User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object

• US 20060036964A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Jensen M., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Butcher, Aaron M., Morton, David A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,703,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/777
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.

Claims

1. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising:

providing a plurality of functionalities available from a software application;

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object.

2. The method of claim 1, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

3. The method of claim 1, prior to providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities, further comprising providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the subset of the plurality of functionalities.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising upon receiving an indication of the selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab.

7. The method of claim 6, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

9. The method of claim 6, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

12. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and

upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

13. The method of claim 12, after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities;

and

if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

14. The method of claim 1, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object.

16. An improved user interface for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object, comprising:

one or more tabs disposed in an upper row of the user interface, each of said one or more tabs identifying a task that may be performed with the software application, where said task is associated with objects of same type as a selected object;

whereby each of said one or more tabs is operative upon selection to cause a display in the user interface of one or more selectable functionality controls associated with a selected tab; and

whereby said one or more selectable functionality controls is disposed in a row underneath the disposition of the one or more tabs, each of said one or more functionality controls being operative to cause an application of an associated functionality of the software application to the selected object.

17. The improved user interface of claim 16, further comprising:

said one or more selectable functionality controls being organized and displayed in the user interface in one or more logical groupings, whereby each of said one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of functionalities available from the software application that may be applied to the selected object according to a portion of a task associated with a selected tab.

18. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising:

providing a plurality of functionalities available from a software application;

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, whereby the subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, prior to providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities, further comprising providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that may be performed with the subset of the plurality of functionalities.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, further comprising upon receiving an indication of the selection of a first user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a subset of the plurality of functionalities into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls for selecting one or more functionalities organized under the first task associated with the selected first user interface tab.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 24, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 23, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing a display size of each of the one or more logical groupings until each of the one or more logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

27. The computer readable medium of claim 26, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

28. The computer readable medium of claim 27, further comprising amending a display of one or more individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and

upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 29, after providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities;

and

if the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 18, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of the insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object.

33. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object;

providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task; and

grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls representing the first user interface tab.

34. The method of claim 33, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object, and for causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task.

35. The method of claim 33, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the second user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a second task.

36. The method of claim 33, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

37. The method of claim 36, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

38. The method of claim 33, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

39. The method of claim 33, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object.

40. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to an edited object via an improved user interface, comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing in the user interface a user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object;

providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task; and

grouping the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab into one or more logical groupings of selectable controls whereby each of the one or more logical groupings is associated with a subset of the one or more selectable controls representing the first user interface tab.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, in response to receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision in the user interface of the user interface tab for each of one or more tasks that are particular to performance on an object of a same type as the selected object, and for causing provision in the user interface of the one or more selectable controls representing a first user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a first task.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing in the user interface one or more selectable controls representing the second user interface tab, each of the one or more selectable controls for selecting for application to the selected object of one or more functionalities of the software application associated with a second task.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 40, whereby if the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 40, whereby receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

46. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the one or more selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the one or more selectable controls to the selected object.