Location-dependent drag and drop UI

• US 9,164,673 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheng, Karen X., Rampson, Benjamin Edward, Patterson, Eric W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bashore, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHREWSBURY, NATHAN K
• Application Number:
  US13/550,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20140019899A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 715/770
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

An improved interactive user interface for presenting functionalities of an application is provided. An application functionality applied to a data element range may be represented by a selectable preview element that provides a preview of the application functionality applied to the data element range. Upon selection of a preview element, one or more drop zones may be displayed. The preview element may be dragged to a drop zone and may animate into a visualization of the application functionality applied to the data element. The type of visualization that is displayed may be dependent on the drop zone to which the preview element is dragged. After a preview element is dropped into a drop zone, the functionality may be applied to the data element range and be displayed. The interactive data visualizations may encourage a user to explore features of an application.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interactive user interface for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

providing a computing device with a display;

providing a user interface on the display for presenting functionality of an application, the application providing multiple documents on the display for a user to input and manipulate data for performing calculations while the documents are provided on the display;

displaying selectable preview elements associated with a document of the application, each of the selectable preview elements representing an application functionality of the application;

selecting a data element range from the document on the display wherein the data element range comprises a group of adjacent cells that have been selected;

receiving an indication of a selection of a selectable preview element;

providing one or more drop zones in the document for receiving the selected preview element, wherein a type of visualization that is displayed is dependent on the particular drop zone;

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone of the document of the application;

displaying in the drop zone a visualization applied to the selected data element range of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element;

receiving an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

in response to dropping the selected preview element into the drop zone, applying to the selected data element range the application functionality represented by the selected preview element of the document of the application.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising prior to displaying selectable preview elements:

receiving an indication of a selection of the data element range; and

determining application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying selectable preview elements comprises displaying one or more preview elements representing application functionalities determined likely to be used for the selected data element range.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element further comprises for each of the one or more drop zones, providing a different specific action to apply in association with applying the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a selectable preview element comprises displaying a preview representation of an application functionality applied to the selected data element range.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the drop zone comprises displaying a representation of the application functionality and a drop zone action applied to the selected data element range.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

displaying a visualization of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element in the second drop zone, wherein displaying the visualization comprises displaying a representation of the application functionality and a drop zone action associated with the second drop zone applied to the selected data element range.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transitioning visualizations via animation as a preview element is moved to a second drop zone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the selectable preview element comprises animating the selectable preview element onto a display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more drop zones in a document for receiving the selected preview element comprises displaying an indication of a drop zone action that will be applied if the selected preview element is placed in the drop zone.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein providing one or more drop zone comprises providing two drop zones and wherein the visualization that is displayed as a result of moving the selected preview element to one of the drop zones is different than another visualization that is displayed as a result of moving the selected preview element to the other drop zone.

11. A system for providing an intuitive user interface for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

a display;

an input device; and

a processor configured to;

provide a user interface for presenting functionality of an application, the application providing multiple documents on a display for a user to input and manipulate data for performing calculations while the documents are provided on the display;

display selectable preview elements, each of the selectable preview elements representing an application functionality;

selecting a data element range from the document on the display wherein the data element range comprises a group of adjacent cells that have been selected;

receive an indication of a selection of a selectable preview element;

provide one or more drop zones in the document for receiving the selected preview element;

receive an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone of the document of the application;

display in the drop zone a visualization applied to the selected data element range of the application functionality represented by the selected preview element;

receive an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

in response to dropping the selected preview element in the drop zone, apply to the selected data element range the application functionality represented by the selected preview element of the documents of the application.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to provide a different action associated with each of the one or more drop zones such that when a selected preview element is moved to a drop zone, the action is applied.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an indication of the action associated with the drop zone.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further operable to provide a visualization incorporating the action associated with a drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further operable to:

receive an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

provide a visualization incorporating the action associated with the second drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further operable to provide an animated transition between the visualization provided in the first drop zone to the visualization provided in the second drop zone.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor further operable to:

receive an indication of a selection of a data element range;

determine application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range; and

display one or more preview elements representing the application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range.

18. A computer-readable storage device not including a propagated signal and tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions for presenting application functionalities, the method comprising:

providing a user interface on a display with a processor for presenting functionality of an application, the application providing multiple documents on the display for a user to input and manipulate data for performing calculations while the documents are provided on the display;

selecting a data element range from a document on the display wherein the data element range comprises a group of adjacent cells that have been selected;

determining application functionalities likely to be used for the selected data element range;

displaying selectable preview elements, each of the preview elements representing an application functionality determined likely to be used for the selected data element range;

receiving an indication of a selection of a selectable preview element;

providing one or more drop zones in the document for receiving the selected preview element;

providing an action associated with each of the one or more drop zones of the documents of the application;

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a drop zone;

displaying a visualization in the drop zone, the visualization incorporating the action associated with the drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element applied to the selected data element range;

receiving an indication of a deposit of the selected preview element to the drop zone; and

in response to dropping the selected preview element into the drop zone, applying to the selected date element range the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

19. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving an indication of a movement of the selected preview element to a second drop zone; and

displaying a visualization incorporating the action associated with the second drop zone and the application functionality represented by the selected preview element.

20. The computer-readable storage device of claim 18, wherein displaying a visualization includes animating a morphing of the selected preview element into the visualization.