Reducing processing resources incurred by a user interface

• US 9,514,627 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2012
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Chang, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jones, Prenell
• Application Number:
  US13/711,039
• Publication Number:
  US 20130099917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/043 using or handling presence information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for limiting processing resources incurred due to refreshing a user interface. In various embodiments, an event is received, and it is determined whether a delay time period has elapsed. A length of the delay time period is based on a timing of receipt of one or more previous events. If the delay time period has not elapsed, refreshing of the user interface is postponed. When the delay time period elapses, the user interface is refreshed to display an indication of the event.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an event;

determining whether a delay time period has elapsed, a length of the delay time period configured to dynamically adjust based on a timing of receipt of one or more previous events such that the delay time period decreases in length when a rate of receipt of the one or more previous events during a previous delay time period is low, and the delay time period increases in length when a rate of receipt of the one or more previous events during the previous delay time period is high;

postponing a refresh of a user interface if the delay time period has not elapsed; and

causing the refresh of the user interface to display an indication of the event when the delay period elapses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the causing further comprises causing the refresh of the user interface to display an indication of the event and an additional indication of one or more additional events received during the delay time period when the delay time period elapses.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of the event indicates receipt of the event and one or more additional events received during the delay time period.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an additional event, wherein causing the refresh of the user interface further comprises causing the refresh of the user interface to display the indication of the event and the additional event when the delay period elapses; and

adjusting a length of a next delay time period based on a duration of time between when the event and the additional event are received.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a length of a next delay time period based on a number of events received during the delay time period.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting further comprises increasing the length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if at least a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the adjusting further comprises decreasing the length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if less than a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

8. A computing device comprising:

a display screen configured to display a user interface;

a receiver configured to receive an event;

at least a memory and a processor configured to;

determine whether a delay time period has elapsed, a length of the delay time period configured to dynamically adjust based on a number of events received in a previous delay time period such that the delay time period decreases in length when a rate of receipt of one or more previous events during the previous delay time period is low, and the delay time period increases in length when a rate of receipt of the one or more previous events during the previous delay time period is high;

postpone a refresh of the user interface if the delay time period has not elapsed; and

cause the refresh of the user interface to display an indication of the event when the delay period elapses.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the memory and the processor are configured to cause the refresh by causing the refresh of the user interface to display an indication of the event and an additional indication of one or more additional events received during the delay time period when the delay time period elapses.

10. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the indication of the event indicates receipt of the event and one or more additional events received during the delay time period.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the receiver is configured to receive an additional event, wherein the memory and the processor are configured to cause the refresh of the user interface by causing the refresh of the user interface to display the indication of the event and the additional event when the delay period elapses, and wherein the memory and the processor are further configured to adjust a length of a next delay time period based on a duration of time between when the event and the additional event are received.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the memory and the processor are further configured to adjust a length of a next delay time period based on a number of events received during the delay time period.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the memory and the processor are configured to adjust the length of the next delay time period by increasing the length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if at least a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

14. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the memory and the processor are configured to adjust the length of the next delay time period by decreasing the length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if less than a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

15. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the computing device comprises a mobile phone, and wherein the event is received via a cellular network.

16. One or more computer-readable storage devices having code stored thereon that, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

receiving a first event and a second event;

determining whether a delay time period has elapsed, a length of the delay time period configured to dynamically adjust based on a timing of receipt of one or more previous events such that the delay time period decreases in length when a rate of receipt of the one or more previous events during a previous delay time period is low, and the delay time period increases in length when a rate of receipt of the one or more previous events during the previous delay time period is high;

causing the refresh of the user interface to display an indication of the first event and the second event when the delay period elapses; and

adjusting a next delay time period based on a duration of time between when the first event and the second event are received.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 16, wherein a length of the delay time period is based on a number of events received in the previous delay time period.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 16, wherein the adjusting the next delay time period comprises increasing a length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if at least a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 16, wherein the adjusting further comprises decreasing the length of the next delay time period relative to the delay time period if less than a predetermined number of events are received during the delay time period.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage devices of claim 16, resetting an additional next delay time period to an initial value if no events are received during the next delay time period.