Displaying Graphical Representations of Contacts

• US 20130305175A1
• Filed: 07/15/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Blackburn, Helen, McLaughlin, Mark, Eardley, Rachel, Laasik, Marek, Kaal, Madis
• Granted Patent: US 9,128,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440263 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for displaying on a connected PDA
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4728 for selecting a Region Of Interest [ROI], e.g. for requesting a higher resolution version of a selected region
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Techniques for displaying graphical representations of contacts are described. In accordance with one or more embodiments, a group of graphical representations of contacts is displayed at a first size in a display region. In response to a selection of a subgroup of the graphical representations, the subgroup of graphical representations is automatically resized to fit in the display region at a second size.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

one or processors;

one or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that are executable by the one or more processors to cause the system to perform operations comprising;

displaying a group of graphical representations of contacts at a first size in a display region of a graphical user interface (GUI);

receiving a selection of a subgroup of the graphical representations;

automatically resizing the subgroup of the graphical representations to fit in the display region of the GUI at a second size;

receiving a selection of one of the graphical representations from the resized subgroup of the graphical representations; and

initiating a communication event with a contact represented by the one of the graphical representations.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein individual of the graphical representations comprise information regarding a respective contact comprising at least one of a user identity, a picture representing the respective contact, or presence information for the respective contact.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is smaller than a number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the GUI; and

in response to said determining, reducing dimensions of the contact grid such that the number of entries in the contact grid is greater than or equal to the number of contacts in the contacts list.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is greater than a predetermined maximum number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the GUI; and

in response to said determining, selecting a group of contacts for representation via the group of graphical representations such that the group of contacts equals the predetermined maximum number of entries.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving alphanumeric data input to the system; and

filtering the graphical representations displayed in the group of graphical representations based on the alphanumeric data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication event comprises at least one of a voice call, a video call, or an instant message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said receiving the selection comprises:

receiving user input moving a selection box to highlight the subgroup of the graphical representations; and

receiving a selection of zoom function to cause the subgroup of the graphical representations highlighted by the selection box to be automatically resized.

8. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

displaying a group of graphical representations of contacts at a first size in a display region;

receiving a selection of a subgroup of the graphical representations; and

automatically resizing the subgroup of the graphical representations to fit in the display region at a second size.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the contacts are maintained as part of a contacts list for a communications client.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein individual of the graphical representations comprise information regarding a respective contact comprising at least one of a user identity, a picture representing the respective contact, or presence information for the respective contact.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is smaller than a number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the display region; and

in response to said determining, reducing dimensions of the contact grid such that the number of entries in the contact grid is greater than or equal to the number of contacts in the contacts list.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is greater than a predetermined maximum number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the display region; and

in response to said determining, selecting a group of contacts for representation via the group of graphical representations such that the group of contacts equals the predetermined maximum number of entries.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving alphanumeric data input; and

filtering the graphical representations displayed in the group of graphical representations based on the alphanumeric data.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein said receiving comprises:

receiving user input moving a selection box to highlight the subgroup of the graphical representations; and

receiving a selection of zoom function to cause the subgroup of the graphical representations highlighted by the selection box to be automatically resized.

15. One or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions that are executable by one or more processors to cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

displaying a group of graphical representations of contacts at a first size in a display region of a graphical user interface (GUI) for a communications client;

receiving a selection of a subgroup of the graphical representations;

automatically resizing the subgroup of the graphical representations to fit in the display region of the GUI at a second size such that each of the graphical representations in the resized subgroup is selectable to initiate a communication event with a contact represented by a respective graphical representation.

16. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein at least some of the graphical representations include presence information for respective contacts.

17. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts maintained by the communications client;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is smaller than a number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the GUI; and

in response to said determining, reducing dimensions of the contact grid such that the number of entries in the contact grid is greater than or equal to the number of contacts in the contacts list.

18. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

retrieving, prior to displaying the group of graphical representations at the first size, a list of contacts maintained by the communications client;

determining that a number of contacts in the list of contacts is greater than a predetermined maximum number of entries in a contact grid used for display of graphical representations of contacts in the GUI; and

in response to said determining, selecting a group of contacts for representation via the group of graphical representations such that the group of contacts equals the predetermined maximum number of entries.

19. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving alphanumeric data input via the communications client; and

filtering the graphical representations displayed in the group of graphical representations based on the alphanumeric data.

20. The one or more computer-readable storage media of claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving user input moving a selection box to highlight the subgroup of the graphical representations; and

receiving a selection of zoom function to cause the subgroup of the graphical representations highlighted by the selection box to be resized.