User interface incorporating graphically based management of controls

• US 7,546,542 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2004
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Premchandran, Girish
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US10/807,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20050212807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762, 715/806, 345/28, 345/530, 345/535, 345/553, 345/565, 345/572, 382/251, 711/100
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for selectively loading one control at a time based on the location of a selection component relative to a graphical representation of a user interface.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for selectively loading controls, the method comprising:

displaying a graphical representation of a first user interface component having a visual appearance of a mechanism for facilitating an input of text;

receiving a first selection input that corresponds to the graphical representation;

loading a first control in response to the first selection input, the first control being associated with the graphical representation and configured to facilitate an incorporation of text into the graphical representation, wherein loading the first control comprises transferring the first control from a computing device storage memory to a computing device addressable memory for execution;

displaying a graphical representation of a second user interface component having a visual appearance of a mechanism for facilitating an input of text;

receiving a second selection input that corresponds to the graphical representation of the second user interface component;

terminating said first control in response to the second selection input, wherein terminating the first control comprises removing the first control from the computing device addressable memory; and

loading a second control in response to the second selection input, the second control being associated with the graphical representation of the second user interface component and configured to facilitate an incorporation of text into the graphical representation of the second user interface component, wherein loading the second control comprises transferring the second control from the computing device storage memory to the computing device addressable memory for execution.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical representations of the first and second user interface components are each separate elements of the same user interface.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a data input that corresponds to said first control;

rendering a representation of the data input as part of the graphical representation of the first user interface component.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said rendering occurs prior to said terminating.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein said rendering occurs prior to said activating a second control.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein loading a first control comprises loading a textbox control.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein loading a first control comprises loading a combobox control.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a graphical representation of a first user interface component comprises providing a graphical representation of a user interface that includes a plurality of user interface components including the first user interface component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein providing a graphical representation of a user interface comprises providing a graphical representation of a listbox.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein providing a graphical representation of a listbox comprises providing a graphical representation of a listbox that includes said graphical representation of the first user interface component in the form of a list item.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein providing a graphical representation of a listbox comprises providing a graphical representation of a listbox that includes said graphical representation of the first user interface component in the form of a textbox representation.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein providing a graphical representation of a listbox comprises providing a graphical representation of a listbox that includes said graphical representation of the first user interface component in the form of a combobox representation.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein providing a graphical representation of a user interface comprises providing a graphical representation of an Internet browser interface.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a selection input that corresponds to the graphical representation of the first user interface component comprises receiving a selection input at a coordinate location that lines up with the graphical representation of the first user interface component.

15. The method of claim 1, providing a graphical representation comprises providing a computer-readable image format representation.