Providing Enhanced User Interfaces

• US 20140344754A1
• Filed: 04/15/2014
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Original Assignee: Citrix Systems, Inc. (Cloud Software Group)
• Inventors: Lai, Jannie, Cao, Lin, Gajendar, Uday
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,548 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/830
• 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 3/04817 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing enhanced user interfaces are presented. In some embodiments, a computing device may generate a user interface that presents a selectable control element. Subsequently, the computing device may receive input selecting the control element. In response to receiving the input selecting the control element, the computing device may update the user interface to present a ring that includes at least one band of icons. In addition, the ring may have a first portion that is visible and a second portion, different from the first portion, that is hidden. In some instances, the computing device then may receive a selection of an icon included in the at least one band of icons. In response to receiving the selection of the icon, the computing device may update the user interface to hide the ring.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating, by a computing device, a user interface that presents a selectable control element;

receiving, by the computing device, input selecting the control element; and

in response to receiving the input selecting the control element, updating, by the computing device, the user interface to present a ring comprising at least one band of icons, the ring having a first portion that is visible and a second portion, different from the first portion, that is hidden.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the user interface to present the ring includes initiating a lighting effect adjacent to at least a portion of the ring.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each icon in the at least one band of icons corresponds to an open application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a first icon included in the at least one band of icons corresponds to a first application having two or more open windows, the first icon having a counter overlay indicating the number of open windows of the first application.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, input selecting and holding the first icon; and

in response to receiving the input selecting and holding the first icon, updating, by the computing device, the user interface to present a cluster of thumbnails, each thumbnail corresponding to a different open window of the first application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each icon in the at least one band of icons corresponds to an open document.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the ring is displayed along at least one edge of the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a selection of an icon included in the at least one band of icons; and

in response to receiving the selection of the icon, updating, by the computing device, the user interface to hide the ring.

9. The method of claim 1,

wherein the ring is scrollable,

wherein the user interface is configured to rotate the ring in response to input scrolling the ring, and

wherein rotating the ring causes at least one icon of the first portion of the ring to be moved to the second portion of the ring.

10. A computing device, comprising:

at least one processor; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the computing device to;

generate a user interface that presents a control element;

receive input selecting the control element; and

in response to receiving the input selecting the control element, update the user interface to present a ring comprising at least one band of icons, the ring having a first portion that is visible and a second portion, different from the first portion, that is hidden.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein updating the user interface to present the ring includes initiating a lighting effect adjacent to at least a portion of the ring.

12. The computing device of claim 10, wherein each icon in the at least one band of icons corresponds to an open application.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein a first icon included in the at least one band of icons corresponds to a first application having two or more open windows, the first icon having a counter overlay indicating the number of open windows of the first application.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computing device to:

receive input selecting and holding the first icon; and

in response to receiving the input selecting and holding the first icon, update the user interface to present a cluster of thumbnails, each thumbnail corresponding to a different open window of the first application.

15. The computing device of claim 10, wherein each icon in the at least one band of icons corresponds to an open document.

16. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the ring is displayed along at least one edge of the user interface.

17. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, further cause the computing device to:

receive a selection of an icon included in the at least one band of icons; and

in response to receiving the selection of the icon, update the user interface to hide the ring.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause at least one computing device to:

generate a user interface that presents a control element;

receive input selecting the control element; and

in response to receiving the input selecting the control element, update the user interface to present a ring comprising at least one band of icons, the ring having a first portion that is visible and a second portion, different from the first portion, that is hidden.

19. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein updating the user interface to present the ring includes initiating a lighting effect adjacent to at least a portion of the ring.

20. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 18,

wherein each icon in the at least one band of icons corresponds to an open application,

wherein a first icon included in the at least one band of icons corresponds to a first application having two or more open windows, the first icon having a counter overlay indicating the number of open windows of the first application, and

wherein the one or more non-transitory computer-readable media have additional computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, further cause at least one computing device to:

receive input selecting and holding the first icon; and

in response to receiving the input selecting and holding the first icon, update the user interface to present a cluster of thumbnails, each thumbnail corresponding to a different open window of the first application.