Seamless tabbed focus control in active content

• US 7,197,717 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2002
• Issued: 03/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anderson, David R., Patel, Prashant, Kieling, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Sy D.
• Application Number:
  US10/164,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20030231210A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 715/767, 715/802, 715/821
• US Class Current: 715/767
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859

Abstract

In a visual display system using a tabbed focus, movement of the focus is coordinated seamlessly between container-generated visual content and active content.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying first visual content having one or more first focus targets;

calling an active visual component to generate and display second visual content having second focus targets;

tabbing a focus among the first focus targets in response to user directional input;

calling the active visual component with one or more inbound focus movement descriptors to pass responsibility for tabbing the focus to the active visual component;

the active visual component being responsive to the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors to determine which of its second focus targets to initially assign the focus;

the active visual component tabbing the focus among its second focus targets in response to user input directional input;

receiving a request from the active visual content to take back responsibility for tabbing the focus, the request including one or more outbound focus movement descriptors;

determining which of the first focus targets to assign the focus in response to the outbound focus movement descriptors.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inbound and outbound focus movement descriptors comprise directional indicators indicating directions in which the focus is being transferred.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inbound and outbound focus movement descriptors comprise positional indicators indicating positions from which the focus is being transferred.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the inbound and outbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

directional indicators indicating directions in which the focus is being transferred;

positional indicators indicating positions from which the focus is being transferred.

5. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more processors;

a container component executable by the one or more processors to display first visual content having one or more first focus targets;

an active content component executable by the one or more processors, wherein the active content component is callable by the container component to generate second visual content having second focus targets within the first visual content and to respond programmatically to selection of the second focus targets;

wherein the active content component exposes one or more active content interfaces that the container component calls to identify locations of the second focus targets; and

wherein the container component is further executable to tab a focus among the first and second focus targets, based at least in part on the identified locations of the second focus targets.

6. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component draws the focus in the second visual content when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets.

7. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component calls said one or more active content interfaces to notify the active content component when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets.

8. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component calls said one or more active content interfaces to notify the active content component when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets, and wherein the active content component draws the focus in response to such notification.

9. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component comprises a browser.

10. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component comprises a browser and the first visual content is defined by a text markup language.

11. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the active content component comprises an ActiveX®

control.

12. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, wherein the container component responds to directional control inputs from a user to tab among the first and second focus targets.

13. An entertainment system as recited in claim 5, further comprising a wireless remote control that accepts directional control inputs from a user, wherein the container component responds to the directional control inputs to tab among the first and second focus targets.

14. An entertainment system comprising:

one or more processors;

a container component executable by the one or more processors to display first visual content having one or more first focus targets and to tab a focus among the first focus targets;

an active content component executable by the one or more processors, wherein the active content component is callable by the container component to generate second visual content having second focus targets within the first visual content and to respond programmatically to selection of the second focus targets; and

wherein the active content component exposes one or more active content interfaces that the container component calls to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing to the active content component, wherein the one or more active content interfaces accept one or more inbound focus movement descriptors, the active content component being responsive to the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors to determine which of its second focus targets to assign the focus.

15. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the second visual content.

16. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the second visual content.

17. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the second visual content; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the second visual content.

18. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a designation of a particular one of the second focus targets that is to initially be assigned the focus.

19. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component exposes one or more container interfaces that the active content component calls to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing to the container component, wherein the one or more container interfaces accept one or more outbound focus movement descriptors, the container component being responsive to the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors to determine which of its first focus targets to assign the focus.

20. An entertainment system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the first visual content.

21. An entertainment system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the first visual content.

22. An entertainment system as recited in claim 19, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the first visual content; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the first visual content.

23. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component draws the focus in both the first and second visual content.

24. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component draws the focus in the first visual content and the active content component draws the focus in the second visual content.

25. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component exposes one or more container interfaces that the active content component calls when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets.

26. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component exposes one or more container interfaces that the active content component calls when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets, and in response the container component draws the focus in the second visual content.

27. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component comprises a browser.

28. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component comprises a browser and the first visual content is defined by a text markup language.

29. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the active content component comprises an ActiveX®

control.

30. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, wherein the container component and the active content component respond to directional control inputs from a user to tab among the first and second focus targets.

31. An entertainment system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a wireless remote control that accepts directional control inputs from a user, wherein the container component and the active content component respond to the directional control inputs to tab among the first and second focus targets.

32. One or more computer-readable storage media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement an active visual control, the active visual control exposing one or more application programming interfaces that are callable to perform actions comprising:

receiving a request to accept a focus and to tab the focus among focus targets of the active visual control in response to user input;

in conjunction with receiving the request, receiving one or more inbound focus movement descriptors; and

determining which of the focus targets to initially assign the focus based at least in part on the one or more received inbound focus movement descriptors

wherein the active visual control is configured to call one or more container interfaces to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing back to a container component and to provide one or more outbound focus movement descriptors.

33. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active visual control.

34. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active visual control.

35. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 32, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active visual control; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active visual control.

36. One or more computer-readable storage media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement a visual browser that performs actions comprising:

displaying first visual content having one or more first focus targets;

calling an active content component to generate second visual content having second focus targets within the first visual content;

calling one or more active content interfaces to identify locations of the second focus targets; and

tabbing a focus among the first and second focus targets, based at least in part on the identified locations of the second focus targets.

37. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 36, the actions further comprising drawing the focus in the second visual content when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets.

38. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 36, the actions farther comprising calling said one or more active content is interfaces to notify the active content component when tabbing the focus to one of the second focus targets.

39. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 36, wherein the first visual content is defined by a text markup language.

40. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 36, wherein said calling an active content component comprises calling an ActiveX®

control.

41. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 36, further comprising responding to directional control inputs from a user to tab among the first and second focus targets.

42. One or more computer-readable storage media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement a visual browser that performs actions comprising:

displaying first visual content having one or more first focus targets;

calling an active content component to generate second visual content having second focus targets within the first visual content;

tabbing a focus among the first focus targets in response to directional control inputs from a user;

calling one or more active content interfaces of the active content component to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing to the active content component;

in conjunction with calling the one or more active content interfaces, providing inbound focus movement descriptors to the active content component, the inbound focus movement descriptors allowing the active content component to determine which of its second focus targets to initially assign the focus.

43. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred to the active content component.

44. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred to the active content component.

45. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred to the active content component; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred to the active content component.

46. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement descriptors comprise a designation of a particular one of the second focus targets that is to initially be assigned the focus.

47. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, the actions further comprising exposing one or more browser interfaces that the active content component can call to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing back to the visual browser,wherein the one or more browser interfaces accept one or more outbound focus movement descriptors, the visual browser being responsive to the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors to determine which of its first focus targets to assign the focus.

48. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 47, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred.

49. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 47, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred.

50. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 47, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement descriptors comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred.

51. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, the actions further comprising exposing one or more browser interfaces that the active content component can call when tabbing the focus to one of its second focus targets.

52. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein the first visual content is defined by a text markup language.

53. One or more computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 42, wherein calling the active content component comprises calling an ActiveX®

control.

54. One or more computer-readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement an application programming interface for an active content component, the application programming interface having methods comprising:

a target identification method that is callable to return locations of focus targets within visual content generated by the active content component;

a set focus method that is callable to assign a focus to a specified one of the focus targets;

a remove focus method that is callable un-assign the focus;

a get focus method that is callable to identify a particular one of the focus targets which has been assigned the focus;

an inbound focus method that is callable to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing to the active content component, wherein the inbound focus method accepts one or more inbound focus movement arguments.

55. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54, the application programming interface methods further comprising a get capabilities method that is callable to inspect capabilities of the active content component.

56. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the active content component.

57. One or more computer-readable as recited in claim 54, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the active content component.

58. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 54, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred into the active content component; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred into the active content component.

59. One or more computer-readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement an application programming interface for an active content component as recited in claim 54, the active content component being configured to perform actions comprising:

tabbing the focus among the focus targets;

calling one or more container interfaces to transfer responsibility for focus tabbing from the active content component;

in conjunction with calling the one or more container interfaces, specifying one or more outbound focus movement arguments.

60. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 59, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active content component.

61. One or more computer-readable as recited in claim 59, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active content component.

62. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 59, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active content component; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active content component.

63. One or more computer-readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement an application programming interface for a visual browser component for use in conjunction with an active visual component, the application programming interface having methods comprising:

a focus changed method that is callable by the active visual component to indicate a location of a focus target within the active visual component that has been assigned a focus;

an outbound focus method that is callable to transfer responsibility for tabbing a focus from the active visual component to the visual browser component, wherein the outbound focus method accepts one or more outbound focus movement arguments.

64. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 63, the application programming interface methods further comprising a status changed method that is callable by the active visual component to notify the browser of a change within the active visual component regarding its ability to be responsible for focus movement.

65. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 63, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active visual component.

66. One or more computer-readable as recited in claim 63, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active visual component.

67. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 63, wherein the one or more outbound focus movement arguments comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred from the active visual component; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred from the active visual component.

68. One or more computer-readable media containing instructions that are executable by a computer to implement an application programming interface for a visual browser component as recited in claim 63, the a visual browser component being configured to perform actions comprising:

tabbing the focus among focus targets displayed by the visual browser;

calling one or more content interfaces of the active visual content to transfer responsibility for tabbing the focus to the active visual content;

in conjunction with calling the one or more content interfaces, specifying one or more inbound focus movement arguments.

69. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 68, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred to the active visual component.

70. One or more computer-readable as recited in claim 68, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred to the active visual component.

71. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 68, wherein the one or more inbound focus movement arguments comprise:

a directional indicator indicating a direction in which the focus is being transferred to the active visual component; and

a positional indicator indicating a position from which the focus is being transferred to the active visual component.