User interface state reconfiguration through animation

• US 7,432,928 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2005
• Issued: 10/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Shaw, Han-Yi, Multani, Shavinder S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chauhan; Ulka
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATHEWS, CRYSTAL ANN
• Application Number:
  US11/151,790
• Publication Number:
  US 20060282786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 715817-820, 715/864, 345/473
• US Class Current: 345/473
• 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

Abstract

The size of a tool displayed in a user interface can be dynamically adjusted based on the current needs of the tool. When the user chooses a new function to perform using the tool, the tool'"'"'s size and appearance is adjusted to an interface tailored for the selected function. To minimize confusion to the user, these dynamic adjustments can be performed using animation effects.

Claims

1. One or more processor readable storage devices having processor readable code embodied on said processor readable storage devices, said processor readable code for programming one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

displaying a user interface in an initial state associated with a first function selector, said user interface displays;

a function selector tool bar including the first function selector and other available function selectors, each function selector represented by an icon such that the function selector tool bar includes a horizontal arrangement of icons and occupies a width of the user interface; and

a first set of one or more action selectors each having substantially the same width as the function selector tool bar, wherein each action selector, when selected, displays selectable action items for performing an action associated with said selected action selector;

receiving a request to change said user interface from the initial state to a target state associated with one of the other available function selectors displayed in the function selector tool bar;

in response to said request, changing said user interface from said initial state to an intermediate stage using a first animation, said first animation includes blurring said first set of one or more action selectors and collapsing the blurred action selectors into the function selector tool bar so that the action selectors appear to slide individually into the function selector tool bar until the blurred action selectors are no longer visible; and

changing said user interface from said intermediate stage to said target state using a second animation, said second animation includes sliding a second set of one or more action selectors away from the function selector tool bar into a final position, the second set of action selectors, when selected, each display selectable action items for performing an action associated with the selected action selector.

2. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein:

said first animation includes reducing said user interface'"'"'s size while removing said first set of action selectors; and

said second animation includes increasing said user interface'"'"'s size while adding said second set of action selectors.

3. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein said first animation includes:

dividing said action selectors displayed in said user interface into slices;

collapsing each slice individually into the function selector tool bar; and

reducing a size dimension of said user interface.

4. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein said first animation includes:

dividing said action selectors displayed in said user interface into slices; and

collapsing each slice into the function selector tool bar in a non-linear fashion.

5. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein said first animation includes:

dividing said action selectors displayed in said user interface into slices; and

collapsing the slices into the function selector tool bar simultaneously.

6. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein said second animation includes:

dividing said second set of action selectors into slices;

sliding a first slice away from the function selector tool bar and into the user interface;

increasing a size dimension of said user interface; and

sliding adding additional slices into the user interface after increasing said size dimension of said user interface.

7. One or more processor readable storage devices according to claim 1, wherein said second animation includes:

dividing said second set of action selectors into slices;

blurring said second set of action selectors;

increasing a size dimension of said user interface; and

sliding said blurred slices away from said function selector tool bar into said user interface.

8. A method for providing an interface, comprising:

displaying a user interface including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion displays a function selector tool bar containing multiple function selectors each represented by an icon such that the function selector tool bar includes a horizontal arrangement of icons and occupies a width of the user interface, the second portion displays one or more action selectors each having substantially the same width as the function selector tool bar and each associated with the function selector currently selected in the function selector tool bar, each action selector, when selected, displays selectable action items for performing an action associated with said selected action selector, wherein an initial state of the user interface is associated with a first function selector;

receiving a request to change said user interface to a target state associated with a second function selector in the function selector tool bar; and

changing said user interface from said initial state to said target state by,

sliding each action selector associated with the initial state of the user interface individually into the function selector tool bar until all action selectors associated with the initial state are removed from the user interface; and

sliding each action selector associated with the target state into the second portion of the user interface individually into a final position.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein:

each action selector, when selected, displays selectable action items for performing an action associated with the selected action selector.

10. A method according to claim 8, further including:

blurring the action selectors associated with the initial state of the user interface prior to sliding each action selector associated with the initial state of the user interface individually into the function selector tool bar.

11. A method according to claim 8, further including:

blurring the action selectors associated with the target state of the user interface prior to sliding each action selector associated with the target state of the user interface individually into the final position.

12. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface device;

a storage device; and

one or more processors in communication with said storage device and said interface device, said one or more processors provide for displaying a user interface in a first state, said first state is associated with a first function selector, said user interface displays a function selector tool bar including the first function selector and other function selectors, each function selector represented by an icon such that the function selector tool bar includes a horizontal arrangement of icons and occupies a width of the user interface, and further displays a first set of one or more action selectors each having substantially the same width as the function selector tool bar, wherein each action selector, when selected, displays selectable action items for performing an action associated with the selected action selector, said processor receives a request to change said user interface from the first state to a second state associated with one of the other function selectors in the function selector tool bar, in response to said request said processor performs a method comprising;

changing the user interface from the first state to an intermediate state using a first animation includes blurring the first set of action selectors and collapsing the blurred action selectors into the function selector tool bar so that the action selectors appear to slide individually into the function selector tool bar until the blurred action selectors are no longer visible; and

changing the user interface from the intermediate state to the second state using a second animation, the second animation includes sliding a second set of action selectors away from the function selector tool bar into a final position, the second set of action selectors, when selected, each display selectable action items for performing an action associated with the selected action selector.

13. An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

said second animation further changes a size dimension of said user interface.