User Interface for Displaying Selectable Software Functionality Controls that are Relevant to a Selected Object

• US 20130014048A1
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Published: 01/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Butcher, Aaron M., Morton, David A., Harris, Jensen M., Denney, Justin
• Granted Patent: US 9,690,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/777
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface for a software application, the method comprising:

displaying a first section comprising selectable tabs associated with task-based functionality of the software application;

displaying a second section comprising a first set of selectable controls organized underneath a currently selected tab;

displaying a third section for editing an electronic document; and

enabling an editing of the electronic document while persisting the display of the first set of selectable controls organized underneath the currently selected tab.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an object within the third section; and

displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, an additional tab in the first section, the additional tab corresponding to software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

replacing, upon receiving the selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls with a second set of selectable controls organized underneath the additional tab.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the additional tab in the first section; and

replacing the first set of selectable controls with a second set of selectable controls organized under the selected additional tab.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second section comprising the first set of selectable controls comprises displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings, the logical groupings comprising a

subset of the first set of selectable controls having an underlying common task.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings comprises displaying a heading for each logical grouping, the heading corresponding to the underlying common task associated with the selectable control subset.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, adjacent to the first section, a fourth section having at least one selectable control for general file commands associated with the software application.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the editing of the electronic document comprises enabling the editing of at least one of the following:

a spreadsheet document, a word-processing document, and a slide presentation document.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein receiving the selection of the object comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the following:

a picture object and a table object.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, the additional tab in the first section comprises displaying a title for the additional tab corresponding to a type of the selected object.

11. A computer-readable storage medium having a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for providing a user interface for a software application, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

displaying a first section comprising selectable tabs associated with tasks of the software application;

displaying, adjacent to the first section, a second section comprising a first set of selectable controls associated with a currently selected tab;

receiving a selection of an object within the software application; and

displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, an additional tab in the first section corresponding to software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the additional tab; and

replacing the first set of selectable controls in the second section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, further comprising:

replacing, in response to the received selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls in the second section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein receiving the selection of the object within the software application comprises enabling the selection of the object while persisting the display of the first set of selectable controls in the second section.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the second section comprising the first set of selectable controls comprises displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings, the logical groupings comprising a subset of the first set of selectable controls having an underlying common task.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings comprises displaying a heading for each logical grouping, the heading corresponding to the underlying common task associated with the selectable control subset of each logical grouping.

17. A method for providing a user interface for a software application, the method comprising:

displaying a first section comprising selectable controls for general file commands associated with the software application;

displaying, adjacent to the first section, a second section comprising selectable tabs associated with task-based functionality of the software application;

displaying, underneath the second section, a third section comprising a first set of selectable controls associated with a currently selected tab;

organizing the first set of selectable controls into subsets of selectable controls having a common underlying task;

organizing the subsets of selectable controls into logical groupings, each logical grouping comprising a heading representing the underlying task of its corresponding subset of controls; and

displaying, underneath the third section, a fourth section for editing an electronic document.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an object; and

displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, an additional tab in the second section corresponding to software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

replacing, in response to the received selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls in the third section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein receiving the selection of the object comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the following:

a picture object and a table object, and wherein displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, the additional tab in the second section comprises displaying a title for the additional tab corresponding to a type of the selected object.