DYNAMIC MINIMIZED NAVIGATION BAR FOR EXPANDED COMMUNICATION SERVICE

• US 20150074525A1
• Filed: 11/14/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Costenaro, Daniel, Holz, Elizabeth, Roic, Alessio, Brown, Jedidiah
• Granted Patent: US 9,904,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/711
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems

Abstract

A minimized state navigation bar is provided for switching between modules within an expanded communication service such as email, calendar, contacts, tasks, etc. and for presenting preview peeks associated with each module to a user. The minimized state may be selected automatically based on user interface context or user action. A temporary preview of a module may be provided upon a hover action over the icons without actually needing to switch to a module. The preview may also be docked or pinned to a location on the main user interface so that it is displayed within the main user interface. New or interesting activity within each module may be highlighted by displaying an information badge next to an icon, for example.

Claims

1. A method executed at least in part in a computing device for providing a dynamic navigation bar in minimized state within an expanded communication application, the method comprising:

determining a state for the navigation bar based on one of a user interface context and a user selection;

if the determined state is the minimized state, displaying the navigation bar in the minimized state comprising a plurality of icons representing individual modules of the communication application within a user interface of the communication application;

in response to detecting a hover action on one of the navigation bar icons, displaying a temporary preview of content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon; and

in response to detecting selection of one of the navigation bar icons, modifying the user interface to display content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a number of items of interest in respective modules through information badges adjacent to corresponding icons representing the modules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface context includes at least one from a set of:

a currently displayed module, an available display area, a displayed content, an application type, a device type, and a user credential.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the temporary preview of content through a preview pane that is presented in a minimized state if the navigation bar is in the minimized state as well.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the preview pane is displayed in one of a plurality of configurable minimized states.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication application includes modules for at least one from a set of:

email exchange, scheduling, text messaging, contact management, and task management.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a textual tip adjacent to one or more of the navigation bar icons.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the textual tip is displayed adjacent to one of a selected navigation bar icon and a new navigation bar icon.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the navigation bar icons in an animated manner.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a location of the minimized navigation bar based on one or more of;

a type of content displayed in the user interface, a layout of the content displayed in the user interface, an available display area, a left or right handedness of a user, a user credential, and a location attribute comprising one or more of a language selection for the user interface, a geographic location, a time zone, and a country of the user.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

moving the minimized navigation bar to a new location in response to a change in one or more of;

a type of content displayed in the user interface, a layout of the content displayed in the user interface, an available display area, a user credential, and a location attribute comprising one or more of a language selection for the user interface, a geographic location, a time zone, and a country of the user.

12. A computing device for providing an expanded communication application with a dynamic navigation bar in minimized state, the computing device comprising:

an input device;

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory and the input device, the processor executing the communication application and causing a user interface associated with the communication application to be displayed on a screen, wherein the processor is configured to;

determine a state for the navigation bar based on one of a user interface context and a user selection, wherein the user interface context includes at least one from a set of;

a currently displayed module, an available display area, a displayed content, an application type, a device type, and a user credential;

if the determined state is the minimized state, display the navigation bar in the minimized state comprising a plurality of icons representing individual modules of the communication application within a user interface of the communication application;

display a number of items of interest in respective modules through information badges adjacent to corresponding icons representing the modules;

in response to detecting a hover action on one of the navigation bar icons, display a temporary preview of content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon; and

in response to detecting selection of one of the navigation bar icons, modify the user interface to display content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon.

13. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to

employ one or more of a color scheme, a shading scheme, a textual scheme, a graphics scheme, and an animation scheme associated with the icons to enhance a visual effectiveness of the minimized navigation bar.

14. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

change the navigation bar to a full state in response to one of detecting a change in the user interface context and a user selection, wherein the full state navigation bar comprises textual items representing the modules.

15. The computing device of claim 12, wherein at least one of a size and a number of the icons in the minimized navigation bar is one of:

dynamically adjustable, fixed, and user configurable.

16. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the input device is configured to accept input in form of one of:

a touch, a gesture, voice, an accelerometer sensor based input, an orientation sensor based input, an optically captured gesture, a time-based input, a predefined keyboard entry combination, and a proximity input through one of a finger, a pen, and a mouse.

17. The computing device of claim 12, wherein the communication application is provided as one of a web-based application in server-client architecture, a cloud-based hosted application, and a locally installed application, and the computing device is one of:

a stationary computer, a laptop computer, a vehicle-mount computer, a handheld computer, a consumer electronic device, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, a hand-held game console, and a computer peripheral.

18. A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for providing a dynamic navigation bar in minimized state within an expanded communication application, the instructions containing:

determining a state for the navigation bar based on one of a user interface context and a user selection, wherein the user interface context includes at least one from a set of;

a currently displayed module, an available display area, a displayed content, an application type, a device type, and a user credential;

if the determined state is the minimized state, displaying the navigation bar in the minimized state comprising a plurality of icons representing individual modules of the communication application within a user interface of the communication application;

displaying a number of items of interest in respective modules through information badges adjacent to corresponding icons representing the modules;

in response to detecting a hover action on one of the navigation bar icons, displaying a temporary preview of content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon; and

in response to detecting selection of one of the navigation bar icons, modifying the user interface to display content associated with a module represented by the navigation bar icon.

19. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

modifying the icons displayed in the navigation bar based on a current content of the user interface such that an icon corresponding to a module associated with the currently displayed content is removed from the navigation bar.

20. The computer-readable memory device of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise:

displaying the temporary preview through a preview pane, wherein a display state of the preview pane is determined in response to the determined state of the navigation bar.