DYNAMIC THUMBNAILS FOR DOCUMENT NAVIGATION

• US 20080104535A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Drucker, Steven M., Robertson, George G., Czerwinski, Mary, Meyers, Brian R., DeLine, Robert, Venolia, Gina
• Granted Patent: US 7,739,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/785
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

A “Spatial Navigator” provides a document navigation environment that leverages user spatial memory. Graphical thumbnail-type representations (“thumbnails”) provide scaled versions of entire documents. Changes to documents are immediately reflected in corresponding thumbnails. Similarly, document search results are highlighted in corresponding thumbnails. One or more dynamic document selection windows present arrangements of a plurality of these thumbnails for user selection and interaction. Each dynamic document selection window provides real-time inter-file navigation by allowing user selection and opening of documents, or any location or portion of a document, through user interaction with the corresponding thumbnail. Once a document is opened, intra-file navigation is enhanced by providing another scaled version of the entire document in a dynamic scrollbar adjacent to a primary document editing/viewing window. Selection of any point within this scrollbar-based thumbnail causes an immediate jump to the corresponding document location in the primary document editing/viewing window.

Claims

1. A system for providing inter-file navigation comprising using a computing device to perform steps for:

selecting at least one set of one or more files;

constructing a scaled graphical representation for each selected file, wherein each scaled graphical representation provides a graphical representation of the entire corresponding file;

displaying an arrangement of the scaled graphical representations of the files within at least one document selection window;

providing a user interface for user selection of any point within any of the scaled graphical representations of the files displayed in the at least one document selection window;

within a user interface (UI) window, opening a file corresponding a selected one of the scaled graphical representations selected via the user interface; and

automatically scrolling the opened file to a position corresponding to the point selected within the scaled graphical representations of the file.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a scaled graphical representation of the entire open file is placed adjacent to the open file in the UI window.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising selecting a point within the scaled graphical representation adjacent to the opened file and automatically scrolling the opened file to a position corresponding to that selected point.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein selecting a set of one or more files comprises selecting one or more file directories.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein selecting a set of one or more files comprises selecting all files identified as including one or more matches to a user defined search query.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the scaled graphical representations of the files displayed in the document selection window are further modified to highlight results of the user defined search query.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one document selection window is represented by a set of tabbed user selectable document selection windows, and wherein each tabbed document selection window provides a different set of scaled graphical representations corresponding to different sets of selected files.

8. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for providing user selection among a plurality of electronic documents, said computer executable instructions comprising:

selecting at least one set of electronic files;

for each selected file, generating an image representing a scaled version of the entire corresponding file;

populating a display window with the images;

via a user interface, selecting any point within any of the images within the display window;

within a user interface window, opening the electronic file corresponding to the image having a point selected via the user interface; and

automatically scrolling the opened electronic file to a position corresponding to the point selected via the user interface.

9. The computer executable instructions of claim 8 further comprising:

automatically constructing a scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file;

positioning the scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file within the user interface window holding the opened electronic file; and

navigating within opened electronic file by automatically scrolling to any position in the opened electronic file corresponding to any point selected within the the scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file.

10. The computer executable instructions of claim 9 wherein positioning the scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file within the user interface window holding the opened electronic file comprises placing that scaled graphical representation as a visible background image relative to the opened electronic file.

11. The computer executable instructions of claim 10 further comprising dynamically modifying the images within the display window to highlight results of a search query.

12. The computer executable instructions of claim 8 wherein the display window comprises a set of tab-selectable document selection windows, and wherein each tab-selectable document selection window displays a different set of images generated from different sets of electronic files.

13. The computer executable instructions of claim 12 wherein each tab-selectable document selection window displays a different set of electronic files corresponding to different user defined projects.

14. The computer executable instructions of claim 8 further comprising dynamically modifying the images within the display window to highlight potential navigation targets in the corresponding electronic file.

15. The computer executable instructions of claim 14 wherein the highlighting includes any one or more of:

increasing text size of one or more potential navigation targets;

changing text color of one or more potential navigation targets;

using popups to highlight one or more potential navigation targets; and

using callouts to highlight one or more potential navigation targets.

16. The computer executable instructions of claim 14 wherein if any highlighting is included within any image within the display window, then corresponding highlighting is included within any corresponding opened electronic file.

17. A method for selecting electronic files comprising:

populating a document selection window rendered on a display device with a plurality of scaled graphical representations of corresponding electronic files;

selecting any point within any of the scaled graphical representations of the electronic;

within a user interface window, opening the electronic file corresponding to the selected point; and

automatically scrolling the opened electronic file to a position corresponding to the selected point.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising highlighting at least one potential navigation target in one or more of the scaled graphical representations of corresponding electronic files.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the potential navigation targets include any one or more of:

matches to one or more search queries;

electronic file chapter names;

electronic file chapter numbers;

electronic file section identifiers;

software code method names;

software code class names; and

keywords.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

positioning a scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file within the user interface window holding the opened electronic file; and

navigating within opened electronic file by automatically scrolling to any position in the opened electronic file corresponding to any point selected within the the scaled graphical representation of the entire opened electronic file.