Adaptive multi-line view user interface

• US 20050005235A1
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Jensen M., Van Tilburg, Martijn E., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Wiedemann, Bruce D., Avery, William R., Leukart, Richard Hank
• Granted Patent: US 8,799,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/245
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/103 Formatting, i.e. changing of presentation of documents automatic justification G06F40/189; automatic line break hyphenation G06F40/191

Abstract

An adaptive multi-line view user interface is provided that varies the manner in which data is displayed as the size of the user interface is changed. As the available horizontal space in the user interface becomes too small to display the text or data on a given display line, the data is rearranged to fit the available space. Text or data that will be truncated as the width of the user interface is decreased is moved to a separate display line beneath the line in which the truncated text or data was previously displayed. A maximum number of lines may be specified for displaying text or data. After the maximum number of lines is reached, additional text or data truncated by narrowing the width of the user interface is not displayed. The displayed lines of text or data may be displayed according to a progressively lighter font from line to line so that lines at or near the top of a given displayed text or data record are darker and more readily draw the attention of a reader.

Claims

1. An adaptive multi-line view user interface including one or more information records for displaying text or data, each information record comprising:

a first text field disposed in a left-justified position on a first line of each information record;

a time and date field disposed in a right-justified position on the first line of the information record;

a second text field disposed in a left-justified position on a second line of the information record; and

the first text field having a darker display font than the second text field for drawing attention to the first text field.

2. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a type icon disposed along a left side of the first line of the first information record, the type icon representing a type of the first record.

3. The user interface of claim 2, further comprising:

an icon grouping disposed in a right-justified position on a second line of the information record, the icon grouping containing one or more icons representing one or more properties associated with the information record.

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

a record arrangement button disposed on an upper left side of the user interface for selectively arranging the display of two or more information records according to a selected record arrangement.

5. The user interface of claim 4, further comprising:

a record ordering button disposed along an upper right side of the user interface for selectively ordering the display of two or more information records according to a selected record ordering property.

6. The user interface of claim 3, whereby each information record includes an electronic mail record.

7. The user interface of claim 6, whereby the first text field includes identification information for identifying a party from which the electronic mail record is received or to which an electronic mail record is sent.

8. The user interface of claim 7, whereby the second text field includes identification information for identifying a subject matter for the electronic mail record.

9. In a variable size user interface having one or more information records and wherein in response to reducing the width of the user interface, displayed text fields will not fit on a single displayed line each information record, a method of displaying information in the variable size user interface, comprising:

disposing a first text field in a left-justified position on a first line of a first information record;

disposing a time and date field in a right-justified position on the first line of the first information record;

disposing a second text field in a left-justified position on a second line of the first information record; and

displaying the first text field in a darker display font than the second text field for drawing attention to the first text field.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

disposing a type icon along a left side of the first line of the first display record, the type icon representing a type of the first information record.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

disposing an icon grouping containing one or more icons representing one or more respective properties associated with the first information record in a right-justified position on the second line of the first displayed record.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

disposing a record arrangement button on an upper left side of the user interface for selectively arranging the display of two or more information records according to a selected record arrangement.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

disposing a record ordering button along an upper right side of the user interface for selectively ordering the display of two or more information records according to a selected record ordering.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

preparing a first time and date format for a time and date associated with the first record for displaying in the time and date field;

displaying in the time and date field a portion of the time and date of the first time and date format whereby the portion is contextually associated with a time and date associated with the first information record.

15. The method of claim 14, whereby displaying the portion of the time and date of the first time and date format includes displaying a time associated with the first information record if the first information record is sent or received today.

16. The method of claim 14, whereby displaying the portion of the time and date of the first time and date format includes displaying a time and day associated with the first information record if the first information record was sent or received yesterday.

17. The method of claim 14, whereby displaying the portion of the time and date of the first time and date format includes displaying a time and day associated with the first information record if the first information record was sent or received earlier this week before yesterday.

18. The method of claim 11, whereby displaying the portion of the time and date of the first time and date format includes displaying a day and month associated with the first information record if the first information record was sent or received last week.

19. The method of claim 11, whereby displaying the portion of the time and date of the first time and date format includes displaying a day, month and year associated with the first information record if the first information record was sent or received last month or prior to last month.

20. A computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method of displaying information in a variable size user interface as the size of the user interface is changed such that a plurality of text fields and icons for display in an electronic mail record are rearranged in the record for improved display, comprising:

disposing a first text field in a left-justified position on a first line of a first electronic mail record;

disposing a time and date field in a right-justified position on the first line of the first electronic mail record;

disposing a second text field in a left-justified position on a second line of the first electronic mail record; and

displaying the first text field in a darker display font than the second text field for drawing attention to the first text field.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

disposing a type icon along a left side of the first line of the first display record, the type icon representing a type of the first electronic mail record.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

disposing an icon grouping containing one or more icons representing one or more respective properties associated with the first electronic mail record in a right-justified position on the second line of the first displayed record.

23. An adaptive multi-line view user interface including one or more electronic mail records for displaying text or data, each information record comprising:

a first text field disposed in a left-justified position on a first line of each electronic mail record, the first text field including identification information for identifying a party from which the electronic mail record was received or to which an electronic mail record was sent;

a time and date field disposed in a right-justified position on the first line of the electronic mail record, the time and date field including information for identifying a when the electronic record was received or when the electronic mail record was sent;

a second text field disposed in a left-justified position on a second line of the electronic mail record, the second text field including identification information for identifying a subject matter for the electronic mail record; and

the first text field having a darker display font than the second text field for drawing attention to the first text field.

24. The user interface of claim 23, further comprising a type icon disposed along a left side of the first line of the first electronic mail record, the type icon representing a type of the first record.

25. The user interface of claim 23, further comprising:

an icon grouping disposed in a right-justified position on a second line of the electronic mail record, the icon grouping containing one or more icons representing one or more properties associated with the electronic mail record.