CONTEXT MENU UTILIZING A CONTEXT INDICATOR AND FLOATING MENU BAR

• US 20150378600A1
• Filed: 06/25/2015
• Published: 12/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Sloan, Ryan, Rodrig, Maya, Yeo, Il, Long, Timothy, Vogel, Matthew, Bell, Jon, Esterly, Jon, Seto, Julie
• Application Number:
  US14/751,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20150378600A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A context menu in an application user interface displays a context indicator in response to user interaction that places an insertion pointer or selects content in the application user interface. The context indicator is configured to invoke a floating menu having a set of contextual commands. The contextual commands of the floating menu include a parent command that is configured to open a submenu. The submenu includes a plurality of submenu commands associated with the parent command. The context menu displays a selectable button appended to the context indicator without presenting the underlying floating menu and submenu. The selectable button is configured to execute a predicted command that corresponds to one of a contextual command of the floating menu or a submenu command of the submenu.

Claims

1. A computing device configured to provide a context menu in an application user interface, the computer system comprising:

a processor configured to execute computer-executable instructions; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions configured to;

display a context indicator in response to user interaction that places an insertion pointer or selects content in the application user interface, wherein the context indicator is configured to invoke a floating menu having a set of contextual commands including a parent command that is configured to open a submenu having a plurality of submenu commands associated with the parent command; and

display a selectable button appended to the context indicator, wherein the selectable button is configured to execute a predicted command that corresponds to one of a contextual command of the floating menu or a submenu command of the submenu.

2. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to determine the predicted command based on at least one of the user interaction or a prior command that was executed.

3. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions configured to determine the predicted command based on at least one of:

a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a community of users,

a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a user of the computing device,

a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the community of users, or

a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the user of the computing device.

4. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the context indicator and the selectable button are configured to be dismissed or hidden by the floating menu upon selection of the context indicator.

5. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the submenu is configured to be opened as a callout from the floating menu upon selection of the parent button.

6. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the floating menu is configured to be dismissed upon selection of the parent command button.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the submenu is configured to be anchored to the application user interface.

8. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the submenu is configured to be opened as a floating user interface surface.

9. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for displaying a virtual keyboard that is configured to be dismissed upon selection of the parent command button.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for displaying a virtual keyboard that is configured to be replaced by a toolbar upon switching orientation of the application user interface from a portrait view to a landscape view.

11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the memory further stores computer-executable instructions for displaying a virtual keyboard that is configured to show contextual commands of the floating menu on keys of the virtual keyboard.

12. A computer-implemented method performed by a computing device to provide a context menu in an application user interface, the computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting user interaction that places an insertion pointer or selects content in the application user interface;

displaying a context indicator in the application user interface in response to the user interaction; and

displaying a selectable button appended to the context indicator, wherein;

the context indicator is configured to invoke a floating menu having a set of contextual commands including a parent command that is configured to open a submenu having a plurality of submenu commands associated with the parent command, and

the selectable button is configured to invoke a predicted command that corresponds to one of a contextual command of the floating menu or a submenu command of the submenu.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising determining the predicted command based on at least one of the user interaction or a prior command that was executed.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising determining the predicted command based on at least one of:

a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a community of users,

a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a user of the computing device,

a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the community of users, or

a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the user of the computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

dismissing or hiding the context indicator and the selectable button in response to selection of the context indicator;

displaying the floating menu; and

displaying the submenu in response to selection of the parent button.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

dismissing the floating menu in response to the selection of the parent command button.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

dismissing the floating menu and the submenu together in response to touch input that is outside of both the floating menu and the submenu.

18. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to implement a context menu configured to:

display, in an application user interface, a context indicator and selectable button appended to the context indicator in response to user interaction that places an insertion pointer or selects content in the application user interface, wherein;

the context indicator is configured to invoke a floating menu having a set of contextual commands including a parent command that is configured to open a submenu having a plurality of submenu commands associated with the parent command, and

the selectable button is configured to invoke a predicted command that corresponds to one of a contextual command of the floating menu or a submenu command of the submenu.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein:

the context indicator and the selectable button are configured to be dismissed or hidden by the floating menu upon selection of the context indicator; and

the floating menu is configured to be dismissed upon selection of the parent command button.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the predicted command is determined based on at least one of:

the user interaction, a prior command that was executed, a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a community of users, a contextual command of the floating menu that is most-frequently used by a user of the computing device, a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the community of users, or a submenu command of the submenu that is most-frequently used by the user of the computing device.