Combined content selection and display user interface

• US 20050005249A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Morse, Jason Vincent, Bjordahl, Hans J., Chiang, U Chi, Harris, Jensen M., Van Tilburg, Martijn E., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Hill, Brian T.
• Application Number:
  US10/836,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20050005249A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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

Abstract

A combined content selection and content display user interface or pane is provided. A lower portion of the combined content selection and display pane includes one or more selectable buttons or icons corresponding to one or more program modules of a multiple functionality software application. An upper portion of the combined content selection and display pane includes selectable buttons or icons specific to one program module selected from the lower portion of the content selection and display pane. Selection of a given program module button or icon from the lower portion of the pane causes a display in the upper portion of the pane of one or more selectable buttons or icons associated with the selected program module. The one or more selectable buttons or icons displayed in the upper portion allow a user to select functionality and memory locations specific to the selected program module.

Claims

1. In a multiple functionality software application, a combined content selection and display user interface, comprising:

a lower portion containing one or more program module buttons for selecting one or more program modules from a plurality of available program modules from the multiple functionality software application; and

an upper portion defining a contents display pane for displaying available functionality associated with a selected program module button.

2. The user interface of claim 1, whereby the one or more program module buttons are operatively associated with one or more respective program modules such that selection of a particular program module button causes the contents pane to be populated with the available functionality associated with the selected program module button.

3. The user interface of claim 2 whereby the contents pane is operative to display one or more selectable functionality buttons associated with a particular program module upon selection of a program module button associated with the particular program module.

4. The user interface of claim 3, whereby selection of one of the one or more selectable functionality buttons causes the multiple functionality software application to provide a particular functionality associated with the selected functionality button.

5. The user interface of claim 1, further comprising a functionality tray defined along a lower end of the lower portion of the user interface for displaying one or more program module icons.

6. The user interface of claim 5, further comprising a splitter bar disposed between the lower portion of the user interface and the upper portion of the user interface for separating the lower portion from the upper portion.

7. The user interface of claim 6, whereby the splitter bar is movable for increasing or decreasing a size of the lower portion of the user interface and for increasing or decreasing a size of the upper portion of the user interface.

8. The user interface of claim 7, whereby the one or more program module icons are associated with one or more program modules, and whereby a given program module icon is disposed in the functionality tray when the lower portion of the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying a program module button for a program module associated with the given program module icon.

9. The user interface of claim 8, whereby the one or more program module icons are operatively associated with one or more respective program modules such that selection of a particular program module icon causes the contents pane to be populated with the available functionality of a particular program module associated with the selected program module icon.

10. The user interface of claim 9, whereby the lower portion of the user interface is operative to display one or more additional program module buttons associated with one or more program module icons when the size of the lower portion of the user interface is increased to a size sufficient for displaying the one or more additional program module buttons.

11. The user interface of claim 10, whereby the lower portion of the user interface is further operative to remove a particular program module icon from the functionality tray when a program module button for a program module associated with the particular program module icon is added to the lower portion of the user interface.

12. The user interface of claim 11, whereby the functionality tray is operative to display an additional program module icon for a particular program module where the size of the lower portion of the user interface is decreased such that a program module button associated with the particular program module will not fit in the lower portion of the user interface.

13. The user interface of claim 1, whereby the one or more program module buttons are highlighted upon selection for identifying a selected program module button.

14. The user interface of claim 13, whereby the highlighted one or more program module buttons is color-coded.

15. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic mail program module.

16. The user interface of claim 15, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic mail program module.

17. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic calendar program module.

18. The user interface of claim 17, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic calendar program module.

19. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic contacts program module.

20. The user interface of claim 19, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic contacts program module.

21. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic tasks program module.

22. The user interface of claim 21, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic tasks program module.

23. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic notes program module.

24. The user interface of claim 23, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic notes program module.

25. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic journal program module.

26. The user interface of claim 25, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality associated with the electronic journal program module.

27. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic shortcuts function.

28. The user interface of claim 27, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed one or more shortcuts comprising the shortcuts program module.

29. The user interface of claim 1, whereby one of the one or more program modules is an electronic folder list.

30. The user interface of claim 29, whereby displayed available functionality associated with the selected program module includes displayed available functionality and memory locations associated with each of the one or more program modules.

31. In a multiple functionality software application, a combined content selection and display user interface, comprising:

a program module button area disposed in a lower portion of the user interface containing one or more program module buttons for selecting one or more program modules from a plurality of available program modules from the multiple functionality software application;

a contents pane disposed in an upper portion of the user interface for displaying available functionality associated with a selected program module button; and

whereby the one or more program module buttons are operatively associated with the one or more program modules such that selection of a particular program module button causes the contents pane to be populated with the available functionality associated with the selected program module button.

32. The user interface of claim 31, further comprising a functionality tray defined along a lower end of the program module button area for displaying one or more program module icons.

33. The user interface of claim 32, further comprising a splitter bar disposed between the program module button area and the contents pane for separating the program module button area from the contents pane.

34. The user interface of claim 33, whereby the splitter bar is movable for increasing or decreasing a size of the program module button area and for increasing or decreasing a size of the contents pane.

35. The user interface of claim 34, whereby the one or more program module icons are associated with one or more program modules, and whereby a given program module icon is disposed in the functionality tray when the program module button area lacks sufficient space for displaying a program module button for a program module associated with the given program module icon.

36. In a multiple functionality software application, a combined content selection and display user interface, comprising:

a program module button area disposed in a lower portion of the user interface containing one or more program module buttons for selecting one or more program modules from a plurality of available program modules from the multiple functionality software application;

a contents pane disposed in an upper portion of the user interface for displaying available functionality associated with a selected program module button;

a splitter bar disposed between the program module button area and the contents pane for separating the program module button area from the contents pane; and

whereby the one or more program module buttons are operatively associated with the one or more program modules such that selection of a particular program module button causes the contents pane to be populated with the available functionality associated with the selected program module button.

37. The user interface of claim 36, whereby the splitter bar is movable for increasing or decreasing a size of the program module button area and for increasing or decreasing a size of the contents pane.

38. The user interface of claim 37, further comprising a functionality tray defined along a lower end of the program module button area for displaying one or more program module icons whereby the one or more program module icons are associated with one or more program modules, and whereby a given program module icon is disposed in the functionality tray when the program module button area lacks sufficient space for displaying a program module button for a program module associated with the given program module icon.