System and method for browsing tabbed-heterogeneous windows

• US 7,921,365 B2
• Filed: 02/15/2005
• Issued: 04/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Van Dok, Cornelis K., Sauve, Aaron J., Schreiner, Tony E., Cummins, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shih; Haoshian
• Application Number:
  US11/059,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,240 Days
• Field of Search: 715/738, 715/759, 715/804, 715/777, 715/779, 718/100, 718/103, 719/329, 712/216, 712/225, 712/226, 712/227, 712/228, 707/E17.119
• US Class Current: 715/738
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

The techniques and mechanisms described herein are directed to a method for managing multiple content windows. The content windows may host a web browser, a shell view, a word processing application, and the like. A set of content windows are grouped into a frame in a manner such that a taskbar shows one item for the set of content windows. Each content window is associated with a tab for the frame. A content-specific menu may be associated with each tab. The content-specific menu includes a set of commands based on the heterogeneous content hosted in the content window. The set of commands provide functionality to the heterogeneous content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for managing multiple content windows, the method comprising:

grouping a set of content windows into a window frame of a tabbed browser application in a manner such that a taskbar shows one item for the set of content windows, each of the content windows displaying heterogeneous content, the heterogeneous content of at least one of the content windows being a web page and the heterogeneous content of at least one other of the content windows not being a web page;

associating a tab with each of the content windows;

processing each tab using a separate thread, such that if one tab hangs other tabs will not hang;

associating a content specific menu with each tab, the content specific menu including commands based on the heterogeneous content associated with a given tab, the commands providing functionality to the heterogeneous content; and

displaying an address bar in the window frame, the address bar displaying an address of a currently selected tab.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the heterogeneous content of the other content window includes a directory.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the heterogeneous content of the other content window includes a document.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the heterogeneous content of the other content window includes a shell folder.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adding another content window to the set of content windows and associating a new tab with the another content window.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the heterogeneous content for the another content window downloads in the background.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein a current content window selected from the set of content windows remains in focus during the downloading.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising applying a theme to at least one of the tabs.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the window frame comprising a navigation bar having a forward button and a back button, the method further comprising changing the currently selected tab in response to selection of the forward button or the back button.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising prioritizing an individual thread corresponding to an active tab, such that the active tab is prioritized over a background tab.

9. One or more computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

displaying a user-interface of a tabbed browser application, the user-interface including a window frame, a navigation bar, and a tab band, the tab band to accommodate a plurality of tabs each having a heterogeneous content window, the window frame to accommodate the plurality of tabs and their respective heterogeneous content windows;

displaying a tab within the tab band;

processing each tab by a separate thread, such that if one tab hangs other tabs will not hang;

prioritizing an individual thread associated with an active tab, such that the active tab is prioritized over a background tab;

downloading heterogeneous content in a heterogeneous content window associated with the tab;

bringing the tab into focus;

displaying a content specific menu for the selected tab, the content specific menu providing commands specific to the heterogeneous content in the content window associated with the selected tab, the commands proving functionality for the heterogeneous content; and

changing the tab in focus in response to selection of a forward or back button of the navigation bar.

10. The computer-readable storage media of claim 9, further comprising applying a theme to the tab.

11. The computer-readable storage media of claim 9, further comprising displaying an address bar in the window frame, the address bar displaying an address of the tab in focus.

13. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying a tabbed browser window of a tabbed browser application including a first tabbed window and a second tabbed window, wherein the first tabbed window includes a web page and the second tabbed window includes content other than a web page, and wherein each tabbed window is processed by a separate thread, such that if one tab hangs other tabs will not hang;

displaying an address bar in the tabbed browser window, the address bar displaying an address of a currently selected tab.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising:

displaying a navigation bar in the tabbed browser window, the navigation bar having a forward button and a back button; and

changing the currently selected tab in response to selection of the forward button or the back button.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein the second tabbed window includes a directory, a document, or a shell folder.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising adding another tabbed window to the tabbed browser window.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising displaying a content specific menu associated with the currently selected tabbed window, the content specific menu including commands based on content of the currently selected tab.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, further comprising applying a theme to at least one of the tabs.