Context sensitive labels for an electronic device

• US 6,917,373 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2000
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vong, William H., Kaneko, Steven T., Broom, Corinne
• Primary Examiner(s): SAX, STEVEN PAUL
• Application Number:
  US09/749,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20020085045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,657 Days
• Field of Search: 345/840, 345/841, 345842-843, 345853-855, 345771-773, 345835-839, 345/802, 345/765, 345/767, 345/732, 345790-799, 345/800, 345/805, 345/726, 345718-723
• US Class Current: 715/840
• 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 3/1431 using a single graphics controller

Abstract

A control panel unit for a computing device includes buttons having characteristics that define individual button states. Upon actuation of a button, the viewable states of the buttons may change. A portion of the button may be illuminated to represent the state and/or include an icon depicting an application controlled by the button. The control panel unit may include a display for displaying plural soft labels corresponding to the buttons and representing the current context that will be initiated when the corresponding button is actuated. The soft labels may identify users or applications available to one user. Upon actuation of an application, the soft labels can change to represent various actions or functions available in the application. In the user interface, each user may be assigned a specific color scheme. The color schemes allow a person to visually determine who is logged into the system and/or which individual has new information.

Claims

1. A control panel unit for a computer system comprising:

a display screen;

first and second button inputs, the first button input configured to display a first viewable state thereon and the second button input configured to display a second viewable state thereon, the first and second viewable states changing in response to actuation of said first button input, wherein the first and second viewable states are displayed outside of the display screen.

2. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein said display screen has first and second display regions for displaying first and second soft labels, respectively, said first and second soft labels being associated with said first and second button inputs, respectively, said first and second display regions being adjacent to said first and second button inputs, respectively, wherein said first and second soft labels change in response to actuation of said first button input.

3. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein the first viewable state displayed on the first button input is the same as the second viewable state displayed on the second button input, the first viewable state representing a first action associated with the first button input and the second viewable state representing a second action associated with second button input, the first and second actions being different.

4. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein said first and second viewable states represent first and second actions.

5. The control panel unit according to claim 4, wherein the first action includes launching an application when said first button input is actuated.

6. The control panel unit according to claim 5, wherein the application is a messaging, music, calendar or news application.

7. The control panel unit according to claim 5, wherein the application is launched on a computer coupled to said control panel unit.

8. The control panel unit according to claim 4, wherein the first and second actions represent responses to an alert.

9. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein said first button input includes at least one illuminable portion for defining the first viewable state.

10. The control panel unit according to claim 9, wherein said at least one illuminable portion is located on the periphery of said first button input.

11. The control panel unit according to claim 9, wherein said at least one illuminable portion is an icon located on a central portion of said first button input.

12. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein said first button input includes a portion configured to change color, the first viewable state including a particular color.

13. The control panel unit according to claim 12, wherein the color represents a specific user of the computer system.

14. The control panel unit according to claim 1, wherein responsive to actuation of said first button input or said second button input when data displayed on said display screen is selected, initiating an action associated with the data.

15. A control panel unit for a computer system comprising:

a display having at least first and second display regions;

at least first and second button inputs adjacent to said first and second display regions, respectively; and

first and second soft labels displayed in said first and second display regions, respectively, said first and second soft labels associated with said first and second button inputs, respectively, at least one of said first soft label and said second soft label configured to change in response to actuation of said first button input in a first state,

wherein said first and second soft labels respectively represent first and second users of the computer system.

16. The control panel unit according to claim 15, wherein said first and second soft labels and content on said display are displayed in a format associated with the first user in response to actuation of said first button input in the first state.

17. The control panel unit according to claim 15, wherein said first and second soft labels represent first and second applications associated with the first user in a second state responsive to said first button input being actuated in the first state.

18. The control panel unit according to claim 17, wherein at least one of the applications is a messaging, music, calendar or news application.

19. The control panel unit according to claim 15, wherein said first soft label changes appearance responsive to an event independent of actuation of said first button input.

20. The control panel unit according to claim 19, wherein the event includes receipt of an email message or a calendar event.

21. The control panel unit according to claim 15, wherein each of the first and second soft labels includes a color specifically associated with the user represented by the respective soft label.

22. The control panel unit according to claim 15, wherein responsive to actuation of said first button input in the first state, said first and second soft labels representing actions customized for the first user.

23. In a computer system having a display screen and at least one button input adjacent to the display screen, a method comprising the steps of:

displaying a first button input in a first viewable state and a second button input in a second viewable state; and

responsive to actuation of said first button input, changing the second viewable state of said second button input, wherein the first and second viewable states are displayed outside of the display screen.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the first viewable state represents an action.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the action represents a response to an alert.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the first viewable state represents an application.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the application is a messaging, music, calendar or news application.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the first and second viewable states represent first and second users of the computer system, respectively.

29. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of changing the second viewable state includes the step of illuminating or de-illuminating a portion of said second button input.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein said step of illuminating or de-illuminating includes illuminating or de-illuminating a peripheral portion of said second button input.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein said step of changing the second viewable state includes the step of illuminating or de-illuminating an icon.

32. The method according to claim 23, wherein said step of changing the second viewable state label includes the step of changing a color of a portion of said second button input.

33. The method according to claim 23, further including the step of changing the first viewable state of said first button input responsive to actuation of said first button input.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the first and second viewable states represent first and second actions.

35. The method according to claim 34, further comprising the step of initiating the first action in response to actuation of said first button input.

36. The method according to claim 23, further including the steps of:

displaying a first soft label in a first display region of the display screen located adjacent to said first button input, the first soft label representing a current context of said first button input; and

displaying a second soft label in a second display region of the display screen located adjacent to said second button input, the second soft label representing a current context of said second button input.

37. The method according to claim 36, further including the step of changing the first soft label and the second soft label responsive to actuation of said first button input.

38. The method according to claim 36, further including the steps of:

displaying data in a third display region of the display screen, and

in response to actuation of said first button input or said second button input when data displayed on said display screen is selected, initiating an action associated with the data represented by said first soft label or said second soft label.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein the action includes receiving data from the Internet.

40. In a computer system having at least first and second display regions, and at least first and second button inputs associated with said first and second display regions, respectively, a method comprising the steps of:

displaying first and second soft labels in said first and second display regions, respectively, the first and second soft labels associated with said first and second button inputs, respectively; and

responsive to actuation of said first button input, changing at least one of the first soft label and the second soft label, wherein in a first state said first and second soft labels respectively represent first and second users of the computer system.

41. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of displaying the first and second soft labels and content in a format associated with the first user responsive to actuation of said first button input in the first state.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the first and second soft labels represent first and second applications associated with the first user in a second state responsive to said first button input being actuated in the first state.

43. The method according to claim 42, further comprising the step of initiating one of the first application and second application, in response to actuation of one of said first button input and second button input, respectively, in the second state.

44. The method according to claim 43, further comprising the step of changing the first and second soft labels in response to actuation of said first button input in the second state, the first and second soft labels representing actions associated with the initiated application in a third state.

45. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of changing the appearance of the first soft label responsive to event independent of actuation of said first button input.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the event includes receipt of an email message.

47. The method according to claim 45, wherein the event includes occurrence of a calendar event.

48. The method according to claim 42, wherein one of the first and second applications represents a messaging, music, calendar or audio application.

49. The method according to claim 40, wherein each of the first and second soft labels includes a color specifically associated with the user represented by the respective soft label.

50. The method according to claim 49, further comprising displaying the first and second soft labels in the same color responsive to actuation of the first button input in the first state, the color being specifically associated with the first user.

55. The method according to claim 40, wherein the first and second soft labels represent actions in an alert screen associated with the first user in a second state responsive to said first button input being actuated in the first state.

56. The method according to claim 55 wherein the alert screen provides a notification message in a third display region.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein the alert screen provides a message related to status of the computer system.

51. In a computer system having at least first and second display regions, and at least first and second button inputs associated with said first and second display regions, respectively, a method comprising the steps of:

displaying first and second soft labels in said first and second display regions, respectively, the first and second soft labels associated with said first and second button inputs, respectively; and

responsive to actuation of said first button input, changing the first soft label in said first display region associated with said first button input, and initiating an action involving receiving information via the Internet.

52. The method according to claim 51, wherein the information includes news.

53. The method according to claim 51, wherein the information includes stock information, sports information, weather information or traffic information.

54. The method according to claim 51, wherein the information includes an online chat request.