Methods and arrangements for providing a discoverable plural mode system shut down graphical user interface capability

• US 6,686,934 B1
• Filed: 04/21/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sierra, Giampiero M., Evans, Christopher A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/557,183
• Time in Patent Office: 1,383 Days
• Field of Search: 345/711, 345/764, 345/810, 345/168, 345/172, 345/211, 345/212, 713/320, 713/321, 713/323, 713/324
• US Class Current: 715/764
• 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

Abstract

Methods and arrangements are provided that display a shut down mechanism within a graphical user interface on a display device. The shut down mechanism is normally operatively associated with a first shut down function, but can be operatively associated with other functions based upon on modifier input(s).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a shut down mechanism within a graphical user interface on a display device;

operatively associating the shut down mechanism with a first shut down function;

causing the shut down mechanism to only identify the first shut down function while operatively associated with the first shut down function;

operatively associating the shut down mechanism with a second shut down function based upon on a modifier input, wherein the modifier input is identified to the user through a discoverable portion of the shut down mechanism that is graphically displayed based on a position of a graphical pointing input during a defined period of time; and

upon operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function, causing the shutdown mechanism to only identify the second shut down function.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein displaying the shut down mechanism within the graphical user interface on the display device further includes displaying a user selectable graphical element and a dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the first shut down function further includes uniquely identifying the first shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

4. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function based upon on the modifier input further includes uniquely identifying the second shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifier input includes at least one keyboard initiated input.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the modifier input includes a SHIFT key input.

7. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the modifier input includes a CTRL key input.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifier input includes at least one mouse initiated input.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first shut down function includes a hibernate function.

10. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second shut down function includes a restart function.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second shut down function includes a complete shut down function.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes mark-up language based graphical features.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for causing at least one processing unit to perform acts comprising;

displaying a shut down mechanism within a graphical user interface on a display device;

operatively associating the shut down mechanism with a first shut down function;

causing the shut down mechanism to only identify the first shut down function while operatively associated with the first shut down function;

operatively associating the shut down mechanism with a second shut down function based upon on a modifier input, wherein the modifier input is identified to the user through a discoverable portion of the shut down mechanism that is graphically displayed based on a position of a graphical pointing input during a defined period of time; and

upon operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function, causing the shut down mechanism to only identify the second shut down function.

14. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein displaying the shut down mechanism within the graphical user interface on the display device further includes displaying a user selectable graphical element and a dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

15. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the first shut down function further includes uniquely identifying the first shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

16. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 14, wherein operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function based upon on the modifier input further includes uniquely identifying the second shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

17. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the modifier input includes at least one keyboard initiated input.

18. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the modifier input includes a SHIFT key input.

19. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein the modifier input includes a CTRL key input.

20. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the modifier input includes at least one mouse initiated input.

21. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the first shut down function includes a hibernate function.

22. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the second shut down function includes a restart function.

23. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the second shut down function includes a complete shut down function.

24. The computer-readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the graphical user interface includes mark-up language based graphical features.

25. An arrangement comprising:

at least one user input device;

a display device; and

a processor operatively coupled to the user input device and the display device and configured to display a shut down mechanism within a graphical user interface on the display device, operatively associate the shut down mechanism with a first shut down function such that the shut down mechanism only identifies the first shut down function while operatively associated with the first shut down function, and operatively associate the shut down mechanism with a second shut down function based upon on a modifier input, and wherein the modifier input is identified to the user through a discoverable portion of the shut down mechanism that is graphically displayed based on a position of a graphical pointing input during a defined period of time, and wherein, upon operatively associating the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function, the shut down mechanism only identifies the second shut down function.

26. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to display the shut down mechanism by displaying a user selectable graphical element and a dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

27. The arrangement as recited in claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to operatively associate the shut down mechanism with the first shut down function by uniquely identifying the first shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

28. The arrangement as recited in claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to operatively associate the shut down mechanism with the second shut down function by uniquely identifying the second shut down function using the dynamically determinable shut down function identifier.

29. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the modifier input includes at least one keyboard initiated input.

30. The arrangement as recited in claim 29, wherein the modifier input includes a SHIFT key input.

31. The arrangement as recited in claim 29, wherein the modifier input includes a CTRL key input.

32. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the modifier input includes at least one mouse initiated input.

33. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the first shut down function includes a hibernate function.

34. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the second shut down function includes a restart function.

35. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the second shut down function includes a complete shut down function.

36. The arrangement as recited in claim 25, wherein the graphical user interface includes mark-up language based graphical features.