Dynamic multi-dimensional scrolling

• US 7,536,410 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Hoefnagles, Stephan, Anthony, Colin, Van Dok, Cornelis K., Wong, Lyon K. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y T
• Application Number:
  US11/112,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20060242603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/4, 707/5, 707/102, 707/101, 707/854, 707/234
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A system and method of automatically dynamically scrolling content in a dimension to enhance user navigation and display of a relevant node is disclosed. In one example, when a user scrolls vertically to a node in a folder tree control where the node/folder name is not visible, the folder tree view may be automatically dynamically scrolled horizontally such that the full name of the folder is viewable. The automatic dynamic scrolling alleviates the effort and stress related to requiring a user to manually scroll a view in two dimensions in a tree control.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of user navigation of data in a computer system having a graphical user interface and a data storage subsystem in which data items are displayed as a hierarchical tree on the graphical user interface, the method comprising:

displaying a first view of a hierarchical tree control, by using a computer having a memory, in a viewable area, wherein the hierarchical tree control comprises a plurality of nested nodes arranged in a hierarchy along a first dimension;

in response to user input indicative of navigation of the hierarchical tree control, determining if user input will result in a relevant node in the hierarchical tree control being at least partially obscured, wherein the navigation comprises navigation within the first dimension;

delaying for a first predetermined amount of time if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured;

if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured then automatically scrolling the first view of the hierarchical tree control in a second dimension for a predetermined distance, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension;

waiting at least a second predetermined amount of time after the determining before the automatically scrolling, wherein the second predetermined amount of time is approximately 100 milliseconds, wherein the automatically scrolling comprises;

determining if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area; and

calculating the predetermined distance, the predetermined distance is equal to a distance necessary to align the relevant node with a left edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area, and the predetermined distance is equal to the distance necessary to align the relevant node with a right edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is not wider than the viewable area, wherein the first dimension comprises a vertical dimension and wherein the second dimension comprises a horizontal dimension, wherein the user input indicative of navigation comprises non-scrolling user input that interacts with the hierarchical tree control, wherein the non-scrolling user input comprises a user selecting an expand widget displayed in the viewable area, wherein the relevant node is a node in the hierarchical tree control that is closest in proximity to a mouse pointer displayed on the graphical user interface; and

displaying a second view of the hierarchical tree control, wherein the relevant node is substantially entirely visible, wherein the hierarchical tree control is displayed at a first position along the second dimension.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said non-scrolling user input comprises a user providing focus to a node in said hierarchical tree control.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said relevant node is a node in said hierarchical tree control that has focus.

4. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions for performing a computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying a first view of a hierarchical tree control, by using a computer having a memory, in a viewable area, wherein the hierarchical tree control comprises a plurality of nested nodes arranged in a hierarchy along a first dimension;

in response to user input indicative of navigation of the hierarchical tree control, determining if user input will result in a relevant node in a hierarchical tree control being at least partially obscured, wherein the navigation comprises navigation within the first dimension;

delaying for a first predetermined amount of time if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured;

if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured then automatically scrolling the first view of the hierarchical tree control in a second dimension for a predetermined distance, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension;

waiting at least a second predetermined amount of time after the determining before the automatically scrolling, wherein the second predetermined amount of time is approximately 100 milliseconds, wherein the automatically scrolling comprises;

determining if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area; and

calculating the predetermined distance, the predetermined is equal to a distance necessary to align the relevant node with a left edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area, and the predetermined distance is equal to the distance necessary to align the relevant node with a right edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is not wider than the viewable area, wherein the first dimension comprises a vertical dimension and wherein the second dimension comprises a horizontal dimension, wherein the user input indicative of navigation comprises non-scrolling user input that interacts with the hierarchical tree control, wherein the non-scrolling user input comprises a user selecting an expand widget displayed in the viewable area, wherein the relevant node is a node in the hierarchical tree control that is closest in proximity to a mouse pointer displayed on the graphical user interface; and

displaying a second view of the hierarchical tree control, wherein the relevant node is substantially entirely visible, wherein the hierarchical tree control is displayed at a first position along the second dimension.

5. A system for user navigation of data in a hierarchical tree control in a graphical user interface, the system comprising:

a computer having a computer readable storage medium;

a memory for storing components;

a component for displaying a first view of the hierarchical tree control, in a viewable area, wherein the hierarchical tree control comprises a plurality of nested nodes arranged in a hierarchy along a first dimension;

a component for determining if user input will result in a relevant node in the hierarchical tree control being at least partially obscured in response to user input indicative of navigation of the hierarchical tree control, wherein the navigation comprises navigation within the first dimension;

a component for delaying for a first predetermined amount of time if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured;

a component for automatically scrolling the first view of the hierarchical tree control in a second dimension for a predetermined distance if the user input results in the relevant node being at least partially obscured, wherein the second dimension is perpendicular to the first dimension;

a component for waiting at least a second predetermined amount of time after the determining before the automatically scrolling, wherein the second predetermined amount of time is approximately 100 milliseconds, wherein the automatically scrolling comprises;

a component for determining if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area; and

calculating the predetermined distance, the predetermined distance is equal to a distance necessary to align the relevant node with a left edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is wider than the viewable area, and the predetermined distance is equal to the distance necessary to align the relevant node with a right edge of the viewable area if the relevant node is not wider than the viewable area, wherein the first dimension comprises a vertical dimension and wherein the second dimension comprises a horizontal dimension, wherein the user input indicative of navigation comprises non-scrolling user input that interacts with the hierarchical tree control, wherein the non-scrolling user input comprises a user selecting an expand widget displayed in the viewable area, wherein the relevant node is a node in the hierarchical tree control that is closest in proximity to a mouse pointer displayed on the graphical user interface; and

a component for displaying a second view of the hierarchical tree control, wherein the relevant node is substantially entirely visible, wherein the hierarchical tree control is displayed at a first position along the second dimension.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said component for automatically scrolling further comprises a component for waiting for a predetermined amount of time before automatically scrolling the first view of a hierarchical tree control.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said relevant node is a node in said hierarchical tree control that has focus.