User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object

• US 9,690,448 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Denney, Justin, Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Butcher, Aaron M., Harris, Jensen M., Morton, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Linh K
• Application Number:
  US13/615,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20130014048A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 715810
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface for a software application, the method comprising:

displaying in a ribbon-shaped interface for the software application, a first section comprising selectable top-level functionality tabs associated with a task-based functionality of the software application;

upon receiving a selection of one of the top-level functionality tabs, displaying in the ribbon-shaped user interface, a second section containing a first set of selectable controls organized underneath a currently selected top-level functionality tab, wherein the first set of selectable controls corresponds to the task-based functionality of the currently selected top-level functionality tab, at least one of the selectable controls within the first set of selectable controls is presented as a graphic representation and a textual representation, and the second section persists during editing of the electronic document;

displaying underneath the ribbon-shaped user interface, a third section for displaying and editing at least a portion of an electronic document;

receiving an indication to insert an object from the software application into the portion of the electronic document displayed in the third section;

inserting the object into the portion of the electronic document displayed in the third section; and

in response to inserting the object, displaying adjacent to the selectable top-level functionality tabs, during the editing of the object in the electronic document, an additional top-level functionality tab in the first section, the additional tab corresponding to software functionality associated with editing the selected object in the electronic document, wherein the additional top-level functionality tab was not displayed prior to insertion of the object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing, upon receiving the selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls with a second set of selectable controls organized underneath the additional tab.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the additional tab in the first section; and

replacing the first set of selectable controls with a second set of selectable controls organized under the selected additional tab.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the second section comprising the first set of selectable controls comprises displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings, the logical groupings comprising a subset of the first set of selectable controls having an underlying common task.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings comprises displaying a heading for each logical grouping, the heading corresponding to the underlying common task associated with the selectable control subset.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying, adjacent to the first section, a fourth section having at least one selectable control for general file commands associated with the software application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein enabling the editing of the electronic document comprises enabling the editing of at least one of the following:

a spreadsheet document, a word-processing document, and a slide presentation document.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the selection of the object comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the following:

a picture object and a table object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, the additional tab in the first section comprises displaying a title for the additional tab corresponding to a type of the selected object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the additional tab upon selection of a text portion within the electronic document.

11. A computer-readable storage device having a set of instructions which when executed perform a method for providing a user interface for a software application, the method executed by the set of instructions comprising:

displaying in a ribbon-shaped interface a first section comprising selectable tabs associated with tasks of the software application;

upon receiving a selection of one of the selectable tabs, displaying adjacent to the first section in the ribbon-shaped interface, a second section containing a first set of selectable controls associated with a currently selected tab, wherein the first set of selectable controls correspond to a task of the currently selected tab, at least one of the selectable controls within the first set of selectable controls is presented as a graphic representation and a textual representation, and the second section persists during editing of an electronic document;

receiving a selection of an object inserted within the displayed electronic document; and

in response to receiving the selection of the object, displaying, during editing of the selected object, an additional tab in the first section corresponding to additional software functionality for editing the selected object from the software application.

12. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving a selection of the additional tab; and

replacing the first set of selectable controls in the second section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

13. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, further comprising:

replacing, in response to the received selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls in the second section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

14. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein receiving the selection of the object within the software application comprises enabling the selection of the object while persisting the display of the first set of selectable controls in the second section.

15. The computer-readable storage device of claim 11, wherein displaying the second section comprising the first set of selectable controls comprises displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings, the logical groupings comprising a subset of the first set of selectable controls having an underlying common task.

16. The computer-readable storage device of claim 15, wherein displaying the first set of selectable controls in logical groupings comprises displaying a heading for each logical grouping, the heading corresponding to the underlying common task associated with the selectable control subset of each logical grouping.

17. A system for providing a user interface for a software application, the system comprising:

a processor;

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to;

display a first section comprising selectable controls for general file commands associated with the software application;

display, adjacent to the first section, a second section comprising selectable tabs associated with task-based functionality of the software application;

display, underneath the second section, a third section comprising a first set of selectable controls associated with a currently selected tab;

organize the first set of selectable controls into subsets of selectable controls having a common underlying task;

organize the subsets of selectable controls into logical groupings, each logical grouping comprising a heading representing the underlying task of its corresponding subset of controls; and

display, underneath the third section, a fourth section for editing an electronic document, wherein, when the user interface lacks sufficient space for display of the fourth section, a size of the first section, the second section, or the third section is modified to accommodate the display of the fourth section.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the instructions further cause to the computing device to:

receive a selection of an object; and

display, in response to the received selection of the object, an additional tab in the second section corresponding to software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instructions further cause to the computing device to:

replace, in response to the received selection of the object, the first set of selectable controls in the third section with a second set of selectable controls corresponding to the software functionality associated with editing the selected object.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein receiving the selection of the object comprises receiving a selection of at least one of the following:

a picture object and a table object, and wherein displaying, in response to the received selection of the object, the additional tab in the second section comprises displaying a title for the additional tab corresponding to a type of the selected object.