VARIABLE RATE SCROLLBAR

• US 20100306648A1
• Filed: 05/27/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Wilairat, Weerapan
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,956 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Embodiments of a variable rate scrollbar are described. In various embodiments, media items, such as email messages, text messages, digital photos, or song selections are grouped by a page, a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date associated with a media item. A list of the media items is displayed from one of the groups, and the media items that are displayed are selectable from the list. A variable rate scrollbar is displayed and configured for selection to navigate the media items at variable rates according to the groups of the media items.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a portable computer device, the method comprising:

storing groups of media items that are grouped by at least one of a page, a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date associated with a media item;

displaying a list of the media items from at least one of the groups, the media items that are displayed being selectable from the list; and

displaying a variable rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate the media items at variable rates according to the groups of the media items.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate scrollbar includes identifiers of the groups of the media items, and wherein an identifier is selectable to initiate a display of the media items according to the group that is identified.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate scrollbar includes an individual navigation region configured for individual navigation of the media items that are displayed from at least one of the groups, and further includes a group navigation region for group navigation to initiate a display of a different group of the media items.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising detecting an input to the variable rate scrollbar to individually navigate the media items that are displayed from at least one of the groups, and detecting that the input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of the variable rate scrollbar and initiate a display of a different group of the media items.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the media items that are displayed and grouped according to the day, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are grouped according to at least one of the week or the month.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the media items that are displayed and grouped according to the week, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are grouped according to at least one of the day or the month.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the media items that are displayed and grouped according to the month, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate a display of the media items that are grouped according to at least one of the day or the week.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items are at least one of email messages or text messages, and wherein the date associated with an email message or a text message is a date when the email message or the text message is received.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the media items are at least one of digital photos or song selections.

10. A portable computer device, comprising:

at least a memory and a processor configured to implement a variable rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate groups of email messages that are grouped by at least one of a page, a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date when an email message is received;

a touch-screen configured to display a list of the email messages from at least one of the groups;

a scrollbar application configured to initiate a display of the variable rate scrollbar to navigate the email messages at variable rates according to the groups of the email messages; and

a touch-screen driver configured to detect an input to the variable rate scrollbar as an individual navigation of the email messages when displayed from at least one of the groups, and further configured to detect that the input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of the variable rate scrollbar to initiate a display of a different group of the email messages.

11. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the variable rate scrollbar includes identifiers of the groups of email messages, and wherein an identifier is selectable to initiate the display of the email messages according to the group that is identified.

12. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the variable rate scrollbar includes an individual navigation region configured for the individual navigation of the email messages when displayed from at least one of the groups, and further includes a group navigation region for group navigation to initiate the display of the different group of the email messages.

13. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped according to the day, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of the week or the month.

14. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped according to the week, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of the day or the month.

15. A portable computer device as recited in claim 10, wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for individual navigation of the email messages that are displayed and grouped according to the month, and wherein the variable rate scrollbar is further configured for group navigation to initiate the display of the email messages that are grouped according to at least one of the day or the week.

16. Computer-readable media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, if executed by a portable computer device, initiate the portable computer device to:

store groups of media items that are grouped by at least one of a page, a day, a week, or a month that corresponds to a date associated with a media item;

initiate a display of a list of the media items from at least one of the groups, the media items that are displayed being selectable from the list; and

initiate a display of a variable rate scrollbar configured for selection to navigate the media items at variable rates according to the groups of the media items.

17. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the portable computer device to display the variable rate scrollbar to include identifiers of the groups of the media items, and wherein an identifier is selectable to initiate a display of the media items according to the group that is identified.

18. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the portable computer device to display the variable rate scrollbar to include an individual navigation region configured for individual navigation of the media items that are displayed from at least one of the groups, and to further include a group navigation region for group navigation to initiate a display of a different group of the media items.

19. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions, if executed, further initiate the portable computer device to detect an input to the variable rate scrollbar to individually navigate the media items that are displayed from at least one of the groups, and to detect that the input is continued to vary a scrolling rate of the variable rate scrollbar to initiate a display of a different group of the media items.

20. Computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the media items are at least one of email messages or text messages, and wherein the date associated with an email message or a text message is a date when the email message or the text message is received.