Context Menu

• US 20120110507A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wong, Lyon, Christensen, Jason A., Washington, David Earl, Polsky, Aryeh N., Cohene, Tira L., Burg, David, Dohm, Brendan M., Lusch, Adam C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,639,237 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/825
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

Context menus are described. In one or more implementations, an option is displayed in a user interface by a computing device, the option selectable to cause a representation of an object to be added to a context menu. In response to selection of the option, the context menu is configured by the computing device to include the representation of the object such that the representation of the object is selectable to launch the object by the computing device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying an option in a user interface by a computing device, the option selectable to cause a representation of an object to be added to a context menu; and

in response to selection of the option, configuring the context menu by the computing device to include the representation of the object such that the representation of the object is selectable to launch the object by the computing device.

2. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the representation of the object is selectable via the user interface via a first technique to launch the object and is selectable via a second technique to cause the displaying of the option.

3. A method as described in claim 2, wherein the first operation is a double click operation and the second operation is a right click operation.

4. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the representation of the option is displayed in a ribbon menu.

5. A method as described in claim 1, wherein:

the object is indicated through positioning of a cursor in the user interface as proximal to the representation of the object; and

the displaying is performed responsive to detecting initiation of a right-click operation in conjunction with the positioning of the cursor.

6. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the object is a command.

7. A method as described in claim 6, wherein the command is a file management command

8. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the object is a file.

9. A method as described in claim 1, wherein the context menu includes representations of one or more predefined commands that are selectable via the context menu for initiation by the computing device.

10. A method as described in claim 1, further comprising in response to selection of the option, configuring a toolbar by the computing device to include the representation of the object.

11. A method comprising:

displaying, in a user interface by a computing device, a representation of an object that is selectable using;

a first technique to launch the object by the computing device; and

a second technique to cause output of an option by the computing device;

responsive to detection of the selection of the representation of the object using the second technique, displaying the option to be selectable in the user interface by the computing device to cause the representation of the object to be included in a context menu.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the context menu is configured to be output in the user interface responsive to a right-click.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the object is a file.

14. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the object is a command.

15. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising in response to selection of the option, configuring a toolbar by the computing device to also include the representation of the object.

17. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15, wherein the first technique is a double click and the second technique is a right click.

18. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15, wherein the file management user interface is configured for use in managing files and folders of the computing device and the command is executable to support the management of the files and the folders of the computing device.

19. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15, wherein the representation of the command is included in a ribbon.

20. One or more computer readable media as described in claim 15, wherein the command is part of is part of an operating system of the computing device or is part of third-party software of the computing device.

16. One or more computer readable media comprising instruction stored thereon that responsive to execution by a computing device, causes the computing device to perform operations comprising:

displaying, in a file management user interface by a computing device, a representation of a command that is selectable using;

a first technique to initiate execution of the command by the computing device; and

a second technique to cause output of an option by the computing device;

responsive to detection of the selection of the representation of the command using the second technique, displaying the option to be selectable in the user interface by the computing device;

responsive to detection of selection of the option, configuring a context menu and a toolbar by the computing device to each include a representation of the command that is selectable to initiate execution of the command.