Interactive Visualization of Multiple Software Functionality Content Items

• US 20130091465A1
• Filed: 10/11/2011
• Published: 04/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kikin-Gil, Erez, Friend, Ned B., Kotler, Matthew J., Parker, Charles W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,996,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/817
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Interactive visualization of multiple software functionality content items is provided. A variety of content items may be associated with each other according to one or more association attributes. A visualization presentation of one or more of the content items may be displayed in a visualization interface. Organization of content items may be made in association with a visualization ordering based on one or more logical attributes. An ordered navigation interface component may be provided to allow navigation of the displayed content items in a moving visualization such that a focused on content item may be displayed in a main or primary display position. Users may interact with each content item displayed in the visualization interface to include providing edits, comments, feedback, and the like.

Claims

1. A method of providing a visualization of electronic content items, comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic content items;

displaying the plurality of content items on a computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order across the visualization surface such that each of the plurality of content items is displayed adjacent to another content item in a row of content items extending from one side of the visualization surface to another side of the visualization surface;

wherein, displaying the plurality of content items on the computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order includes displaying the plurality of content items on the computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order according to a prescribed ordering attribute associated with each of the plurality of content items;

displaying on the visualization surface an ordered navigation interface for providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items; and

enabling navigation of the displayed plurality of content items by actuation of the ordered navigation interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying on the visualization surface an ordered navigation interface for providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items includes displaying on the visualization surface a timeline interface for providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items based times associated with each of the plurality of content items.

3. The method of claim 1, prior to displaying the plurality of content items on the computer-generated visualization surface, further comprising associating each of the plurality of content items with each other based on a prescribed ordering attribute associated with each of the plurality of content items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein upon receiving a command for navigating from one content item to another content item, moving the display of the plurality of content items across the visualization surface such that a navigated to one of the plurality of content items is displayed in a primary display position relative to other of the plurality of content items, and such that the navigated to one of the plurality of content items is displayed in a larger display size than a display size for the other of the plurality of content items.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items includes providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items in a sequential order according to a prescribed ordering attribute associated with each of the plurality of content items.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, upon receiving an interaction with the ordered navigation interface for navigating the display of the plurality of content items, moving the display of the plurality of content items across the visualization surface such that a navigated to one of the plurality of content items is displayed in a primary display position relative to other of the plurality of content items.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying at a particular point along the ordered navigation interface an icon for indicating an event has occurred to a content item at the particular point along the ordered navigation interface, wherein the particular point along the ordered navigation interface corresponds to a content item displayed with the display of the plurality of content items and associated with the event that has occurred.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein upon receiving a selection of the icon, automatically navigating to the content item associated with the displayed icon such that the content item associated with the displayed icon is displayed in a primary display position relative to other of the plurality of content items.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising displaying in association with the content item associated with the displayed icon a graphical representation of the event that has occurred to the content item.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein indicating an event has occurred to the content item at the particular point along the ordered navigation interface includes indicating that a content change has occurred for the content item.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a single content item of the plurality of content items on the visualization surface; and

wherein displaying the ordered navigation interface includes displaying an ordered navigation interface where one or more points along the ordered navigation interface corresponds to one or more states of the single content item.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising navigating to a particular point along the ordered navigation interface corresponding to a particular state of the single content item and causing a display of the single content item according to a state of the single content item corresponding to the particular point along the ordered navigation interface.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a single content item of the plurality of content items on the visualization surface; and

allowing one or more authoring actions on the displayed single content item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein allowing one or more authoring actions on the displayed single content item includes receiving a comment associated with a given attribute of the displayed single content item.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving a comment associated with a given attribute of the displayed single content item includes receiving a comment associated with a given position on the displayed single content item.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving a comment associated with a given attribute of the displayed single content item includes receiving a comment associated with a given time associated with the displayed single content item.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein receiving a comment associated with a given attribute of the displayed single content item includes receiving a comment associated with a given position on the displayed single content item and associated with a given time associated with the displayed single content item.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein allowing one or more authoring actions on the displayed single content item includes allowing interaction with the displayed single content item by application of one or more functionalities to the displayed single content item selected from a gallery of authoring options.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein allowing interaction with the displayed single content item by application of one or more functionalities to the displayed single content item selected from a gallery of authoring options includes allowing application of formatting or display characteristics to one or more components of the displayed single content item.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein allowing application of formatting or display characteristics to one or more components of the displayed single content item includes allowing application of a display characteristic that dictates how a display feature applied to a given component of the displayed single content item is presented when a user interacts with the displayed single content item.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on the visualization surface a feedback user interface component for receiving feedback on one or more data items contained in one or more of the plurality of content items.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein receiving feedback on one or more data items contained in one or more of the plurality of content items, further comprises receiving feedback on one or more users of the one or more data items.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying on the visualization surface information on a most frequently used one or more data items associated with a given one of the plurality of content items for enabling generation of a visualization of the most frequently used one or more data items on the visualization surface.

24. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing a visualization of electronic content items, comprising:

receiving a plurality of electronic content items;

displaying the plurality of content items on a computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order across the visualization surface such that each of the plurality of content items is displayed adjacent to another content item in a row of content items extending from one side of the visualization surface to another side of the visualization surface;

wherein, displaying the plurality of content items on the computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order includes displaying the plurality of content items on the computer-generated visualization surface in a sequential order according to a prescribed ordering attribute associated with each of the plurality of content items;

displaying on the visualization surface a ordered navigation interface for providing navigation of the display of the plurality of content items;

wherein upon receiving an interaction with the ordered navigation interface for navigating from one content item to another content item, moving the display of the plurality of content items across the visualization surface such that a navigated to one of the plurality of content items is displayed in a primary display position relative to other of the plurality of content items; and

displaying a computer-generated path showing a navigation path from one content item to another content item during a given navigation session performed in association with the plurality of content items.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, wherein displaying a computer-generated path showing a navigation path from one content item to another content item during a given navigation session performed in association with the plurality of content items includes displaying a computer-generated path showing a navigation path from one visualization of one or more content items to another visualization of one or more content items.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 25, wherein displaying a computer-generated path showing a navigation path from one visualization of one or more content items to another visualization of one or more content items includes displaying a computer-generated path showing a navigation path from one or more data items associated with one visualization to one or more data items associated with another visualization.

27. A system for providing a visualization of electronic content items, comprising:

a content visualization application coupled with a computing device, the content visualization application operative to;

receive an electronic content item;

display the electronic content item on a visualization surface;

display on the visualization surface a ordered navigation interface for providing navigation of the display of the electronic content item, wherein one or more points along the ordered navigation interface corresponds to one or more states of the electronic content item; and

navigate to a particular point along the ordered navigation interface corresponding to a particular state of the electronic content item and cause a display of the electronic content item according to a state of the electronic content item corresponding to the particular point along the ordered navigation interface.