Interface for a computer platform

• US 9,430,193 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Karatal, Kerem B., Miller, Marc M., Sheldon, Michael G., Guzak, Chris J., McKee, Timothy P.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US13/647,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20130031504A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,422 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A programming interface for a computer platform may include various functionality. In certain embodiments, the programming interface may include a sidebar that provides dynamic communication access and information awareness in an integrated interactive peripheral display. Specified communication contacts and information elements may be dynamically tracked or received and provided to a user on an ongoing basis. This capability may be provided via a customizable dynamic thumbnail displayed in one or more columns in a persistent display strip along one edge of a display device. Information may be updated according to rules set by a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing, by one or more processors, an interactive display including dynamic thumbnails, the dynamic thumbnails comprising a combination of tiles, at least one of the combination of tiles describing a contact or an informational element;

setting, by the one or more processors, at least one rule for displaying a notification, the at least one rule associated with a plurality of applications that use the notification and the at least one rule being set centrally in a namespace so that the at least one rule is applicable to each of the plurality of applications that use the notification, wherein the namespace defines a collection of at least two of interfaces, delegates, and enumerations; and

causing, by the one or more processors, the notification related to the contact or the informational element to be represented on the combination of tiles, the notification represented in accordance with the at least one rule.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the causing the notification related to the contact or the informational element to be represented on the combination of tiles is based at least in part on a context determined for a computing device including the interactive display and the at least one rule.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the causing the notification related to the contact or the informational element to be represented on the combination of tiles is based at least in part on a user defined rule or preference being set centrally for the plurality of applications.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein one or more windows are temporarily obscured in response to receiving a new notification.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining that the notification is to be at least one of:

delivered at the dynamic thumbnails;

deferred and delivered later at the dynamic thumbnails;

or

denied delivery at the dynamic thumbnails.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein:

each tile includes a pointer that points to one or more services; and

each tile displays a status related to the contact or the informational element.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the status displayed is representative of the notification related to the contact or the informational element.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the notification is at least one of a visual notification or an audio notification.

9. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

a display; and

one or more computer-readable media storing one or more programming instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

display a customizable thumbnail on the display, the customizable thumbnail for extending functionality of the display, the extending of the functionality comprising providing access to a combination of tiles in which at least one of the tiles describes at least one of a contact or an informational element;

receive notifications related to the at least one of the contact or the informational element;

set at least one rule for displaying the notifications, the at least one rule associated with a plurality of applications that use the notifications, and the at least one rule being set centrally in a namespace so that the at least one rule is applicable to each of the plurality of applications that use the notifications, wherein the namespace defines a collection of at least two of interfaces, delegates, and enumerations; and

display, on the combination of tiles, at least one notification of the notifications, the at least one notification related to the at least one of the contact or the informational element and the at least one notification displayed in accordance with the at least one rule.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one of the tiles provides at least one link to one or more services to access the at least one of the contact or the informational element.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to determine that the at least one notification is to be at least one of:

delivered at the customizable thumbnail;

deferred and delivered later at the customizable thumbnail;

denied delivery at the customizable thumbnail;

or

routed to another system for delivery.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to monitor one or more applications of the plurality of applications and a user interface on the display to determine a context.

13. The system as recited in claim 12, wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to determine a type of notification to be delivered at the customizable thumbnail based at least in part on the context and the at least one rule.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the one or more programming instructions, when executed, further cause the one or more processors to determine a type of notification to be delivered at the customizable thumbnail based at least in part on the at least one rule.

15. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one notification is represented as a visual indication on at least one tile and a visual image is selected to be displayed as the visual indication based at least in part on the at least one notification.

16. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one notification is represented as a visual indication on at least one tile and a visual image is selected to be displayed as the visual indication based at least in part on an application of the plurality of applications initiating the at least one notification and based at least in part on the at least one rule.

17. A computer-readable storage media for storing instructions which when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause a user interface to be displayed, the user interface extending functionality of a desktop by providing access to a plurality of tiles displayed on a portion of the desktop, at least one tile of the plurality of tiles providing notifications for a plurality of applications;

set at least one rule for displaying the notifications, the at least one rule being set centrally in a namespace for the plurality of applications that use the notifications, wherein the namespace defines a collection of at least two of interfaces, delegates, and enumerations;

track notifications relating to the plurality of applications; and

update the visual representation in response to receiving the notifications relating to the plurality of applications and based in part on the at least one rule.

18. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 17, wherein the visual representation is based in part on a content of the notification.

19. The computer-readable storage media as recited in claim 17, further comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to monitor a status of one or more applications of the plurality of applications to determine a context of the one or more applications, wherein the visual representation is updated based at least in part on the context.