Network connectivity and wireless status in a notification area

• US 7,631,270 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2006
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Miner, Patrice Lynn, Jones, David, Sidhu, Gursharan S., Watson, Marieke I., Begorre, Bill, Cunningham, Aaron W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): WONG, WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US11/473,761
• Publication Number:
  US 20070067734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 715/779, 715/771, 715/772
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

Described is a technology by which network connectivity information may be communicated via a single notifications area (e.g., system tray) icon, including by representing different images of the icon to display different types/states of connectivity and different types of media connections. For example, the icon may indicate whether Internet connectivity is present, and whether the connection is wired or wireless. The icon may regularly transition between at least two images to communicate different variables, e.g., types of connectivity and/or different types of media connections. The icon may be interactive to provide a tooltip, flyout and/or context menu related to the network state, and the icon may change in response to the networking state change event, e.g., be updated when a different capability connection is detected, when a different interface is detected, and/or when a wireless network with a different signal quality is detected.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a network icon in a system tray of a computing device, the network icon representing a connection status of the computing device to one or more networks, the method comprising:

instantiating a network icon manager within a network shell that is stored in memory of the computing device, wherein the network icon manager includes a state machine for processing network events received at the network icon manager, and wherein the network icon manager communicates with a system tray manager such that a network icon indicative of the connection status of the computing device is displayed in the system tray of the computing device;

the network icon manager registering to receive network events from a network connection status indicator, a profile service, and a wireless LAN service;

the network icon manager querying the network connection status indicator for the connection status of the computing device, wherein the connection status of the computing device comprises one of no connectivity, subnet connectivity, local connectivity, internet connectivity, and bidirectional connectivity;

the network icon manager receiving the connection status of the computing device, wherein the connection status indicates that the computing device has no connectivity;

upon receiving the connection status, the network icon manager selecting a first network icon image corresponding to the connection status and supplying the first network icon image to the system tray manager such that the first network icon image is displayed as the network icon in the system tray to indicate that the computing device has no connectivity;

subsequent to supplying the first network icon image to the system tray manager, the network icon manager entering a message loop in which the network icon manager receives network events;

upon receiving a first network event, the network icon manager converting the first network event to a first primary network icon state event;

applying the first primary network icon state event to the state machine to determine whether the network icon is to be updated such that upon determining that the first primary network icon state event indicates that the computing device currently has local connectivity over a wired connection, the network icon manager selects a second network icon image and supplies the second network icon image to the system tray manager such that the second network icon image is displayed as the network icon in the system tray to indicate the local connectivity over the wired connection of the computing device;

upon receiving a second network event, and subsequent to receiving the first network event, the network icon manager converting the second network event to a second primary network icon state event;

applying the second primary network icon state event to the state machine to determine whether the network icon is to be updated such that upon determining that the second primary network icon state event indicates that the computing device currently has internet connectivity over the wired connection, the network icon manager selects a third network icon image and supplies the third network icon image to the system tray manager such that the third network icon image is displayed as the network icon in the system tray to indicate the internet connectivity over the wired connection of the computing device;

upon receiving a third network event, the network icon manager converting the third network event to a third primary network icon state event; and

applying the third primary network icon state event to the state machine to determine whether the network icon is to be updated such that upon determining that the third primary network icon state event indicates that one or more wireless networks are available, the network icon manager selects a fourth network icon image and supplies the fourth network icon image to the system tray manager such that the fourth network icon image and the third network icon image are alternately displayed in the system tray such that the fourth network icon image is displayed for a first predetermined amount of time and is then replaced with the third network icon image which is displayed for a second predetermined amount of time and such that the alternate display is repeated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the third and fourth network icon images are repeatedly displayed until the one or more wireless networks are no longer available.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the network icon displayed in the system tray, displaying a context menu, the context menu having various options comprising;

a disconnect option which the user selects to disconnect from a wireless network to which the computing device is currently connected; and

a connect to option which the user selects to connect to the one or more available wireless networks.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the network icon displayed in the system tray, displaying a tooltip that is not selectable by the user, the tooltip displaying a network profile for each network connection having internet connectivity, the network profile for each network connection being received at the network icon manager from the profile service.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

upon the computing device obtaining internet connectivity, displaying a notification from the system tray, the notification indicating a network profile for the network through which the computing device is connected to the internet.

6. A computer storage media having stored computer executable instruction which when executed by a processor perform the method of claim 1.

7. The computer storage media of claim 6, wherein the third and fourth network icon images are repeatedly displayed until the one or more wireless networks are no longer available.

8. The computer storage media of claim 6, further comprising:

in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the network icon displayed in the system tray, displaying a context menu, the context menu having various options comprising;

a disconnect option which the user selects to disconnect from a wireless network to which the computing device is currently connected; and

a connect to option which the user selects to connect to the one or more available wireless networks.

9. The computer storage media of claim 6, further comprising:

in response to a user'"'"'s selection of the network icon displayed in the system tray, displaying a tooltip that is not selectable by the user, the tooltip displaying a network profile for each network connection having internet connectivity, the network profile for each network Connection being received at the network icon manager from the profile service.

10. The computer storage media of claim 6, further comprising:

upon the computing device obtaining internet connectivity, displaying a notification from the system tray, the notification indicating a network profile for the network through which the computing device is connected to the internet.