System and method for displaying full product functionality using minimal user interface footprint

• US 7,797,645 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2005
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Stevens, Jeremy Max, Wickes, Kenneth, Krum, Kyle, Mitra, Kanchan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore; William L
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US11/041,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 715751-759, 715/779, 715/765, 715/838, 715/842, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/838
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus

Abstract

A sidebar UI of an application program provides access to the application program'"'"'s functionality while occupying a reduced amount of real estate on the screen when compared to conventional UIs. The sidebar UI comprises an icon or multiple icons, and each icon references a pane that provides its user the ability to access and utilize a function and/or feature of the application program. Selecting an icon in the sidebar UI causes the referenced pane which provides access to, for example, a feature of the application program to be displayed on the screen. “Clicking off” the pane causes the pane to close.

Claims

1. A method performed by a computing device having a memory and a processor for providing a sidebar user interface for an application program having a conventional user interface with panes, the method comprising:

with a processor, displaying the conventional user interface in which multiple panes of the application program are displayed simultaneously, each pane having associated functionality, wherein the conventional user interface provides no sidebar for selecting panes of the application program so that when the conventional user interface is displayed, a sidebar is not displayed;

upon receiving from the user an indication to display the sidebar user interface,

with a processor, removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface, . wherein removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface includes animating each pane as the pane is removed to reflect a transition from the conventional user interface to the sidebar user interface,

displaying a sidebar with icons, each icon associated with a pane of the conventional user interface, wherein at least one of the icons is a dynamic icon, the dynamic icon having a first graphical representation and a second graphical representation, wherein the sidebar is not a pane of the application program

wherein animating each pane includes scrolling each pane across a screen and fading each pane into the sidebar, and

displaying the dynamic icon using the first graphical representation; and

while the sidebar user interface is being displayed,

upon receiving an indication that the status of a pane associated with the dynamic icon has been modified, displaying the dynamic icon using the second graphical representation,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is not currently displayed,

displaying the pane associated with the first icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the first icon and so that the pane associated with the first icon is displayed simultaneously with the first icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the first icon includes causing the pane associated with the first icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a second icon when the pane associated with second icon is not currently displayed,

displaying the pane associated with the second icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the second icon and so that the pane associated with the second icon is displayed simultaneously with the second icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the second icon includes causing the pane associated with the second icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is currently displayed,

hiding the pane associated with the first icon,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the second icon when the pane associated with the second icon is currently displayed,

hiding the pane associated with the second icon,

receiving an indication to hide the sidebar, wherein the indication to hide the sidebar is not an indication to display the conventional user interface,

in response to receiving the indication to hide the sidebar,

hiding the sidebar, and

displaying a desktop icon enabling a user to cause the sidebar to become unhidden,

receiving a selection of the desktop icon, and

in response to receiving the selection of the desktop icon, with a processor, causing the sidebar to become unhidden,

wherein the sidebar user interface allows the user to selectively control the panes that are displayed,

wherein when an indication to display the sidebar user interface is received, automatically removing the conventional user interface from the display, and wherein when an indication to display the conventional user interface is received, automatically removing the sidebar user interface from the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the pane associated with a selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the application program is a collaboration application program.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sidebar is automatically hidden until triggered to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the sidebar user interface is displayed and the user indicates a selection of the conventional user interface, removing the sidebar user interface and displaying the conventional user interface with the multiple panes.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein removing the sidebar user interface and displaying the conventional user interface with the multiple panes includes displaying an animation to indicate a transition from the sidebar user interface to the conventional user interface.

7. One or more computer memories collectively storing a data structure specifying a sidebar UI presented by an application program, the sidebar UI including a sidebar for displaying icons associated with panes of the application program, the data structure comprising:

information specifying the conventional user interface in which multiple panes of the application program are displayed simultaneously, each pane having associated functionality, wherein the conventional user interface provides no sidebar for selecting panes of the application program so that when the conventional user interface is displayed, a sidebar is not displayed;

information for, upon receiving from the user an indication to display the sidebar user interface,

removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface, wherein removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface includes animating each pane as the pane is removed to reflect a transition from the conventional user interface to the sidebar user interface,

displaying a sidebar with icons, each icon associated with a pane of the conventional user interface, wherein at least one of the icons is a dynamic icon, the dynamic icon having a first graphical representation and a second graphical representation, wherein the sidebar is not a pane of the application program

wherein animating each pane includes scrolling each pane across a screen and fading each pane into the sidebar, and

displaying the dynamic icon using the first graphical representation; and

information for, while the sidebar user interface is being displayed,

upon receiving an indication that the status of a pane associated with the dynamic icon has been modified, displaying the dynamic icon using the second graphical representation,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is not currently displayed,

displaying the pane associated with the first icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the first icon and so that the pane associated with the first icon is displayed simultaneously with the first icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the first icon includes causing the pane associated with the first icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a second icon when the pane associated with second icon is not currently displayed,

displaying the pane associated with the second icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the second icon and so that the pane associated with the second icon is displayed simultaneously with the second icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the second icon includes causing the pane associated with the second icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is currently displayed,

hiding the pane associated with the first icon,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the second icon when the pane associated with the second icon is currently displayed,

hiding the pane associated with the second icon,

receiving an indication to hide the sidebar, wherein the indication to hide the sidebar is not an indication to display the conventional user interface,

in response to receiving the indication to hide the sidebar,

hiding the sidebar, and

displaying a desktop icon enabling a user to cause the sidebar to become unhidden,

receiving a selection of the desktop icon, and

in response to receiving the selection of the desktop icon, with a processor, causing the sidebar to become unhidden,

wherein the sidebar user interface allows the user to selectively control the panes that are displayed,

wherein when an indication to display the sidebar user interface is received, automatically removing the conventional user interface from the display, and

wherein when an indication to display the conventional user interface is received, automatically removing the sidebar user interface from the display.

8. The computer memories of claim 7 wherein the pane associated with a selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.

9. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the application program is a collaboration application program.

10. The computer memories of claim 7 wherein the sidebar is automatically hidden until triggered to be displayed.

11. The computer memories of claim 7, further comprising:

information for, when the sidebar user interface is displayed and the user indicates a selection of the conventional user interface, removing the sidebar user interface and displaying the conventional user interface with the multiple panes.

12. The computer memories of claim 11 wherein removing the sidebar user interface and displaying the conventional user interface with the multiple panes includes displaying an animation to indicate a transition from the sidebar user interface to the conventional user interface.

13. The computer memories of claim 7, wherein the first icon provides an indication of the application program'"'"'s status.

14. A computer system having a memory and a processor for providing a sidebar user interface for an application program having a conventional user interface with panes, the system comprising:

a component that displays the conventional user interface in which multiple panes of the application program are displayed simultaneously, each pane having associated functionality, wherein the conventional user interface provides no sidebar for selecting panes of the application program so that when the conventional user interface is displayed, a sidebar is not displayed;

a component that, upon receiving from the user an indication to display the sidebar user interface,

removes each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface, wherein removing each of the displayed panes of the conventional user interface includes animating each pane as the pane is removed to reflect a transition from the conventional user interface to the sidebar user interface,

displays a sidebar with icons, each icon associated with a pane of the conventional user interface, wherein at least one of the icons is a dynamic icon, the dynamic icon having a first graphical representation and a second graphical representation, wherein the sidebar is not a pane of the application program

wherein animating each pane includes scrolling each pane across a screen and fading each pane into the sidebar, and

displays the dynamic icon using the first graphical representation; and

a component that, while the sidebar user interface is being displayed,

upon receiving an indication that the status of a pane associated with the dynamic icon has been modified, displays the dynamic icon using the second graphical representation,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is not currently displayed,

displays the pane associated with the first icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the first icon and so that the pane associated with the first icon is displayed simultaneously with the first icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the first icon includes causing the pane associated with the first icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of a second icon when the pane associated with second icon is not currently displayed,

displays the pane associated with the second icon so that the user can access the functionality of the pane associated with the second icon and so that the pane associated with the second icon is displayed simultaneously with the second icon, wherein displaying the pane associated with the second icon includes causing the pane associated with the second icon to fly out from the sidebar,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the first icon when the pane associated with the first icon is currently displayed,

hides the pane associated with the first icon,

upon receiving from the user a selection of the second icon when the pane associated with the second icon is currently displayed,

hides the pane associated with the second icon,

receives an indication to hide the sidebar, wherein the indication to hide the sidebar is not an indication to display the conventional user interface,

in response to receiving the indication to hide the sidebar,

hides the sidebar, and

displays a desktop icon enabling a user to cause the sidebar to become unhidden,

receives a selection of the desktop icon, and

in response to receiving the selection of the desktop icon, with a processor, causes the sidebar to become unhidden,

wherein the sidebar user interface allows the user to selectively control the panes that are displayed,

wherein when an indication to display the sidebar user interface is received, the conventional user interface is automatically removed from the display, and

wherein when an indication to display the conventional user interface is received, the sidebar user interface is automatically removed from the display.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the pane associated with the selected icon is displayed adjacent to the sidebar.

16. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the application program is a collaboration application program.

17. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the sidebar is automatically hidden until triggered to be displayed.

18. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a component that replaces the sidebar user interface with the conventional user interface when a user indicates to select the conventional user interface.

19. The computer system of claim 18 wherein the replacing of the sidebar user interface with the conventional user interface includes displaying an animation to indicate a transition from the sidebar user interface to the conventional user interface when a user indicates to select the conventional user interface.

20. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the first icon provides an indication of the application program'"'"'s status.