Contact user interface

• US 7,360,174 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Barnat, Sandra B., Weissman, Debra L., Perlow, Jonathan D., van Dok, Cornelis K., Park, Vivien, Grossman, Joel K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US10/324,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20040119760A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 715/854, 715/848, 715/719, 345/854
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

An interface for enabling different contact information for a plurality of different contacts to be aggregated from numerous data stores into a single contact management system includes a window frame for displaying the contact information in a variety of rich views that graphically illustrate patterns existent within the contact information. Some of the available views include hierarchical, organizational, chronological, social, geographical and operational views of the contact information. The interface also enables a user to search through the aggregate contact information by search term and by filter. The interface also includes another window frame for displaying exploded, detailed, or additional information about selected directories and contacts.

Claims

1. In a computing system that is connected with a display device and that includes a user interface that is configured to display contact information at the display device, a method for displaying aggregate contact information from a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories, the method comprising:

an act of searching a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories for contact information, wherein each of the separate and distinct contact information directories independently store contact information corresponding to one or more contacts;

an act of mapping the contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories according to a single unifying schema;

an act of displaying, at the display device, a plurality of directory links, each directory link corresponding to a separate and distinct contact information directory,

the directory links operably and correspondingly connecting the user interface with each of the plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories,

the user interface being configured to display requested contact information for any contacts identified within a contact information directory corresponding to a selected directory link,

the displayed contact information being organized in accordance with the single unifying schema used to map the contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories for presentation at the user interface, and

the contact information from the separate and distinct contact directories being aggregated for simultaneous presentation at the user interface and simultaneously made directly accessible from the separate and distinct contact information directories through the user-interface; and

an act of providing a frame at the display device that is configured for simultaneously displaying the aggregated contact information from the separate and distinct contact information directories in one of a plurality of selectable views that each correspond to a different pattern that is identifiable within the displayed contact information, wherein at least one view of the selectable views graphically distinguishes different groupings of contacts within said at least one view.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further including an act of providing means for selectably changing the designated view of the displayed contact information to another one of a plurality of views, each view corresponding with a different pattern that characterizes at least two contacts identified by the displayed contact information.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein means for selectably changing the designated view includes a menu that identifies the plurality of views that can be selected, wherein selection of a new view from the plurality of identified views causes the user interface to display the requested contact information in the new view within the frame.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the different patterns corresponding to the plurality of views include a organizational pattern that organizationally relates the at least two contacts, such that an organizational view corresponding with the organizational pattern displays an organizational relationship between the at least two contacts with at least one of an organizational hierarchal structure and an organizational grouping from which the contact information of the at least two contacts can be obtained.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the different patterns corresponding to the plurality of views include an event pattern that relates the at least two contacts, such that an event view corresponding with the event pattern displays event groups from which the contact information of the at least two contacts can be obtained, such that when an event group is selected, the user interface displays any contacts associated with the event.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the event includes a date corresponding with birthdays, such that the event view displays birthdays of the at least two contacts.

7. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the different patterns corresponding to the plurality of views include a location pattern that relates the at least two contacts, such that a location view corresponding with the location pattern displays location groupings from which the contact information of the at least two contacts can be obtained, such that when a location grouping is selected, the user interface displays any contacts associated with the location.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the location includes at least one of a geographic location, a time location, a virtual location, and a structural location.

9. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the different patterns corresponding to the plurality of views include an operability pattern that relates the at least two contacts, such that an operability view corresponding with the operability pattern displays operability groupings from which the contact information of the at least two contacts can be obtained, such that when an operability grouping is selected, the user interface displays any contacts associated with the corresponding operability.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, wherein the operability includes at least one of telephone, email, instant messaging, and gaming capabilities.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further including an act of providing means for searching by key term for one or more individual contact entries within the aggregate contact information containing the key term.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein searching means includes an input field that is displayed at the display device and that is capable of receiving input comprising at least part of a name, a word, a term, a telephone number, an email address, and a location.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further including an act of providing means for filtering the aggregate contact information according to classifications assigned to the aggregate contact information.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein filtering means includes at least one filter link displayed at the display device that is capable, when selected, of initiating a search for requested contact information from the aggregate contact information that is associated with a classification corresponding with the selected filter link and of displaying said requested contact information.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the classification includes at least one of a key word, an organization, a group, a location, an event, and a social description.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one filter is customizable and is configured to specifically correspond with one or more directories being searched for contact information.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored within a remote storage medium.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein all of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored within a local storage medium.

19. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored in a storage medium remote from the local storage medium.

20. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the displayed contact information can be selected, and wherein the method further includes at least one of displaying the contact information and displaying additional related information about the contact in a new frame at the display device.

34. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 2.

35. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein means for selectably changing the designated view includes a menu that identifies the plurality of views that can be selected, wherein selection of a new view from the plurality of identified views causes the user interface to display the requested contact information in the new view within the frame, and wherein the plurality of views includes at least one of the following:

a social view that displays a social relationship of at least two contacts;

an organizational view that displays an organizational relationship of at least two contacts;

an event view that displays an event relationship of at least two contacts;

a location view that displays a relationship of at least two contacts corresponding with at least one of a geographic location, time location, virtual location, and structural location; and

an operability view that displays a relationship of at least two contacts corresponding with the operability of at least one of the contacts telephone, email, instant messaging, and gaming capabilities.

36. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein searching means includes an input field that is displayed at the display device and that is capable of receiving input comprising at least part of a name, a word, a term, a telephone number, and an email address.

37. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein filtering means includes at least one filter link displayed at the display device that is capable, when selected, of initiating a search for requested contact information from the aggregate contact information that is associated with a classification corresponding with the selected filter link and of displaying said requested contact information.

38. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored within a local storage medium.

39. A computer program product as recited in claim 34, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored in a storage medium remote from the local storage medium.

21. In a computing system that is connected with a display device and that includes a user interface that is configured to display contact information at the display device, a method for displaying aggregate contact information from a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories, the method comprising:

an act of displaying, at the display device, a plurality of directory links, the directory links operably and correspondingly connecting the user interface with each of a plurality of separate and distinct contact information directories;

an act of providing a frame at the display device that is configured for simultaneously displaying aggregated contact information from separate and distinct contact information directories in a designated view, the aggregated contact information being mapped according to a single unifying schema into categories and classifications that can be recognized by the user interface for display;

an act of providing means for selectably changing the designated view of the displayed contact information to another one of a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a different pattern that is identifiable within the displayed contact information, and wherein the plurality of views include at least two of the following views;

(a) an event view that graphically associates a plurality of different contacts with one or more events and that graphically distinguishes different events within the event view,

(b) a location view that graphically associates a plurality of different contacts with one or more locations and that graphically distinguishes different locations within the location view, or

(c) an operability view that graphically associates a plurality of different contacts with one or more system capabilities associated with systems available to the plurality of different contacts and that graphically distinguishes different system capabilities within the operability view.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein means for selectably changing the designated view includes a drop down menu that identifies the plurality of views that can be selected, wherein selection of a new view from the plurality of identified views causes the user interface to display the requested contact information in the new view within the frame.

23. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the different patterns corresponding to the plurality of views include a organizational pattern that organizationally relates the at least two contacts, and wherein the plurality of views include an organizational view that graphically identifies an organizational hierarchal structure for a particular organizational grouping of at least two contacts identified by the contact information.

24. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein selection of any event identified within the event view causes the user interface to display contacts associated with the event.

25. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein selection of any location identified within the location view causes the user interface to display contacts associated with the location.

26. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein selection of any operability grouping within the operability view causes the user interface to display contacts associated with systems having the corresponding operability.

27. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising an act of providing means for searching by key term for one or more individual contact entries within the aggregate contact information containing the key term and wherein the searching means includes an input field that is displayed at the display device and that is capable of receiving input comprising at least part of a name, a word, a term, a telephone number, and an email address.

28. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising an act of providing means for filtering the aggregate contact information according to classifications assigned to the aggregate contact information and wherein the filtering means includes at least one filter displayed at the display device that is capable, when selected, of initiating a search for requested contact information from the aggregate contact information that is associated with a classification corresponding with the selected filter link and of displaying said requested contact information.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein the at least one filter is customizable and is configured to specifically correspond with one or more directories being searched for contact information.

30. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored within a local storage medium.

31. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein at least some of the separate and distinct contact information directories are stored in a storage medium remote from the local storage medium.

32. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein means for selectably changing the designated view includes a menu that identifies the plurality of views that can be selected, wherein selection of a new view from the plurality of identified views causes the user interface to display the requested contact information in the new view within the frame, and wherein the plurality of views includes all of the following:

a social view that displays a social relationship of at least two contacts;

an organizational view that displays an organizational relationship of at least two contacts;

an event view that displays an event relationship of at least two contacts;

a location view that displays a relationship of at least two contacts corresponding with at least one of a geographic location, time location, virtual location, and structural location; and

an operability view that displays a relationship of at least two contacts corresponding with the operability of at least one of the contacts telephone, email, instant messaging, and gaming capabilities.

33. A method as recited in claim 21, wherein the plurality of views includes a view that graphically distinguishes contacts according to a most frequently contacted order.

40. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for implementing the method recited in claim 21.