Method and system for pinning contacts and items

• US 7,493,567 B2
• Filed: 01/28/2004
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Henry, Flynt, David W., Stepanich, Darron Jack, Todd, Marc W., Ollis, Joseph Kirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LE V
• Application Number:
  US10/767,463
• Publication Number:
  US 20050166157A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,847 Days
• Field of Search: 715/758
• US Class Current: 715/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system of pinning and displaying pinned items. Pinned items are displayed such that they are visually distinguishable and prioritized higher than related non-pinned items. For example, pinned contacts are displayed at the top of the contact list and are visually distinguishable from the other contacts. A special icon is used to show an item that is “pinned.” contact. A pinned item is a copy of a contact. The copy helps a user quickly access the items they most commonly communicate with and use and provides an importance to an item.

Claims

1. A method for pinning and displaying items, comprising:

selecting an item to pin;

pinning the item selected by a user;

automatically creating a copy of the item selected to pin; and

automatically displaying the pinned item before non-pinned items such that the pinned item is distinguishable from and prioritized higher than related non-pinned items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the pinned item further comprises including a visual indicator indicating that the item is pinned.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the item to pin is selected from a group comprising a contact, a folder, a file, a field, an application, and a message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the pinned item such that the pinned item is distinguishable and prioritized higher than the related non-pinned items further comprises displaying the pinned item at a top of a list view.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising displaying the pinned item with a category view when it is associated with a category.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising managing pinned items such that the pinned item may be moved relative to other pinned items.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein managing the pinned items further comprises deleting a pinned item.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein deleting the pinned item further comprises keeping a corresponding item within an unpinned item list.

9. A system for representing items, comprising:

a display configured to display items; and

a pinned items application that is configured to perform the following actions, including;

pinning an item selected by a user;

automatically create a copy of the item selected to pin to be used as the pinned item; and

automatically instructing the display to display the pinned item before non-pinned items such that the pinned item is distinguishable and prioritized higher than related non-pinned items.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the pinned item includes an icon indicating that it is pinned.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein instructing the display to display the pinned item, further comprises displaying the pinned item only when it is associated with a category view currently being displayed.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the pinned item application is further configured to manage pinned items.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein managing the pinned items further comprises moving the pinned items within the pinned items list.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein managing the pinned items further comprises deleting at least one of the pinned items.

15. A computer-readable storage medium for displaying items, comprising:

selecting an item to pin;

pinning the item selected by a user;

automatically creating a copy of the contact item to pin, wherein the copy is used as the pinned item; and

automatically displaying the pinned item before non-pinned items such that the pinned item is distinguishable and prioritized higher than related non-pinned items.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein displaying the pinned item further comprises including an icon indicating that the item is pinned.

17. A computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein displaying the pinned item, further comprises displaying the pined item at a top of a list view.