Application-centric user interface techniques

• US 20040192440A1
• Filed: 03/27/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Johnston, G. Andrew II, Evans, C. Shane, Toll, Roderick M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,846,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 463/30
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/48 Starting a game, e.g. activating a game device or waiting for other players to join a multiplayer session
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/493 Resuming a game, e.g. after pausing, malfunction or power failure
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/533 for prompting the player, e.g. by displaying a game menu
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/792 for payment purposes, e.g. monthly subscriptions
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/795 for finding other players; for building a team; for providing a buddy list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/87 Communicating with other players during game play, e.g. by e-mail or chat
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/209 characterized by low level software layer, relating to hardware management, e.g. Operating System, Application Programming Interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/308 Details of the user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/5513 involving billing
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/556 Player lists, e.g. online players, buddy list, black list
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/572 Communication between players during game play of non game information, e.g. e-mail, chat, file transfer, streaming of audio and streaming of video
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/636 involving process of starting or resuming a game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Various application-centric user interface techniques are described. A user can easily launch, add, or update applications. An application-centric activity center can be presented as part of a user interface for an operating system shell. A file defining metadata for an application can be defined. The techniques can be applied to game-related software.

Claims

1. An application-centric graphical user interface comprising:

an area of the interface comprising graphical depictions of a plurality of applications, wherein the area is limited to applications; and

a plurality of selectable task items performable for the applications;

wherein the application-centric user interface is presented as part of an operating system shell user interface.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface is presented responsive to activation of a folder presented in the operating system shell, wherein the folder is indicated as associated with applications.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein the graphical user interface is presented responsive to navigation of the file system via the operating system shell to a folder indicated as associated with applications.

4. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon the graphical user interface of claim 1.

5. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon instructions for presenting the graphical user interface of claim 1.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 1 wherein

the applications are limited to games;

and

information indicating whether a buddy is playing a game is displayed proximate the graphical depiction of the game.

7. The computer user interface of claim 1 wherein the plurality of applications comprises at least one application not yet installed.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 7 wherein a link to information about the application not yet installed is displayed proximate the graphical depiction of the application not yet installed.

9. A method of presenting a user interface comprising:

presenting a tile depicting an application in an area limited to applications; and

presenting one or more additional tiles in the area;

wherein the tiles are presented by an operating system shell.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein a tile depicts tasks performable on an application associated with the tile.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a tile depicts whether buddies are playing an application associated with the tile.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein a tile depicts a link to new information for an application associated with the tile.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one tile is associated with an application not yet installed.

14. A computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a computer-readable application metadata file, the file comprising:

a name of an application; and

information for presenting a graphical depiction of the application;

wherein the application metadata file is operable to be installed for presentation of the application in an operating system shell before the application is installed.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the information for presenting a graphical depiction of the application indicates depiction of box art for the application.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the file further comprises:

a link to a location whereat information about the application can be retrieved.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the file further comprises:

a link to a network location whereat the application can be purchased.

18. A software system operable for execution at a computer and encoded on a computer-readable medium, the software system comprising:

an operating system shell operable to present an application-centric graphical user interface presentation; and

an application metadata store operable to store a plurality of application metadata files indicative of information on a plurality of associated applications.

19. The software system of claim 18 wherein the application-centric graphical user interface presentation presents status information indicating whether remote users listed in a buddy list are now playing a selected game.

20. The software system of claim 19 wherein the application-centric graphical user interface presentation presents an option to join the selected game played by the remote users.

21. The software system of claim 18 wherein the application-centric graphical user interface presentation presents an option to play a selected game with one or more remote users.

22. The software system of claim 21 wherein electronic contact information for the one or more remote users is stored in a contact database accessible by the operating system shell.

23. The software system of claim 22 wherein the system is operable to contact the remote users and start the selected game with the remote users as co-players.

24. The software system of claim 18 wherein the application metadata store is operable to store at least one application metadata file for an application not yet installed at the computer.

25. The software system of claim 24 wherein the application metadata file for an application not yet installed at the computer comprises:

a link to a location from which a demonstration version of the application can be obtained.

26. The software system of claim 24 wherein the application metadata file for an application not yet installed at the computer comprises:

a link to a location from which information about the application can be obtained.

27. The software system of claim 24 wherein the application metadata file for an application not yet installed at the computer comprises:

a link to a location at which the application can be purchased electronically.

28. A software system operable for execution at a computer and encoded on a computer-readable medium, the software system comprising:

operating system means operable to present an application-centric graphical user interface presentation;

means operable to store a plurality of application metadata files indicative of information on a plurality of associated applications.

29. A computer game-centric computer graphical user interface comprising:

an area portraying graphical depictions of a plurality of computer games;

an area portraying a plurality of selectable tasks performable for the computer games;

an area portraying a presentation of a most recently used computer game; and

an area portraying links to remotely-accessible information about one or more of the computer games;

wherein the computer game-centric portion of the computer user interface is presented by a user interface of an operating system shell.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 29 further comprising:

an area comprising one or more graphical depictions of saved games, wherein the graphical depictions are activatable to resume the saved game.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 30 wherein the graphical depictions portray a screen shot of the respective saved game when the saved game was saved.

32. A method comprising:

receiving an application metadata file for an application not yet installed at a computer; and

in a user interface of an operating system shell, showing a representation of the application not yet installed at the computer and associated information for the application not yet installed at the computer.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein the application metadata file is received via activation of a hyperlink.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

responsive to activation of the hyperlink, adding the application metadata file to a wish list.

35. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

responsive to a user request, receiving software for installing the application at the computer.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

responsive to a user request, electronically purchasing software for installing the application at the computer.

37. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

wherein the application metadata file is acquired via activating a link of an online review of the application.

38. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions for performing the following:

receiving an application metadata file for an application not yet installed at a computer; and

in a user interface of an operating system shell, showing a representation of the application not yet installed at the computer and associated information for the application not yet installed at the computer.

39. A method of starting a multiplayer online game comprising:

receiving a list of buddies;

receiving an indication of a game to be launched;

consulting a game metadata file for the game to acquire information indicating how to submit the list of buddies for the game; and

launching the game, wherein launching the game comprises submitting the list of buddies according to the information indicating how to submit the list of buddies.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

presenting a chat session before receiving the list of buddies.

41. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

presenting an indication of bandwidth available to at least one of the buddies before launching the game.

42. A method of accommodating legacy applications in an application activity center, wherein the application activity center accesses an application metadata file for applications in the activity center, the method comprising:

searching a computer for at least one legacy application;

upon finding the legacy application, identifying an application metadata file associated with the legacy application; and

adding the application metadata file to the files accessed by the application activity center.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising:

during background processing, storing an indication of the legacy application for later retrieval;

wherein the adding is performed upon startup of the application activity center.

44. One or more computer-readable media comprising computer-executable instructions for implementing an application programming interface having the following functions:

one or more functions for installing an application into a folder presented by an operating system shell;

one or more functions for uninstalling an application into a folder presented by the operating system shell;

one or more functions for checking whether an application is installed in a folder presented by the operating system shell;

one or more functions for returning a list of applications installed in a folder presented by the operating system shell.

45. The computer-readable media of claim 44 wherein the folder presented by the operating system shell is presented as a game activity center.

46. One or more computer-readable media having encoded thereon a data structure comprising the following:

an application identifier identifying an application installable in an application activity center;

a description of one or more tasks performable for the application when installed into the application activity center;

data indicating how to invoke the one or more tasks performable for the application when installed into the application activity center; and

arguments for the one or more tasks performable for the application when installed in the application activity center.

47. One or more computer-readable media having encoded thereon an application manifest data structure comprising the following:

a displayable name of an application; and

a reference to application metadata having a format of the data structure of claim 46.