Application Reporting in an Application-Selectable User Interface

• US 20160041711A1
• Filed: 10/20/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zaman, Nazia, Garside, Adrian J., Bush, Christopher T., Barcheck, Lindsey R., Leonard, Chantal M., Satterfield, Jesse Clay
• Granted Patent: US 9,870,132 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services

Abstract

This document describes techniques for application reporting in an application-selectable user interface. These techniques permit a user to view reports for applications in a user interface through which these applications may be selected. By so doing, a user may quickly and easily determine which applications to select based on their respective reports and then select them or their content through the user interface.

Claims

1. A computing device comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by the one or more computer processors, perform operations comprising;

presenting a first user interface having multiple selectable labels associated with multiple applications, respectively, at least one of the multiple selectable labels reporting a change within the selectable label, the change associated with content of the application to which the selectable label is associated;

receiving selection of the selectable label through the first user interface; and

responsive to selection of the selectable label, presenting a second user interface, the second user interface associated with the application, the second user interface presenting the content associated with the change reported in the selectable label.

2. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the application is not executing prior to receiving selection of the selectable label, and presenting the second user interface launches the application.

3. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the change is reported in an area within the selectable label, receiving selection is received to the area of the selectable label, and presenting the content associated with the change is responsive to receiving selection to the area.

4. A computing device as described in claim 3, wherein the operations further comprise presenting a second change within the selectable label, the second change in a second area within the selectable label.

5. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein presenting the change presents the change and one or more other changes on a rotating basis, and presenting the second user interface with the content is responsive to the change associated with the content being presented when the selection of the selectable label is received.

6. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise hiding or closing the first user interface prior to, or as part of, presenting the first user interface.

7. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein presenting the second user interface presents the second user interface in a window superimposed over the first user interface.

8. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein presenting the change presents a portion of the content within the selectable label and presenting the second user interface presents another portion of the content.

9. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a report indicating a new change, the new change associated with one of the multiple applications; and

altering one of the multiple, selectable labels to report the new change, the new change associated with a different one of the multiple applications than the application associated with the selected label.

10. A computing device as described in claim 1, wherein the change is a change to content of the application associated with the selected label relative to a most-recent prior presentation of the application associated with the selected label.

11. A method comprising:

presenting a first user interface having multiple selectable labels associated with multiple applications, respectively, at least one of the multiple selectable labels reporting a change within the selectable label, the change associated with content of the application to which the selectable label is associated;

receiving selection of the selectable label through the first user interface; and

responsive to selection of the selectable label, presenting a second user interface, the second user interface associated with the application, the second user interface presenting the content associated with the change reported in the selectable label.

12. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the application is not executing prior to receiving selection of the selectable label, and presenting the second user interface launches the application.

13. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the change is reported in an area within the selectable label, receiving selection is received to the area of the selectable label, and presenting the content associated with the change is responsive to receiving selection to the area.

14. A method as described in claim 13, further comprising presenting a second change within the selectable label, the second change in a second area within the selectable label.

15. A method as described in claim 11, wherein presenting the change presents the change and one or more other changes on a rotating basis, and presenting the second user interface with the content is responsive to the change associated with the content being presented when the selection of the selectable label is received.

16. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising hiding or closing the first user interface prior to, or as part of, presenting the first user interface.

17. A method as described in claim 11, wherein presenting the second user interface presents the second user interface in a window superimposed over the first user interface.

18. A method as described in claim 11, wherein presenting the change presents a portion of the content within the selectable label and presenting the second user interface presents another portion of the content.

19. A method as described in claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a report indicating a new change, the new change associated with one of the multiple applications; and

altering one of the multiple, selectable labels to report the new change, the new change associated with a different one of the multiple applications than the application associated with the selected label.

20. A method as described in claim 11, wherein the change is a change to content of the application associated with the selected label relative to a most-recent prior presentation of the application associated with the selected label.