Variable visual indicators based on predetermined characteristics

• US 6,700,591 B1
• Filed: 05/04/2000
• Issued: 03/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sharpe, Timothy David
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/565,014
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 345/762, 345/853, 345/854, 345/765, 345/763, 345/764, 345/966, 345/967, 345/761, 345/806
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability

Abstract

A system and method for displaying property information, such as time or size information, on a display without displaying the textual column for these properties. The method compares predetermined properties of an item to a threshold value and assigns varying display indicators to the items based on the item'"'"'s properties. The varying display indicators, such as colored fonts, have a variable quality such that as the relative properties for the item change, the variable indicator may also change accordingly. Additionally, the system and method updates the threshold value and the assigned variable visual indicators so the display characteristics change as the value changes. Thus, information is displayed to the user based on relative properties of the item without displaying explicit text.

Claims

1. A method of displaying property information for an item in a graphical user interface on a computer system, the method comprising;

comparing the property information to a value to generate a relative comparison value;

assigning a first visual indicator to the item related to the relative comparison value, wherein the assigned visual indicator is one of at least three possible visual indicators;

displaying the item using the assigned visual indicator;

automatically updating the relative comparison value when the value changes;

assigning a second visual indicator to the item, wherein the second visual indicator is different than the first visual indicator; and

displaying the item using the second visual indicator.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the value is a current time value provided by a clock function of the computer system and the relative comparison value is the age of the item.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the visual indicator is color.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the color used for the visual indicator is one of at least three colors of the same color gradient.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the colors of the gradient comprise red, dark red and black, wherein the dark red color is darker than the red color, and the black color is darker than the dark red color.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the items are email items.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the items are tasks and the property information relates to due date times for the tasks.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the items are automatically corrected words in a word processing application, and wherein the items change color over time.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the items are traversed hyperlinks, and wherein the items darken from red to black over time and the color shows the time since this hyperlink was traversed.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the items are traversed hyperlinks, and wherein the items darken from red to black over time and the color shows the time since this hyperlink was last updated.

11. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the step of assigning a visual indicator to the item related to the comparison value comprises the following:

comparing the comparison value to a first predetermined threshold value based on a first criteria;

if the item satisfies the first criteria, assigning the visual indicator based on the first criteria;

if the item fails to satisfy the first criteria, comparing the comparison value to a second predetermined threshold value based on a second criteria;

if the item satisfies the second criteria, assigning the visual indicator based on the second criteria; and

if the item fails to satisfy the second criteria, assigning the visual indicator based on a third criteria.

12. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein the items are email messages and wherein:

the first criteria relates to recently received items and the visual indicator based on the first criteria is a bright colored font;

the third criteria relates to old items and the visual indicator based on the third criteria is a dark colored font; and

the second criteria relates to items that are between recently received items and old items and the visual indicator based on the second criteria is a colored font darker than the bright colored font and lighter than the dark colored font.

13. A system for displaying variable property information comprising:

a memory unit storing an item wherein the item has property information characteristics related to time;

a processing unit comparing the property to a threshold value and assigning a variable display characteristic to the item, wherein the threshold value is associated with current time information;

a display unit displaying the item using the variable display characteristics; and

an update unit updating the variable display characteristic periodically.

14. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein the threshold value changes proportionally with time.

15. A system as defined in claim 14 wherein the variable display characteristics relate to font hue.

16. A system as defined in claim 14 wherein the variable display characteristics relate to font color.

17. A system as defined in claim 13 wherein the processing unit automatically updates the variable display characteristics when the threshold value changes.

18. A system as defined in claim 17 wherein the processing unit automatically updates the threshold value and the variable display characteristics at predetermined intervals.

19. A computer program product readable by a computer and encoding instructions for executing a computer process for displaying property information for an item using variable characteristics, said process comprising:

comparing the property information to a threshold value to generate a comparison value, wherein the threshold value relates to information independent of the item;

assigning a visual indicator to the item related to the comparison value, wherein the assigned visual indicator is one of a gradient of possible visual indicators; and

displaying the item using the assigned visual indicator.

20. A computer program product as defined in claim 19 wherein the process further comprises the following:

updating the threshold value at periodic intervals;

in response to the updated threshold value, comparing the property information for the item to the updated threshold value to generate a second comparison value,

assigning a visual indicator to the item related to the second comparison value,

wherein the visual indicator is one of the gradient of possible visual indicators; and

displaying the item using the assigned visual indicator.

21. A graphical user interface for a computer system, the graphical user interface having a display module for displaying a list of items, said graphical user interface comprising:

a list view having a plurality of columns and rows, wherein one of each column or row displays at least one predetermined property type and the other of each row or column lists properties for an item;

a comparison module that compares one property type for each item to a threshold value to generate a comparison value for each item;

an assigning module that assigns a variable visual indicator to each item based on the comparison value;

wherein the visual indicator is one of at least three variable indicators; and

wherein the display module displays the list view in accordance with the assigned variable visual indicators.

22. A graphical user interface as defined in claim 21 further comprising:

an update module that updates the threshold value at predetermined intervals;

the comparison module comparing the property values for each item to the updated threshold value in response to the updated threshold value;

the assigning module assigning new variable visual indicators to the item in response to the new comparison value; and

the display module displaying the items in response to the new variable visual indicators.