the application program.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the command comprises a command affecting content displayed by the application program.

20. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereupon which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to:

detect a request to perform a command at an application program; and

in response to detecting the request, to fade-in a display of a non-modal overlay in front of one or more user interface windows displayed by the application program and to fade-out the display of the overlay after a user-defined period of time, the overlay comprising a bounding shaping having text contained therein for confirming the performance of the command and an indication of a value being adjusted by a user in conjunction with the performance of the command and being displayed at a stationary position each time the overlay is displayed.