Computer user interface architecture that saves a user's non-linear navigation history and intelligently maintains that history

• US 6,820,111 B1
• Filed: 12/07/1999
• Issued: 11/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cluts, Jonathan C., Rubin, Darryl E., Woolf, Susan D., Beezer, John L., Baird, Andrew C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr., William C.
• Application Number:
  US09/456,975
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/217, 709/200, 709/223, 709/203, 709/224, 345/550, 345/1.1, 345/4, 345/629-641, 345/594, 345/760, 345/736, 345/737, 345/738, 345/823, 345/840, 345/853, 345/854, 345/855, 345/764, 707/5, 715/501.1, 715/513, 715/512, 715/514, 715/521, 715/526, 715/511
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

A user interface architecture wherein user content and user interface are composed of documents with links. Links have properties that indicate how links should be displayed. Link display may depend upon characteristics of the linked-to frame. Commands are implemented as links that link to command code. The display format of a document page depends upon the path a user navigated in order to get to the displayed page. User content documents and user interface documents are both displayed in a single viewing frame. A non-linear navigation history is maintained such that a user can navigate along a first path, back up using a previous link, navigate along a second path, back up along the second path using the previous link, and re-navigate along the first path again using a next link. Every document page to which a user navigates is saved in the user'"'"'s navigation history. Users can query their navigation histories and view their navigation histories in various ways. A flexible selection model is supported allowing users to select the object of a command either before or after the command itself is selected. A Guide Book includes command descriptions and active instances of the described commands, implemented as links. Users can access, annotate, and customize the user interface in the same manner in which users access, annotate, and modify user content documents.

Claims

1. A computer user interface comprising:

a plurality of user interface pages having links within a single document;

a plurality of user content pages having links within the single document;

a unified navigational context for allowing a user to interface with both the user interface pages and the user content pages within the single document by activating the links of the user interface pages and the links of the user content pages, the unified navigational context automatically storing a navigational history of each user interface page and each user content page to which a user navigates; and

a history view map for depicting the stored navigational history non-linearly,

wherein the stored navigational history includes a first navigational path of at least one user interface page and at least one user content page and a second navigational path of at least one user interface page or at least one user content page, the second navigational path being different from the first navigational path,

wherein the history view man automatically excludes a portion of the stored navigation history from a user content page through at least one user interface page that leads to execution of a user interface command.

2. The computer user interface of claim 1 wherein the stored navigational history includes information about when the user navigated to each user interface page and each user content page.

3. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating the computer user interface of claim 2.

4. The computer user interface of claim 1 wherein for each user interface page and each user content page to which the user navigated, the stored navigational history includes information about where the user navigated.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating the computer user interface of claim 4.

6. The computer user interface of claim 1 wherein the history view map depicts the stored navigational history as all forward navigation paths the user has taken from at least one user interface page or user content page.

7. The computer user interface of claim 6 wherein the history view map depicts the forward navigation paths restricted to a particular time frame.

8. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating the computer user interface of claim 7.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating the computer user interface of claim 6.

10. The computer user interface of claim 1 wherein the second navigational path includes at least one user interface page and at least one user content page.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for generating the computer user interface of claim 1.

12. A method for storing a navigational history comprising steps of:

generating a computer user interface comprising a plurality of user interface pages having links within a single document and a plurality of user content pages having links within the single document;

generating a unified navigational context for allowing a user to interface with both the user interface pages and the user content pages within the single document;

receiving input signals representative of activation of the links of the user interface pages and the links of the user content pages;

automatically storing a navigational history of each user interface page and each user content page to which a user navigates in the unified navigational context;

generating a history view map for depicting the stored navigational history non-linearly; and

automatically excluding a portion of the stored navigation history from a user content page through at least one user interface page that leads to execution of a user interface command,

wherein the stored navigational history includes a first navigational path of at least one user interface page and at least one user content page and a second navigational path of at least one user interface page or at least one user content page, the second navigational path being different from the first navigational path.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the stored navigational history includes information about when the user navigated to each user interface page and each user content page.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein for each user interface page and each user content page to which the user navigated, the stored navigational history includes information about where the user navigated.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the history view map depicts the stored navigational history as all forward navigation paths the user has taken from at least one user interface page or user content page.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the history view map depicts the forward navigation paths restricted to a particular time frame.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the second navigational path includes at least one user interface page and at least one user content page.