Progressively Indicating New Content in an Application-Selectable User Interface

• US 20130063465A1
• Filed: 09/10/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zaman, Nazia, Donahue, Tyler J., Ray, Ethan Nelson, Velasco, Maverick J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,146,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/156 Query results presentation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03543 Mice or pucks G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

This document describes techniques for progressively indicating new content in an application-selectable user interface. These techniques permit a user to view indications of new content for applications progressively, rather than all at one time. By so doing, the techniques may avoid mentally or visually overloading or over-stimulating a user viewing the indications.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

presenting, in a visible region of an interface, a set of tiles associated with a set of applications;

determining a subset of the set of tiles associated with a subset of applications and for which new content is available;

determining that a number of the subset or a fraction of the subset relative to the set exceeds a pre-determined threshold; and

progressively indicating, in each of the subset of tiles within the visible region, that new content is available.

2. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, further comprising, after presenting the set of tiles associated with applications, ceasing to present the visible region and, prior to determining the subset of the set of tiles, receiving selection to re-present the visible region.

3. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 2, wherein determining the subset is responsive to receiving selection to re-present the visible region.

4. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein progressively indicating that new content is available cascades, from one side of the visible region to another side of the visible region, animations across the subset of tiles.

5. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein progressively indicating that new content is available cascades, from one corner of the visible region to an opposite-most corner of the visible region, animations across the subset of tiles.

6. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein progressively indicating that new content is available alters an appearance of the subset of tiles in two or more stages.

7. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 6, wherein progressively indicating alters the appearance of the subset by presenting new content or an indicator indicating that new content is available.

8. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 1, wherein progressively indicating that new content is available animates the subset of tiles in two or more stages.

9. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 8, wherein progressively indicating animates the subset of tiles by presenting a rotation of portions of new content within the one of the tiles.

10. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, wherein presenting the rotation of portions of the new content rotates text and an image.

11. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 9, wherein progressively indicating animates the subset of tiles by cycling presentation of multiple new content within one of the tiles.

12. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 11, wherein animate the subset of tiles visually alters the tiles without presenting the new content.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving reports associated with multiple applications and indicating new content or updates to the multiple applications, the multiple applications having associated tiles of an interface through which the new content or the update can be indicated;

determining which of the associated tiles are in a region of the interface;

determining an order in which to indicate the new content or the updates, the order including a delay to indicate at least one of the new content or the updates in the region of the interface; and

indicating the new content or the updates in the region of the interface and according to the order.

14. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein indicating the new content or the updates animates the associated tiles by:

presenting a first rotation, within a first of the associated tiles, of portions of the new content;

presenting a second rotation, within a second of the associated tiles, of multiple new content;

or

visually altering a third of the associated tiles without presenting the new content or the update and by glossing, shimmering, color changing, tilting, shape-changing, or highlighting.

15. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein one or more of the multiple applications is not executing during the method.

16. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein determining the order is based on a layout of the associated tiles in the region.

17. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein determining the order is based on a number of reports or notifications received for each of the multiple applications.

18. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein the delay is determined based on:

an amount of time to complete an animation indicating the new content or the update;

a number of the associated tiles in the region;

or

a fraction of the associated tiles in the region relative to a total number of tiles in the region.

19. A computer-implemented method as described in claim 13, wherein indicating the new content or the updates presents the new content within the associated tiles.

20. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining, for an interface having a visible region in which visible, selectable tiles associated with applications are presented and a non-visible region in which tiles associated with applications are included but not currently presented, a pre-render portion of the non-visible region;

pre-rendering animations for tiles in the pre-render portion and for which reports indicating new content have been received;

receiving an input selecting to view the pre-render portion of the non-visible region;

determining that a number of the tiles in the pre-render portion for which reports indicating new content have been received or a fraction of the number of the tiles in the pre-render portion relative to a total number of tiles in the pre-render portion exceeds a pre-determined threshold; and

progressively animating the pre-rendered animations in the pre-render portion.