Application of Comments in Multiple Application Functionality Content

• US 20130097481A1
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kotler, Matthew J., Friend, Ned B., Kikin-Gil, Erez, Parker, Charles W., Zaika, Igor
• Granted Patent: US 9,069,743 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/230
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Application of comments to a variety of application functionality content is provided. Comments may be entered and displayed in a comments user interface component directly in line in the text or other objects of a document or other content item. Displayed comments may be collapsed to a simplified comments tab that may remain displayed in the associated document or content item. Selection of the comments tab may allow for expansion of the comments user interface component to full size. The comments tab may likewise be collapsed to an icon or other image displayed next to the associated content, and the icon or other image may be configured to provide an indication of the length of an associated comments conversation thread. One or more social feedback mechanisms may be employed to show feedback on a given component or portion of a document or content item.

Claims

1. A method of providing comments in association with an electronic content item, comprising:

displaying a first content item in a computer-enabled interface;

receiving a selection for entering a first comment from a first user in association with a portion of the first content item;

in response to receiving a selection for entering a first comment from a first user, displaying a comments user interface in line in the first content item underneath a portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed; and

receiving in the comments user interface a first comment directed to the portion of the first content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a comments user interface in line in the first content item underneath a portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed includes displaying the comments user interface in a display configuration and display size such that the displayed comments user interface and such that comments received and displayed in the comments user interface match a display configuration and display size of the displayed first content item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to receiving a selection for collapsing the comments user interface from view, collapsing the comments user interface from view, and displaying a comments tab in the first content item in a location in the first content item where the comments user interface was displayed prior to collapsing the comments user interface from view.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying in the comments tab information about the comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying in the comments tab information about the comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface includes displaying one or more of indications of a number of comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface, identifications of one or more authors of the comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface, indications of whether comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface have been marked as read or unread and indications of whether the comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface have been marked as resolved or unresolved.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a selection of the comments tab, and expanding the comments user interface such that the comments user interface is displayed in line in the first content item underneath the portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a selection for collapsing the comments tab from view.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising collapsing the comments tab from view and displaying an image adjacent to the first content item and adjacent to the location of a display in the first content item where the comments tab was displayed prior to being collapsed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein displaying an image adjacent to the first content item and adjacent to the location of a display in the first content item where the comments tab was displayed prior to being collapsed includes displaying a number of images representative of a number of comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a selection of the displayed image and expanding the collapsed comments tab such that the comments tab is displayed in the first content item in a location in the first content item where the comments user interface was displayed prior to collapsing the comments user interface from view.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a selection of the comments tab, and expanding the comments user interface such that the comments user interface is displayed in line in the first content item underneath the portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second comment in the comments user interface directed to the portion of the first content item wherein the first and second comments comprise a comments thread directed to the first content item.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising receiving one or more additional comments directed to the first content portion wherein the one or more additional comments directed to the first content portion are associated with the first and second comments and further comprise the comments thread directed to the first content item.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the first and second comments and each of the one or more additional comments are stored at a remote comments storage service for providing access to each of the comments by one or more users and for providing information on each of the comments to requesting users.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a display of the computer-enabled interface such that the first comment is displayed as a primary display feature and such that the first content item is displayed as a secondary display feature.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein displaying the first content item as a secondary display feature includes changing a display formatting of the first content item such that only the first comment is displayed.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a scroll bar in the computer-enabled interface and displaying one or more comments indicators in the scroll bar to indicate positions in corresponding portions of the first content item at which one or more comments corresponding to the one or more comments indicators are embedded.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing in the computer-enabled interface a comments user interface component in which is displayed one or more selectable functionality controls for actuating comments functionality in association with the first content item.

19. A method of providing feedback in an electronic content item, comprising:

displaying a first content item in a computer-enabled interface;

displaying a feedback user interface component for receiving feedback on a portion of the first content item;

receiving a selection of a user feedback control from the feedback user interface component in association with the portion of the first content item; and

in response to receiving the selection of the user feedback control, displaying a feedback image in the first content item adjacent to the portion of the first content item to which the user feedback is directed, the feedback image being associated with a feedback level applied to the portion of the first content item by the user.

20. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing comments in association with an electronic document, comprising:

displaying a first document in a computer-enabled interface;

receiving a selection for entering a first comment from a first user in association with a portion of the first document;

in response to receiving a selection for entering a first comment from a first user, displaying a comments user interface in line in the first document underneath a portion of the first document to which the first comment is directed;

receiving in the comments user interface a first comment directed to the portion of the first document;

receiving a selection for collapsing the comments user interface from view; and

collapsing the comments user interface from view, and displaying a comments tab in the first document in a location in the first document where the comments user interface was displayed prior to collapsing the comments user interface from view.