Application of comments in multiple application functionality content

• US 9,069,743 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2011
• Issued: 06/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Kotler, Matthew J., Friend, Ned B., Kikin-Gil, Erez, Parker, Charles W., Zaika, Igor
• Primary Examiner(s): RIES, LAURIE ANNE
• Application Number:
  US13/272,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20130097481A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 715/230, 715/231, 715/232, 715/233
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/34 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

Application of comments to a variety of application functionality content is provided. Comments may be entered and displayed in a comments user interface component directly in line in the text or other objects of a document or other content item. Displayed comments may be collapsed to a simplified comments tab that may remain displayed in the associated document or content item. Selection of the comments tab may allow for expansion of the comments user interface component to full size. The comments tab may likewise be collapsed to an icon or other image displayed next to the associated content, and the icon or other image may be configured to provide an indication of the length of an associated comments conversation thread. One or more social feedback mechanisms may be employed to show feedback on a given component or portion of a document or content item.

Claims

1. A method of providing comments in association with an electronic content item, comprising:

displaying a first content item in a computer-enabled interface;

receiving a selection for entering a first comment in association with a portion of the first content item;

in response to receiving the selection for entering the first comment, displaying a comments user interface in line in the first content item underneath the portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed;

receiving in the comments user interface the first comment directed to the portion of the first content item;

displaying a comments tab in the first content item in a location in the first content item where the comments user interface was displayed;

receiving a selection for collapsing the comments tab from view; and

collapsing the comments tab from view and displaying an image adjacent to the portion of the first content item, the image providing an indication of a presence of the first comment without obstructing the display of the first content item with the comments tab or additional material associated with the first comment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the comments user interface in line in the first content item underneath the portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed includes displaying the comments user interface in a display configuration and display size such that the displayed comments user interface and such that comments received and displayed in the comments user interface match the display configuration and display size of the displayed first content item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to receiving the selection for collapsing the comments user interface from view, collapsing the comments user interface from view, and displaying the comments tab in the first content item in the location in the first content item where the comments user interface was displayed prior to collapsing the comments user interface from view.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying in the comments tab information about the comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying in the comments tab information about the comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface includes displaying one or more of indications of a number of comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface, identifications of one or more authors of the comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface, indications of whether the comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface have been marked as read or unread and indications of whether the comments contained in the collapsed comments user interface have been marked as resolved or unresolved.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving the selection of the comments tab, and expanding the comments user interface such that the comments user interface is displayed in line in the first content item underneath the portion of the first content item to which the first comment is directed.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the image adjacent to the first content item includes displaying a number of images representative of a number of comments that are contained in the collapsed comments user interface.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a second comment in the comments user interface directed to the portion of the first content item wherein the first and second comments comprise a comments thread directed to the first content item.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving one or more additional comments directed to the first content item wherein the one or more additional comments directed to the first content item are associated with the first and second comments and further comprise the comments thread directed to the first content item.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second comments and each of the one or more additional comments are stored at a remote comments storage service for providing access to each of the comments by one or more users and for providing information on each of the comments to requesting users.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a display of the computer-enabled interface such that the first comment is displayed as a primary display feature and such that the first content item is displayed as a secondary display feature.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein displaying the first content item as the secondary display feature includes changing a display formatting of the first content item such that only the first comment is displayed.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a scroll bar in the computer-enabled interface and displaying one or more comments indicators in the scroll bar to indicate positions in corresponding portions of the first content item at which one or more comments corresponding to the one or more comments indicators are embedded.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing in the computer-enabled interface a comments user interface component in which is displayed one or more selectable functionality controls for actuating comments functionality in association with the first content item.

20. The system of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first document is associated with a second document, receiving the first comment associated with the portion of the first document further comprises:

including the first comment in the portion of the first document and including the first document in the portion of the second document.

15. A computer readable storage device containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of providing comments in association with an electronic document, comprising:

displaying a first document in a computer-enabled interface;

displaying a comments user interface at a portion of the first document to indicate comments that are related to the portion of the first document, the comments user interface displaying an indication of a number of comments received for the portion of the first document and includes functionality buttons for interacting with one or more portions of the first document, the functionality buttons including options for entering and editing comments associated with the one or more portions of the first document;

receiving a selection for entering a first comment from a first user in association with the portion of the first document;

in response to receiving the selection for entering the first comment from the first user, displaying the comments user interface in line in the first document underneath the portion of the first document to which the first comment is directed;

receiving in the comments user interface the first comment directed to the portion of the first document;

receiving a selection for collapsing the comments user interface from view;

collapsing the comments user interface from view, and displaying a comments tab in the first document in a location in the first document where the comments user interface was displayed prior to collapsing the comments user interface from view;

receiving a selection for collapsing the comments tab from view; and

collapsing the comments tab from view and displaying an image adjacent to the portion of the first document, the image providing an indication of a presence of the first comment without obstructing the display of the first document with the comments tab or additional material associated with the first comment.

16. A system for providing comments in association with an electronic document, comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory that including computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the system to;

display a first document in a computer-enabled interface;

receiving a first comment associated with a portion of the first document;

displaying a comments tab in the first document at a location of the first comment in the first document;

receiving a selection to collapse the comments tab;

collapsing the comments tab from view and displaying an image adjacent to the portion of the first document, the image providing an indication of a presence of the first comment without cluttering the display of the first document with the comments tab or additional material associated with the first comment.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising displaying in the comments tab information about comments associated with the portion of the first document.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein displaying the image adjacent to the portion of the first document includes displaying a number of images representative of a number of comments associated with the portion of the first document.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

incorporating a portion of a second document to comprise the portion the first document; and

wherein the first comment is associated with the portion of the second document such that the first comment is received when the portion of the second document is incorporated.