Location-Dependent Drag and Drop UI

• US 20140019899A1
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Published: 01/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rampson, Benjamin Edward, Patterson, Eric W., Cheng, Karen X.
• Granted Patent: US 9,164,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/770
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

An improved interactive user interface for presenting functionalities of an application is provided. An application functionality applied to a data element range may be represented by a selectable preview element that provides a preview of the application functionality applied to the data element range. Upon selection of a preview element, one or more drop zones may be displayed. The preview element may be dragged to a drop zone and may animate into a visualization of the application functionality applied to the data element. The type of visualization that is displayed may be dependent on the drop zone to which the preview element is dragged. After a preview element is dropped into a drop zone, the functionality may be applied to the data element range and be displayed. The interactive data visualizations may encourage a user to explore features of an application.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive user interface for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

displaying one or more selectable preview elements, each of the one or more preview elements representing an application functionality;

receiving an indication of a selection of a preview element;

providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element;

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone;

displaying a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the drop zone;

receiving an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

applying the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to displaying one or more selectable preview elements:

receiving an indication of a selection of a data element range; and

determining application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying one or more selectable preview elements comprises displaying one or more preview elements representing application functionalities determined likely to be used for the selected data element range.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element further comprises for each of the one or more drop zones, providing a specific action to apply in association with applying the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a selectable preview element comprises displaying a preview representation of an application functionality applied to the selected data element range.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the drop zone comprises displaying a representation of the application functionality and a drop zone action applied to the selected data element range.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

displaying a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the second drop zone, wherein displaying the visualization comprises displaying a representation of the application functionality and a drop zone action associated with the second drop zone applied to the selected data element range.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transitioning visualizations via animation as a preview element is moved to a second drop zone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the selectable preview element comprises animating the selectable preview element onto a display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element comprises displaying an indication of a drop zone action that will be applied if the selected preview element is placed in the drop zone.

11. A system for providing an intuitive user interface for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

a display;

an input device; and

a processor configured to;

display one or more selectable preview elements, each of the one or more preview elements representing an application functionality;

receive an indication of a selection of a preview element;

provide one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element;

receive an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone;

display a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the drop zone;

receive an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

apply the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an action associated with each of the one or more drop zones such that when a selected preview element is moved to a drop zone, the action is applied.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an indication of the action associated with the drop zone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to provide a visualization incorporating the action associated with a drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

provide a visualization incorporating the action associated with the second drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an animated transition between the visualization provided in the first drop zone to the visualization provided in the second drop zone.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further operable to:

receive an indication of a selection of a data element range;

determine application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range; and

display one or more preview elements representing the application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection of a data element range;

determining application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range;

displaying one or more selectable preview elements, each of the one or more preview elements representing an application functionality determined likely to be used for the selected data element range;

receiving an indication of a selection of a preview element;

providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element;

providing an action associated with each of the one or more drop zones;

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone;

displaying a visualization in the drop zone, the visualization incorporating the action associated with a drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element applied to the selected data element range;

receiving an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

applying the application functionality represented by the selected preview element and the action associated with a drop zone in the drop zone.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

displaying a visualization incorporating the action associated with the second drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein displaying a visualization includes animating a morphing of the selected preview element into the visualization.