Web Browser with Quick Site Access User Interface

• US 20120304073A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 11/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Mandic, Mirko, Kim, Jane T., Butcher, Aaron M., Benson, Rodger W., Shallcross, Zachary J., Goldberg, Eli B., Williams, Mary-Lynne, Holbrook, Jess S., Barcheck, Lindsey R., Feldman, Alexandra M., Christen, Jonathan R., Chang, Joon K.
• Application Number:
  US13/117,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20120304073A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/745
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9562 Bookmark management

Abstract

Various embodiments provide a unified and organized Web browser navigational experience that draws potential navigable pages from multiple different sources and presents the pages in an easily-explorable user interface. Presentation of these potentially navigable pages occurs automatically, in a contextually relevant manner, based upon an implied user intent to navigate away from a current page.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, via a Web browser, an indication associated with an intended navigation;

responsive to said receiving, automatically modifying a user interface of the web browser to present a website access area, the website access area presenting sites that are drawn from multiple different sources, at least some of which being associated with a user'"'"'s browsing habits.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within an address bar of the Web browser.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within an address bar of the Web browser, and wherein receiving an indication comprises receiving a gesture indication.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the website access area is configured to include one or more pinned sites.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the website access area includes one or more designators to designate individual sources.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the website access area is pannable or scrollable.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the website access area is configured to present sites both textually and through the use of an icon.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the website access area is configured to present sites both textually and through the use of an icon, and wherein at least some of the icons have a color that is associated with a particular site.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting a soft keyboard as part of the user interface.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising relocating an address bar that appears within the user interface.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising relocating an address bar that appears within the user interface, wherein the address bar is configured to receive text that serves as a basis to conduct a search of sites that are presentable via the website access area.

12. One or more computer readable storage media embodying computer readable instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:

receiving, via a Web browser, an indication associated with an intended navigation, wherein said receiving comprises receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within an address bar of the Web browser;

responsive to said receiving, automatically modifying a user interface of the web browser to present a website access area, the website access area presenting sites that are drawn from multiple different sources; and

enabling user interaction with the website access area to allow site navigation.

13. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 12, wherein at least some of the sources are associated with a user'"'"'s browsing habits.

14. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 12, wherein receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within the address bar comprises receiving a gesture indication.

15. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 12, wherein receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within the address bar comprises receiving a touch gesture indication.

16. The one or more computer readable storage media of claim 12, wherein said enabling comprises enabling touch-selection of a site presented within the website access area.

17. One or more computer-readable storage media embodying computer readable instructions which, when executed, implement a web browser configured to implement a method comprising:

receiving an indication associated with an intended navigation, wherein said receiving comprises receiving an indication that focus has been placed on or within an address bar of the Web browser;

responsive to said receiving, automatically modifying a user interface of the web browser to present a website access area, the website access area presenting sites that are drawn from multiple different sources, wherein presentation of the sites includes, for at least some sites, presenting both textual content and an icon; and

enabling user interaction with the website access area to allow site navigation.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the address bar is configured to be utilized as a search mechanism to search through and filter sites that appear or otherwise comprise part of a presentation within the website access area.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the address bar is configured to be utilized as a search mechanism to search through and filter sites that appear or otherwise comprise part of a presentation within the website access area, wherein the address bar is configured with an auto-complete feature to assist in text entry.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 17, wherein the address bar is configured to be utilized in conjunction with one or more search providers.