Single window navigation methods and systems

• US 20050010871A1
• Filed: 08/12/2004
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Nakajima, Satoshi, Erickson, Paul R., Ruthfield, Scott L., Wolf, Richard J., Hopcroft, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,818,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/712
• 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 user interface (UI) in the form of a single navigable window enables a user to navigate to and between multiple different functionalities that are provided by a single application program. Novel use is made of a navigation model that manages the user'"'"'s navigation activities to and between the different functionalities. Navigation instrumentalities enable the user to navigate among the different functionalities and include links to each of the different functionalities as well as browser-like navigation buttons. Context-sensitive command sets can also be provided along with the single navigable window. The context sensitive command sets include commands that automatically change as the user'"'"'s computing context changes, e.g. as the user moves from functionality to functionality. The single application can be defined as a software platform that is extensible to receive and incorporate different functionalities. The functionalities can be provided as software modules that can be sent over a network such as the Internet. The extensible software platform provides a basis to offer a subscriber or fee-based service where different subscribers can, for a fee, access different functionalities via a network such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

means for storing application programs;

single application program means on the means for storing, said single application program means providing;

single navigable window means;

multiple different functionalities to which the single navigable window means can be navigated by a user;

navigation means for managing the user'"'"'s navigation activities within the single application program; and

user-clickable means for allowing the user to navigate the single window, means inside individual functionalities and to the different functionalities;

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the navigation means comprises a navigation stack.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the navigation stack comprises a back-and-truncate stack.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the user-clickable means comprises link means associated with each of the multiple different functionalities to which the single navigable window means can be navigated.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the user-clickable means comprises browser-like navigation buttons.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the user-clickable means comprise:

link means associated with each of the multiple different functionalities to which the single navigable window means can be navigated; and

browser-like navigation buttons.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the single application program means is configured to provide at least one context-sensitive command area that is associated with the single navigable window means, the single application program means automatically changing command sets that are presented to the user within the command area as the user navigates to different functionalities.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the multiple different functionalities comprise document-centric functionalities.

9. A system comprising:

means readable by a computer;

software platform means, embodied on the readable means, for providing a single application program that provides;

a single navigable window means;

means for navigating the single navigable window to different functionalities that can enable a user to accomplish different tasks;

means for managing navigation activities of the user;

context-sensitive command set means for presenting command sets as a user'"'"'s context changes in accordance with the user'"'"'s navigation activities; and

means for receiving and incorporating into the single application program individual software components that comprise individual different functionalities.

10. A computing system embodying the system of claim 9.

11. A computing method comprising:

a step for displaying a user interface that comprises a single navigable window that can be navigated between multiple different document-centric functionalities that are provided by a single application program;

a step for receiving user input that indicates selection of a particular functionality;

a step for navigating the single navigable window to the particular selected functionality; and

a step for displaying in said window indicia of said functionality that can enable a user to access the particular selected functionality.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step for displaying the user interface comprises displaying proximate the single navigable window, navigation instrumentalities that are configured to enable to user to input selection of a particular functionality.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the navigation instrumentalities comprises links associated with each of the multiple different functionalities.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein one of the navigation instrumentalities comprises browser-like navigation buttons that can be used by a user to navigate the single navigable window between the different functionalities.