Travel log for manipulation of content

• US 9,342,280 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Patten, Michael J., Hoover, Paul Armistead, Terrell, John Wesley, Waggoner, Nicholas R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NABI, REZA U
• Application Number:
  US13/117,938
• Publication Number:
  US 20120304082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,817 Days
• Field of Search: 715/762
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/38 for implementing user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a travel log for manipulation of content. In at least some embodiments, the travel log can be presented as a visual element of a web browser and can enable a user to navigate through visited content (e.g., web pages) via manipulation of the content using touch-based and/or touchless gestures. Implementations can facilitate navigation through content by representing the travel log as a visual “time line” of visited content that can be scrolled via manipulation through a web browser user interface. For example, a user can navigate the travel log to older content by manipulating the travel log in one direction, and can navigate the travel log to newer content by manipulating the travel log in a different direction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

detecting a user manipulation of a first web page of a current browsing session in a graphical user interface (GUI) using one or more gestures to pan through a travel log of web pages in the current browsing session;

navigating, upon the user manipulation causing the first web page to reach a snap point, in the GUI to a placeholder representing a second web page in the travel log of visited web pages associated with the first web page in the current browsing session;

loading a current version of a the second web page represented by the placeholder in response to reaching the snap point while displaying the placeholder representing the second web page in the GUI; and

replacing the placeholder representing the second web page automatically in the GUI with the current version of the second web page represented by the placeholder upon completion of the loading.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said gestures comprise one or more of touch-based gestures or touchless gestures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said placeholder comprises a cached image of a previous version of the second web page represented by the placeholder.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein said travel log tracks a sequence in which the visited web pages were initially visited;

and

wherein the second web page represented by the placeholder is previous to or subsequent to the first web page in the sequence.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the user manipulation is effective to cause the first web page to move out of view;

and

wherein said navigating to a placeholder comprises causing the placeholder to pan into the GUI from one or more edges of the GUI.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a user manipulation of the current version of the first web page away from focus in GUI;

panning a portion of a different placeholder into the GUI;

detecting a user manipulation of the current version of the first web page toward focus in the GUI; and

panning the portion of the different placeholder out of the GUI in response to the user manipulation of the current version of the first web page toward focus in the GUI.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

capturing a snapshot of the current version of the first web page; and

caching the snapshot to be used for the placeholder in the travel log.

8. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, perform operations comprising;

detecting a user manipulation of a first wed web page of a current browsing session displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) using one or more gestures to pan through a travel log of web pages in the current browsing session;

navigating, upon the user manipulation causing the first web page to reach a snap point, in the GUI to a placeholder representing a second web page in the travel log of visited web pages;

loading a current version of a the second web page represented by the placeholder in response to reaching the snap point while displaying the placeholder representing the second web page in the GUI; and

replacing the placeholder representing the second web page automatically in the GUI with the current version of the second web page upon completion of the loading.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein said gestures comprise one or more of touch-based gestures or touchless gestures.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein said placeholder comprises a cached image of a previous version of the visited web page represented by the placeholder.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein said travel log tracks a sequence in which the visited web pages were initially visited, and wherein the visited web page represented by the placeholder is previous to or subsequent to the displayed web page in the sequence.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein said user manipulation causes the displayed web paged to move away from focus in the GUI, and wherein said navigating to a placeholder comprises causing the placeholder to pan into the GUI from one or more edges of the GUI.

13. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

detecting a user manipulation of the current version of the web page away from focus in GUI;

panning a portion of a different placeholder into the GUI;

detecting a user manipulation of the current version of the web page toward focus in the GUI; and

panning the portion of the different placeholder out of the GUI in response to the user manipulation of the current version of the web page toward focus in the GUI.

14. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise:

capturing a snapshot of the current version of the visited web page; and

caching the snapshot to be used for the placeholder in the travel log.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:

detect a user manipulation of a first web page of a current browsing session displayed in a graphical user interface (GUI) using one or more gestures to pan through a travel log of web pages in the current browsing session;

navigate, upon the user manipulation causing the first web page to reach a snap point, in the GUI to a placeholder representing a second web page in the travel log of visited web pages;

load a current version of the second web page represented by the placeholder in response to reaching the snap point while displaying the placeholder representing the second web page in the GUI; and

replace the placeholder representing the second web page automatically in the GUI with the current version of the second web page upon completion of the loading.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein said gestures comprise one or more of touch-based gestures or touchless gestures.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein said placeholder comprises a cached image of a previous version of the second web page represented by the placeholder.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor further to:

track a sequence in which the visited web pages were initially visited, wherein the second web page represented by the placeholder is previous to or subsequent to the first web page in the sequence.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor further to:

cause the placeholder to pan into the GUI from one or more edges of the GUI.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor further to:

detect a user manipulation of the current version of the first web page away from focus in the GUI;

pan a portion of a different placeholder into the GUI;

detect a user manipulation of the current version of the first web page toward focus in the GUI; and

pan the portion of the different placeholder out of the GUI in response to the user manipulation of the current version of the first web page toward focus in the GUI.

21. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor further to:

capture a snapshot of the current version of the first web page; and

cache the snapshot to be used for the placeholder in the travel log.