IMMERSIVE DOCUMENT INTERACTION WITH DEVICE-AWARE SCALING

• US 20150277722A1
• Filed: 08/15/2014
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Masterson, Joseph, de Souza, Jeremy, Ma, Jin, Catrinescu, Elena, Waddoups, Nathan, Fern, Kenneth, Meyers, David Lloyd Jr., Limont, David Paul, Palmer, Michael B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,698,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9577 Optimising the visualization of content, e.g. distillation of HTML documents
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/08 Annexed information, e.g. attachments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561

Abstract

An adaptive layout and workflow engine. The adaptive layout and workflow engine allows various applications to dynamically render scaled views of content based on the characteristics of the display on the device being used to consume the content. The adaptive layout and workflow engine may select an appropriate view of the content to render based on the size, resolution, or aspect ratio of the display. The rendered size of the content and/or the user interface of the content application is evaluated relative to the characteristics of the display. Embodiments may provide different controls via the user interfaces based on the characteristics of the display and/or content. The adaptive layout and workflow engine may provide customized work flows via the user interface to improve the user experience depending on the display capabilities of the device used to consume the content.

Claims

1. A method for immersive document interaction with device-aware scaling, the method comprising the acts of:

displaying an initial content item containing an attachment;

receiving a request to interact with the attachment;

collecting information about the display configuration of a computing device presenting the initial content item via a display;

selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration; and

presenting the attachment using the default layout via the display.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration further comprises the act of determining whether the display has sufficient resolution to simultaneously display the attachment and the initial content item.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration further comprises the act of selecting a full screen view for the default layout to use for presenting the attachment when the attachment is a document with a width that is large relative to the width of the display.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration further comprises the act of selecting a full screen view for the default layout to use for presenting the attachment when the display is width constrained.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration further comprises the act of selecting a side-by-side view for the default layout to use for displaying the attachment when the attachment is a document with a size that is small relative to the width of the display.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the act of selecting a default layout for displaying the attachment based on the display configuration further comprises the act of selecting a side-by-side screen layout for the default layout to use for presenting the attachment when the display is not width constrained.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of displaying a layout control allowing selection of an alternate view to override the default view.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of displaying a customized task control for interacting with the attachment, the function of the customized task control based on the display configuration.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the customized task control initiates a workflow incorporating multiple actions based on the current context.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the act of displaying a customized task control for interacting with the attachment, the function of the customized task control based on the display configuration and at least one of the type of the attachment, and a previous action taken with the attachment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the initial content item is an email message and the attachment is opened for editing, the customized task control configured to save the attachment as a revised attachment and attach the revised attachment to a new email message.

12. A system for method of immersive document interaction with device-aware scaling, the system comprising:

a computing device operable to run a first application for interacting with an initial content item containing an attachment and a second application for interacting with the attachment,

a display configuration associated with the computing device;

an adaptive layout and workflow engine operable to;

display the initial content item containing the attachment;

selecting a default view based on the display configuration, the default view being a full-screen view or a side-by-side view;

receive a request to display the attachment;

display the attachment using the default view;

display a context-sensitive task control with multiple actions applicable to the attachment and the initial content item; and

perform each of the multiple actions when the context-sensitive task control is activated.

13. The system of claim 12 further operable to display a layout control allowing selection of an alternate view to override the default view.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the first application is an email application, the second application is an attachment editing application, and the default view is a full screen view, the context-sensitive task control operable generate a new email message, save the attachment as a revised attachment, attach the revised attachment to the new email message, and open the new email message for editing.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein the first application is an email application, the initial content item is an email, the second application is a viewer for a read-only attachment, and the default view is a full screen view, the context-sensitive task control operable to close the attachment and generate a new email based on the initial content item.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the adaptive layout and workflow engine is further operable to select a full screen view as the default view when the display configuration corresponds to a low aspect ratio.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the adaptive layout and workflow engine is further operable to select a side-by-side view as the default view when the display configuration corresponds to a large aspect ratio.

18. The system of claim 12 wherein the attachment is opened for viewing, the adaptive layout and workflow engine operable to display a context-sensitive task control for redistributing the attachment.

19. The system of claim 12 wherein the initial content item is an email, the adaptive layout and workflow engine is further operable to display a new email based on the initial content item and the attachment in a side-by-side view.

20. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, perform a method of immersive document interaction with device-aware scaling, the method comprising:

displaying an initial content item containing an attachment;

receiving a request to interact with the attachment;

collecting information about the display configuration of a computing device presenting the initial content item via a display;

displaying the attachment in a full screen view or the initial content item and the attachment in a side-by-side view via the display based on the display configuration; and

displaying a context-sensitive task control that, when activated, performs a sequence of actions based on context and the display configuration.