Getting started experience

• US 7,484,180 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Covington, Clinton Dee, McPherson, Jonathan A., Fordham, George, Gardner, Scott T., McCormack, Michael J., Bryant, Christopher W., Hough, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US11/268,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 715762-765, 715/781, 715/825, 715/826, 715734-747
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/186 Templates

Abstract

A one-screen entry point to a document management program (“program”) is provided to allow a user to browse templates associated with the program. The templates can be local templates and/or online templates provided by one or more Web services. The one-screen entry point allows a user to search, browse, or download online templates, and/or create documents using the templates. Each template is identified with a template category and displayed together with templates identified with the same template category. Local templates are presented along with online templates if the local templates and the online templates are identified with the same online template category. A user or an administrator of the program can create and/or customize local templates and local template categories. A blank template is provided so a user can create custom documents for the program.

Claims

1. A method of browsing one or more templates of a program on a computer system via a single-screen entry point user interface having a plurality of panes, the method comprising:

receiving a signal indicating starting of the program; and

presenting a navigation pane on a display upon receiving the signal indicating starting of the program, wherein the navigation pane is programmed to navigate a plurality of document template categories, each of the plurality of template categories including one or more templates accessible to a user; and

organizing the template categories into sections including;

expanding a local templates section, when selected, into a local template list of one or more template categories existing on the computer system, the local template list being presented to the user while the navigation pane continues to be displayed;

expanding an online templates section, when selected, into an online template list of one or more online template categories if the program is connected to a Web service, the online template list being presented to the user while the navigation pane continues to be displayed; and

generating a featured templates section, when selected, including a featured template list of featured templates, wherein the featured templates includes at least one blank template, one or more featured local templates, and one or more featured online templates if the program is connected to the Web service.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a first button, an actuation of which returns the single-screen entry point user interface to a previous navigation sequence;

a second button, an actuation of which creates a document using a selected local template; and

a third button, an actuation of which downloads a selected online template to the computer system and creates a document using the downloaded online template.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a fourth button, the actuation of which cancels any input by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a browse pane, which displays each of the templates identified with a template category, upon receiving a signal indicating that the template category is selected in the navigation pane by the user-interface selection device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the browse pane displays additional information provided by the Web service.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating that one of the templates displayed in the browse pane is selected by the user-interface selection device, displaying on the device;

a preview panel for presenting preview information about the template.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the preview information includes any item selected from the group consisting of:

name of the template, description of the template, a location of the template, a rating of the template if the template is an online template, a size of the template, a time needed to download the template if the template is an online template, a file name of the template, a file location of the template, and document sharing settings.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the document sharing settings allow a user to configure whether to create a document using the template on a knowledge management system that allows the document to be shared.

9. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying the featured templates in the browse pane.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the blank template is used to create a custom document for the program.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a most recently used list displaying links to documents that have been recently used.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the most recently used list presents a warning message if file size of one of the documents is approaching a maximum limit.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the warning message is to highlight the link to the document in an alerting color.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the program is connected to the Web service is configurable using the user-interface selection device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a search control element that allows the user to search the online templates of the program.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a local template in one of the online template categories if the local template is identified with the one online template category.

17. A method of browsing one or more templates of a program on a computer system via a single-screen entry point user interface having a plurality of panes, the method comprising:

receiving a signal indicating starting of the program;

presenting a navigation pane on a display upon receiving the signal indicating starting of the program, wherein the navigation pane is programmed to navigate a plurality of document template categories, each of the plurality of template categories including one or more templates accessible to a user;

organizing the template categories into sections including;

expanding a local templates section, when selected, into a local template list of one or more template categories existing on the computer system, the local template list being presented to the user while the navigation pane continues to be displayed;

expanding an online templates section, when selected, into an online template list of one or more online template categories if the program is connected to a Web service, the online template list being presented to the user while the navigation pane continues to be displayed; and

generating a featured templates section, when selected, including a featured template list of featured templates, wherein the featured templates includes at least one blank template, one or more featured local templates, and one or more featured online templates if the program is connected to the Web service;

wherein, upon receiving a signal indicating booting of the program, presenting on the display;

a browse pane, which displays each of the templates identified with a template category, upon receiving a signal indicating that the template category is selected in the navigation pane by the user-interface selection device, wherein the browse pane displays additional information provided by the Web service;

a most recently used list displaying links to documents that have been recently used, wherein the most recently used list presents a warning message if file size of one of the documents is approaching a maximum limit, and wherein the warning message is to highlight the link to the document in an alerting color;

a search control element that allows the user to search the online templates of the program; and

a fourth button, an actuation of which cancels any input by a user;

wherein, upon receiving a signal indicating that one of the templates displayed in the browse pane is selected by the user-interface selection device, displaying on the device a preview panel for presenting preview information about the template, wherein the preview information includes any item selected from the group consisting of;

name of the template, description of the template, a location of the template, a rating of the template if the template is an online template, a size of the template, a time needed to download the template if the template is an online template, a file name of the template, a file location of the template, and document sharing settings, wherein the document sharing settings allow a user to configure whether to create a document using the template on a knowledge management system that allows the document to be shared;

wherein the program connected to the Web service is configurable using the user-interface selection device; and

wherein the blank template is used to create a custom document for the program.