LIVE COMPANION WINDOW

• US 20080276195A1
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moromisato, George P., Ozzie, Raymond E., Edelstein, Noah B., Parasnis, Abhay V., Bhandarkar, Aditya G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,677,270 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide a companion application via a companion application corresponding to a host window provided by a host application, the companion window providing information or metadata descriptive of data in the host window. The host application and companion applications may be separate applications such that the host application is unaware of the companion application. The companion application may hook into the host application (e.g., via an application programming interface) and may monitor host application activities and/or data. Based on identification of data or events in the host application, the companion application may obtain information characterizing or providing a context for data provided by the host application. The host window and companion window may be attached to each other, the host window providing host application data and the companion window providing data describing the host application data.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media containing executable code for performing the steps of:

displaying a first user interface containing first data content corresponding to a first application in an operating environment, the first application controlling the first data content;

displaying a second user interface containing second data content corresponding to a second application, the second application accessing the operating environment to generate the second data content,

wherein the second data content describes the first data content.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second user interface is attached to the first user interface.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the second application monitors the first application.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the first data content and the second data content are different.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the first application operates independently from the second application.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the user interface is a window.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 3 wherein the second application does not modify the first application.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 7 wherein the second application contains a first executable code, the second application hooking into the first application via the first executable code.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 containing further executable code for performing the following steps:

receiving an input event at the first application;

detecting the input event via the second application;

generating the second data content in the second user interface by the second application based on the input event at the first application.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1 wherein the first application comprises an application program interface and wherein the second application accesses the first application via the application program interface.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10 containing executable code for performing the following:

determining an associated characteristic of the first data content by the second application via the application program interface of the first application.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 wherein the second application generates the second data content based on the associated characteristic of the first data content.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12 wherein the associated characteristic includes at least one of a state, context, or selection of at least a portion of the first data content.

14. A method for providing a user interface comprising:

displaying a first user interface by a first application;

generating a second user interface by a second application;

generating a combination user interface comprising the second user interface attached to the first user interface;

displaying the combination user interface.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the combination user interface comprises the first user interface adjacent to the second user interface.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the first user interface and the second user interface in the combination user interface are non-overlapping.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

receiving an input command at the first application;

modifying the combination user interface responsive to the input command.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein modifying includes modifying the first user interface and the second user interface in tandem.

19. A method for providing contextual data comprising:

executing a first application in an operating environment;

generating a first user interface responsive to executing the first application, the first user interface containing first data content associated with the first application;

executing a second application to generate a second user interface, the second application obtaining data associated with the first data content from the operating environment and generating second data content based on the data obtained from the operating environment, the second data content being different from the first data content;

displaying a combination user interface containing the first user interface adjacent and attached to the second user interface.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the second application hooks into the first application and the first application is substantially unmodified by the second application.