System, method and user interface for active reading of electronic content

• US 7,260,781 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DeMello, Marco A., Madan, Vikram, Keely, Leroy B., Silver, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US10/460,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 715/808, 715/840, 715/817, 715/788, 715/864, 715711-714, 715814-816, 715821-824, 715/856, 715841-844, 707512-513
• US Class Current: 715/711
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A system, method, and user interface for interacting with electronically displayed content is disclosed. In response to a selection of an object, a list of menu options is displayed close to the selected object. In one embodiment, the list of menu options is displayed in a font larger than that used to display the selected object. Through the use of the invention, a user is provided with a technique for actively reading displayed content with minimal distractions from the user interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a list of menu options in a system displaying a non-modifiable electronic book comprising the steps of:

receiving a first designation at a first point;

responsive to receiving the first designation, highlighting an object displayed below the first point and displaying a first window containing a first list of menu options related to the object, executing one of the menu options in said first list, and storing an indication of the executed menu option;

receiving a second designation at a second point; and

displaying a second window having a second list of menu options including said executed menu option from said first window.

2. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying step further comprises the step of:

displaying said executed menu option adjacent to said second point.

3. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein said displaying step further comprises the step of:

displaying the second list of menu options on top of said second point.

4. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a third designation outside the second window; and

,

closing the second window.

5. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying said second window so that the executed menu option is the nearest of the second list of menu options adjacent to said second point.

6. The computer-implemented method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first designation and the second designation is determined by a stylus tapping a screen of a computer and at least one of said first point and the second point is a tap point designated by said stylus.

7. A user interface for providing a list of menu options in response to a designation of an object in an electronic book comprising:

a first display portion having objects in a non-modifiable portion of a document;

a second display portion having a selection of at least one of said objects;

a third display portion having a list of menu options relevant to said selection, wherein said second and said third display portions are displayed in response to a user interaction with said first display portion, wherein the third display portion includes a previously selected menu option within a predetermined distance to said selection of at least one of said objects, and wherein the third display portion is transparent such that it does not obscure the first display portion and second display portion.

8. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein said second and third display portions are removed upon selection of said first display portion outside the third display portion.

9. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined distance ranges from 0.20 inch to 1.0 inch.

10. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein said predetermined distance ranges from 0.30 inch to 0.50 inch.