Taskbar Media Player

• US 20040268261A1
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Madhuvan, Thomas, Myron Clifford, Elliott, Geoffrey John, Saunders, Richard William
• Granted Patent: US 7,757,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/025 'Virtual' control panels, e.g. Graphical User Interface [GUI]

Abstract

A system and method for controlling media through a user interface integrated within a taskbar is described. This system and method enable a user to control media while a user interface of another application remains in perspective. Further, this system includes a taskbar media player, which can play media and enable a user to control the play of that media from within a taskbar.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

a graphical interface that enables a user to select media-playing services, wherein the graphical interface is integrated into an operating system shell'"'"'s user interface.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface further enables the user to select media-playing services with a single click of a mouse.

3. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface further enables the user to select media-playing services with a single click of a mouse when another application running in another process is in perspective.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the perspective includes the other application being in focus.

5. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface further enables the user to select media-playing services without altering a perspective of another application running in another process.

6. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface includes control buttons for selection of the media-playing services.

7. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface includes control buttons for selection of the media-playing services including services that stop and pause a first media file being played and start a second media file.

8. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface includes a control button for selection of the media-playing services including a service that alters a size for a presenting of a visual aspect of a media file.

9. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the graphical interface includes a control button for selection of the media-playing services including a service that alters a volume for a playback of an audio aspect of a media file.

10. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual space for presenting of visual media.

11. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual space for presenting of visual media;

wherein the graphical interface enables the user to select media-playing services to alter the presenting in the visual space.

12. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual space for presenting metadata associated with a media file.

13. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising:

a visual space for presenting metadata associated with a media file,

wherein the graphical interface enables the user to select media-playing services to present metadata associated with the media file.

14. A system comprising:

a media-playing application in computer memory executing in a shell process of an operating system, wherein the media-playing application is capable of enabling a user to control media through a user interface integrated into a taskbar associated with the shell process.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein preferences for displaying the user interface in the taskbar are retained by the media-playing application for future use.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of receiving preferences for how the user interface is displayed and used that are received from the user through another application executing in the shell process.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a player deskband, wherein the player deskband is capable of receiving preferences relating to the user interface and sending the preferences to the media-playing application.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application comprises a deskband and a controller, the deskband configured to communicate with the shell process and the operating system, the controller configured to enable the user to control media through the user interface.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application comprises a visual space and a user interface, the visual space usable for presenting visual media, the user interface capable of enabling the user to control the presenting.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of creating the user interface to have a minimum visual size on the taskbar.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of creating the user interface following a skin file containing text, art, and script parameters.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of presenting visual media.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of presenting audio media.

24. The system of claim 14, wherein the media-playing application is capable of presenting metadata associated with a media file being presented by the media-playing application.

25. A system comprising:

a controller;

a playback module;

a visual space; and

a user interface,

wherein;

the controller is capable of creating the user interface;

the user interface is integrated within an operating-system shell'"'"'s user interface and is capable of enabling a user to input preferences for play of a media file; and

the playback module is capable of rendering the media file to enable the controller to present the media file in the visual space.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising a deskband, wherein the deskband is capable of aiding the controller in determining parameters for the user interface to conform by communicating with an operating system that governs the operating-system shell'"'"'s user interface.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising a deskband, wherein the deskband is capable of building a file containing parameters for the user interface to conform to an operating-system shell governing the operating-system shell'"'"'s user interface.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the visual space is graphically connected to the user interface.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface includes media-playing services that stop, play, pause, skip forward or backward through, and change to a next or previous track of the media file.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface includes media-playing services that stop, play, and pause the media file.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface is capable of enabling the user to input preferences through dragging and dropping an icon representing a media file onto the visual space or the user interface.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface and the playback module execute in different processes.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface and the playback module execute in one process.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the user interface executes in a first process governing the operating system shell'"'"'s user interface, the playback module executes in a second process, and the user interface includes a button to select a service that switches presentation of media from the visual space to a second visual space created by an application running in the second process.

35. A method comprising:

presenting a graphical user interface integrated into a taskbar user interface; and

enabling, without the graphical user interface being in perspective, a user to select media-playing services through the graphical user interface.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the enabling is performed also without the graphical user interface being in focus.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

presenting a media file in accord with the selected media-playing services.

38. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

presenting a visual media file in a visual space integrated with the graphical user interface in accord with the selected media-playing services.

39. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

presenting a visual media file in a visual space without the visual space being in perspective.

40. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

presenting a visual media file in a visual space without the visual space being in focus.

41. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that perform the following when executed by a computer:

present a media-control user interface in a first process for controlling services associated with playing media; and

enable a user that is actively engaged with a non-media-control user interface in a second process to interact with the media-control user interface without disengaging from the non-media-control user interface.

42. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the interaction with the media-control user interface includes selection of a media service.

43. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the interaction with the media-control user interface includes selection of a media service and consists of a single mouse click.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the interaction with the media-control user interface includes selection of a media service and consists of a single command.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, wherein the interaction with the media-control user interface includes selection of a media service and consists of a single keystroke.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising:

provide media-playing services based on the interaction.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising:

present visual media in a visual space if the interaction includes a selection to present visual media.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising:

present visual media with aid from a playback module executing in the first process if the interaction includes a selection to present visual media.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 41, further comprising:

present visual media with aid from a playback module executing in a third process if the interaction includes a selection to present visual media.

50. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions that perform the following when executed by a computer:

create a first user interface with graphically selectable media-control services and running in a first process; and

enable selection of the media-control services while a second user interface running in a second process remains in perspective.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the media-control services include initiating and ceasing play of a media file.

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the selection of one or more of the media-control services is enabled with a single mouse click.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the first user interface is integrated into an operating system'"'"'s taskbar.

54. The computer-readable medium of claim 50, wherein the first process is used by an operating system for executing a taskbar.

55. An apparatus comprising:

means for presenting a user interface in a first process for controlling services associated with playing media; and

means for enabling a user interacting with a second process to interact with the user interface without ceasing to interact with the second process.

56. The apparatus of claim 55, further comprising:

means for playing a media file based on preferences received from the user during the interaction with the user interface.