Method and apparatus for managing list items

• US 7,472,357 B1
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 12/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Wang, Jiaxin, Herbert, George Arthur III, Leukart, Richard Henry III, van Tilburg, Martijn Eldert, Harris, Jensen Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, MYLINH T
• Application Number:
  US10/454,413
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 715/752, 715/783, 715/788, 715/859, 715/861
• US Class Current: 715/859
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A method, apparatus, and a user interface for managing and prioritizing items in a list are provided. Each item in the list is associated with and displayed adjacent to a user interface control for flagging the associated list item. When selected, the user interface control is operative to flag the corresponding list item. Moreover, the user interface control is further operative to change its visual state to indicate that the corresponding list item is flagged. List items flagged by other users appear differently. When again selected, the user interface control is further operative to remove the flagged state for the corresponding item and to set the state of the item as completed.

Claims

1. A method for managing a list comprising at least one item, the method comprising:

displaying each of the items in the list;

displaying adjacent to each item in the list a user interface control for flagging the adjacent item, the user interface control comprising a visual display for indicating to a user at least one of a plurality of predetermined and different flags associated with the item, wherein the visual display for indicating to a user at least one of a plurality of predetermined and different flags associated with the item comprises items not flagged, items flagged by the user, and items flagged by another user, wherein the visual display indicating items flagged by the user and items flagged by another user appearing different to the user;

receiving a first selection of the user interface control corresponding to an item in the list;

in response to the first selection, modifying the visual display to indicate that the item associated with the selected user interface control has been flagged with one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags and setting a property of the item associated with the selected user interface control to a flagged state indicating one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second selection of the user interface control corresponding to an item in the list and, in response to the selection, setting the property of the item associated with the selected user interface control to a completed state.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising modifying a visual appearance of the user interface control in response to the second selection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the user interface control for each item comprises a color property and wherein modifying the visual display comprises displaying at least a portion of the user interface control in a color determined by the value of the color property.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

receiving a request to sort the items in the list based on the value of the color property associated with each user interface control displayed adjacent to items in the list;

in response to the request, sorting the list based on the value of the color property associated with each user interface control displayed adjacent to items in the list; and

displaying the sorted list.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to search for items in the list having a specified value of the color property associated with the corresponding user interface control;

in response to the request, searching the list for items having a corresponding user interface control with a color property value equivalent to the specified value; and

displaying the located items.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein items in the list may be sorted into a plurality of folders and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request to display items located in any of the plurality of folders having a specified value of the color property associated with the corresponding user interface control;

in response to the request, searching the plurality of folders for items having a corresponding user interface control with a color property value equivalent to the specified value; and

displaying the located items.

8. A physical computer storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 1.

9. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 1.

10. The method of claim 1, where in response to the first selection, displaying an indication of each of the plurality of predetermined different flags proximate the user interface control and further comprising receiving a second selection of the one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags.

11. The method of claim 1, where the one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags is a default flag of the plurality of predetermined and different flags.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface control displayed adjacent to each item in the list comprises a shape.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving a request to select items in the list based on the flagged state of the item associated with the selected user interface control;

in response to the request, selecting items in the list based on the flagged state of the item associated with the selected user interface control; and

displaying a list of the selected items.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the shape of the user interface control displayed adjacent to each item in the list is selected from the list comprising one of the following:

a star, a flag, a push-pin, a geometric shape, and a checkmark.

15. A method for managing a list comprising at least one item, the method comprising:

displaying the list of items;

displaying adjacent to each item in the list a user interface control associated with each item, the user interface control a visual display for indicating to a user at least one of a plurality of predetermined and different flags associated with the item, wherein the visual display for indicating to a user at least one of a plurality of predetermined and different flags associated with the item comprises items not flagged, items flagged by the user, and items flagged by another user, wherein the visual display indicating items flagged by the user and items flagged by another user appearing different to the user;

receiving a first selection of the user interface control associated with an item in the list;

in response to receiving the first selection, modifying the visual display to indicate that the item associated with the selected user interface control has been flagged with one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags, and setting a property of the item associated with the selected user interface control to a flagged state indicating one of the plurality of predetermined and different flags.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a second selection of the user interface control associated with the item in the list; and

in response to receiving the selection, modifying the visual display provided by the user interface control to indicate that the item associated with the selected user interface control is completed.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user interface control is further operative to receive a request to change a color of the visual display, to display at least one selectable color in response to the request, to receive the selection of a one of the at least one color, and to modify the visual display based on the selected color.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the user interface control is further operative to receive a request to associate a reminder with the item associated with the selected user interface control and, in response to the request, to associate the reminder with the item associated with the selected user interface control.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving a request to sort the items in the list based on color of the display provided by the user interface control,

in response to the request, sorting the list based on the color of the display provided by each user interface control associated with an item in the list; and

displaying the sorted list.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving a request to search for items in the list having a specified color of the display provided by the corresponding user interface control;

in response to the request, searching the list for items having a corresponding user interface control providing a display with a color equivalent to the specified color; and

displaying the located items.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein items in the list may be sorted into a plurality of folders and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a request to display items located in any of the plurality of folders having a display provided by the user interface control with a specified color;

in response to the request, searching the plurality of folders for items having a display provided by the corresponding user interface control with a color equivalent to the specified color; and

displaying the located items.

22. A physical computer storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method of claim 15.

23. A computer-controlled apparatus capable of performing the method of claim 15.