Context-based dynamic user interface elements

• US 6,633,315 B1
• Filed: 05/20/1999
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Michael D., Andrew, Felix G. T. I., Sobeski, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAO H
• Application Number:
  US09/315,578
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 345/765, 345/744, 345/762, 345/707, 345/806, 345/807, 345/853
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and systems for building context-based user interfaces are provided. According to the present invention, a contextual engine residing on a host computer system provides a user interface based on a predefined set of user interface (UI) elements that are selected on the basis of a set of prescribed conditions being satisfied. The computer system includes a data store having a plurality of contexts, wherein each context is defined by a set of prescribed conditions and is associated with a predefined set of UI elements. The contextual engine determines, for each context, whether the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied, and, if so, provides a user interface based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context. The contextual engine provides the user interface by identifying for an application program residing on the host computer system, the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context. The application builds the user interface based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context. The contextual engine continues running in the background on the host computer system and dynamically updates the user interface as long as the user is logged onto the host computer system.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions for providing a user interface based on a predefined set of user interface (UI) elements that are selected on the basis of a set of prescribed conditions being satisfied,

wherein the set of prescribed conditions is associated with a computer on which the user interface is displayed and defines a current context of a user experience associated with the computer, and

wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on a current connection status of the computer.

2. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network.

3. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network via a dial-up connection.

4. The computer readable storage medium of claim 2, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network via a TCP/IP connection.

5. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is docked.

6. The computer readable storage medium of claim 1, further comprising a data store that includes data corresponding to each of a plurality of contexts of user experiences associated with the computer, wherein each said context is defined by a respective set of prescribed conditions and is associated with a respective predefined set of UI elements.

7. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, having further computer-executable instructions for determining, for a selected context, whether the set of prescribed conditions that defines the selected context is satisfied.

8. The computer readable storage medium of claim 7, having further computer-executable instructions for providing the user interface, if the set of prescribed conditions that define the selected context is satisfied, based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the selected context.

9. The computer readable storage medium of claim 6, having further computer-executable instructions for determining, for each said context, whether the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied.

10. The computer readable storage medium of claim 9, having further computer-executable instructions for providing the user interface, for each said context, if the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied, based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context.

11. A method for building a context-based user interface on a computer having a data store that includes data corresponding to each of a plurality of contexts of user experiences, wherein each said context is defined by a set of prescribed conditions that are associated with a computer on which the user interface is displayed and is associated with a predefined set of UI elements, and wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on a current connection status of the computer, the method comprising:

determining, for each said context, whether the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied;

if the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied, providing a user interface based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network via a dial-up connection.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is connected to a network via a TCP/IP connection.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on whether the computer is docked.

16. A computer system for building a context-based user interface, the computer system comprising:

a data store that includes data corresponding to each of a plurality of contexts of user experiences, wherein each said context is defined by a set of prescribed conditions that are associated with a computer on which the user interface is displayed and is associated with a predefined set of UI elements, and wherein at least one of the prescribed conditions is based on a current connection status of the computer; and

a contextual engine that determines, for each said context, whether the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied, and, if the set of prescribed conditions that defines the context is satisfied, provides a user interface based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context.

17. The computer system of claim 16, further comprising an application program,

wherein the contextual engine provides the user interface by identifying for the application program, the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context, and

wherein the application program builds the user interface based on the predefined set of UI elements associated with the context.