User interface for providing task management and calendar information

• US 7,747,966 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 06/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Jensen, Stephen D., Leukart, Richard H., Williams, Cheryl L., Savastano, Hernan, Frankel, Glenn L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow; Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Linh K
• Application Number:
  US10/955,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,098 Days
• Field of Search: 715/963, 715/753, 715/773, 715/779, 715/797, 715/802, 715/805, 715/821, 715/967, 715/968, 705/8, 705/9
• US Class Current: 715/792
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/963 Calendar or scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/967 Visual or iconic programming
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 715/968 interface for database querying and retrieval

Abstract

An electronic “To-Do” bar is provided in which displayed upcoming tasks, meetings, appointments and the like. The electronic To-Do bar is displayed in a lightweight menu of tasks, meetings and appointments and is displayed persistently in addition to other software functionality or user interfaces displayed on a user'"'"'s computer display screen according to other software applications or other software functionality in use. A user is presented with an always-visible list of upcoming tasks, meetings and appointments without the need to launch a separate tasks application or calendar application to view upcoming tasks, meetings or appointments.

Claims

1. A method for providing task information and calendar information in a to-do user interface, comprising:

searching at least one memory storage for at least one calendar object marked for addition to the to-do user interface and at least one task object marked for addition to the to-do user interface;

populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing the at least one calendar object;

populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing the at least one task object;

organizing at least one task object contained in the task list into at least one logical grouping, where the at least one task object included in a given logical grouping belongs to an arrangement type associated with the given logical grouping;

displaying the to-do user interface as a component of a larger user interface, wherein the larger user interface comprises a main user interface comprising the to-do user interface component and at least one other user interface component, where an area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface may be used for displaying functionality and information associated with at least one first software application, wherein the functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application is not dependent on the information populating the to-do user interface; and

persisting displaying of the to-do user interface, the to-do user interface being populated with the appointments view pane and the task list, as a component of the larger user interface if functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is replaced by functionality and information associated with at least one second software application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing at least one calendar object, retrieving the at least one calendar object from a memory of calendar objects; and

prior to populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing at least one task object, retrieving the at least one task object from a memory of task objects.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a task input panel for inputting a new task object into the task list.

4. The method of claim 1, after populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing at least one calendar object, retrieving at least one calendar object from at least one calendar object storage source;

and

displaying the retrieved at least one calendar object in the appointments view pane.

5. The method of claim 4, whereby retrieving at least one calendar object from at least one calendar object storage source includes retrieving at least one data object that is marked for recognition by the to-do user interface as a calendar object.

6. The method of claim 1, prior to organizing at least one task object contained in the task list into at least one logical grouping, retrieving at least one task object from at least one task object source for populating into the task list.

7. The method of claim 6, whereby retrieving at least one task object from at least one task object source for populating into the task list includes retrieving at least one data item that is marked for recognition by the to-do user interface as a task object.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a date picker control for showing a selected calendar view.

9. The method of claim 8, in response to a selection of a date contained in the date picker control, launching a calendar user interface in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface, and setting the launched calendar user interface to the selected date.

10. The method of claim 9, upon receiving a task item applied to a date in the date picker control, populating the task list with the task item in a position in the task list associated with the date to which the task item is applied.

37. The method of claim 1, wherein the first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is at least one of a calendar application, a task application, a mail application, and a contacts application.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the second software application is at least one of a calendar application, a task application, a mail application, and a contacts application.

11. A computer implemented method for providing an improved user interface, the method comprising:

searching at least one memory storage for at least one calendar object marked for addition to the to-do user interface and at least one task object marked for addition to the to-do user interface;

displaying, by the computer, an appointments view pane disposed in an upper portion of the to-do user interface for containing the at least one calendar object;

displaying, by the computer, a task list disposed in a lower portion of a to-do user interface for containing the at least one task object;

displaying, by the computer, the to-do user interface as a component of a larger user interface, wherein the larger user interface comprises a main user interface comprising the to-do user interface component and at least one other user interface component, where an area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is available for displaying functionality and information associated with at least one first software application not related to the to-do user interface, wherein the functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application is not dependent on the information populating the to-do user interface; and

persistently displaying, by the computer, the to-do user interface, the to-do user interface comprising the appointments view pane and the task list, as a component of the larger user interface if functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is replaced by functionality and information associated with at least one second software application.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying, by the computer, a task input panel above the task list for receiving an input of a new task object into the task list.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising displaying, by the computer, a date picker control above the appointments view pane for showing a selected calendar view.

14. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing task information and calendar information in a to-do user interface, comprising:

searching at least one memory storage for at least one calendar object marked for addition to the to-do user interface and at least one task object marked for addition to the to-do user interface;

populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing the at least one calendar object;

populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing the at least one task object;

organizing the at least one task object contained in the task list into at least one logical grouping, where any of the at least one task object included in a given logical grouping belongs to an arrangement type associated with the given logical grouping;

displaying the to-do user interface as a component of a larger user interface, wherein the larger user interface comprises a main user interface comprising the to-do user interface component and at least one other user interface component, where an area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface may be used for displaying functionality and information associated with at least first one software application, wherein the functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application is not dependent on the information populating the to-do user interface; and

persisting displaying of the to-do user interface, the to-do user interface being populated with the appointments view pane and the task list, as a component of the larger user interface if functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is replaced by functionality and information associated with at least one second software application.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, further comprising:

prior to populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing at least one calendar object, retrieving the at least one calendar object from a memory object, retrieving of calendar objects; and

prior to populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing at least one task object from a memory of task objects.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, after populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing at least one calendar object:

retrieving at least one calendar object from at least one calendar object storage source; and

displaying the retrieved at least one calendar object in the appointments view pane.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 20, whereby retrieving at least one calendar object from at least one calendar object storage source includes retrieving at least one data object that is marked for recognition by the to-do user interface as a calendar object.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, prior to organizing at least one task object contained in the task list into at least one logical grouping, retrieving the at least one task object from at least one task object source for populating into the task list.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, whereby retrieving at least one task object from at least one task object source for populating into the task list includes retrieving at least one data item that is marked for recognition by the to-do user interface as a task object.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of 14, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a task input panel for inputting a new task object into the task list.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of 14, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a date picker control for showing a selected calendar view.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, in response to a selection of a date contained in the date picker control, launching a calendar user interface in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface, and setting the launched calendar user interface to the selected date.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 17, upon receiving a task item applied to a date in the date picker control, populating the task list with the task item in a position in the task list associated with the date to which the task item is applied.

24. A method for providing task information and calendar information in a to-do user interface, comprising:

searching at least one memory storage for at least one calendar object marked for addition to the to-do user interface and at least one task object marked for addition to the to-do user interface;

populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing the at least one calendar object;

populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing the at least one task object;

displaying the to-do user interface as a component of a larger user interface, wherein the larger user interface comprises a main user interface comprising the to-do user interface component and at least one other user interface component, where an area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface may be used for displaying functionality and information associated with at least one first software application, wherein the functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application is not dependent on the information populating the to-do user interface; and

persisting displaying of the to-do user interface, the to-do user interface being populated with the appointments view pane and the task list, as a component of the larger user interface if functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is replaced by functionality and information associated with at least one second software application.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

prior to populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing at least one calendar object, retrieving the at least one calendar object from a memory of calendar objects; and

prior to populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing at least one task object, retrieving the at least one task object from a memory of task objects.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising organizing the at least one task object into at least one logical grouping, where any of the at least one task objects included in a given logical grouping belongs to an arrangement type associated with the given logical grouping.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising receiving a selection of an arrangement type from a group of arrangement types consisting of task category, task start date, task due date, task assigned to, task created by, task type, and custom task arrangement.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a task input panel for inputting a new task object into the task list.

29. The method of claim 24, further comprising populating the to-do user interface with a date picker control for showing a selected calendar view.

30. The method of claim 29, in response to a selection of a date contained in the date picker control, launching a calendar user interface in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface, and setting the launched calendar user interface to the selected date.

31. The method of claim 29, upon receiving a task item applied to a date in the date picker control, populating the task list with the task item in a position in the task list associated with the date to which the task item is applied.

32. The method of claim 25, whereby populating an appointments view pane of the to-do user interface with at least one calendar object includes populating the appointments view pane of the to-do user interface with at least one appointments object.

33. A computer-readable storage medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing task information and calendar information in a to-do user interface, comprising:

searching at least one memory storage for at least one calendar object marked for addition to the to-do user interface and at least one task object marked for addition to the to-do user interface;

retrieving the at least one calendar object from a memory of calendar objects;

populating the to-do user interface with an appointments view pane for containing the at least one calendar object, whereby populating the appointments view pane of the to-do user interface with at least one calendar object includes populating the appointments view pane of the to-do user interface with a plurality of appointments objects;

retrieving the at least one task object from a memory of task objects;

populating the to-do user interface with a task list for containing the at least one task object;

populating the to-do user interface with a date picker control for showing a selected calendar view;

populating the to-do user interface with a task input panel for inputting a new task object into the task list;

displaying the to-do user interface as a component of a larger user interface, wherein the larger user interface comprises a main user interface comprising the to-do user interface component and at least one other user interface component, where an area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface may be used for displaying functionality and information associated with at least one first software application, wherein the functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application is not dependent on the information populating the to-do user interface;

organizing the at least one task object into at least one logical grouping, where any of the at least one task object included in a given logical grouping belongs to an arrangement type associated with the given logical grouping; and

persisting displaying of the to-do user interface, the to-do user interface being populated with the appointments view pane and the task list, as a component of the larger user interface if functionality and information associated with the at least one first software application that is displayed in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface is replaced by functionality and information associated with at least one second software application.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, further comprising receiving a selection of an arrangement type from a group of arrangement types consisting of task category, task start date, task due date, task assigned to, task created by, task type, and custom task arrangement.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, in response to a selection of a date contained in the date picker control, launching a calendar user interface in the area of the larger user interface not consumed by the to-do user interface, and setting the launched calendar user interface to the selected date.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, upon receiving a task item applied to a date in the date picker control, populating the task list with the task item in a position in the task list associated with the date to which the task item is applied.