Method and system for organizing projects in an integral user environment

• US 7,467,355 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2003
• Issued: 12/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Truelove, Benjamin Nicholas, Kramer, Douglas C., Stevens, Warren G., Zukowski, Joseph Jacob, Albrecht, Brian Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): BONSHOCK, DENNIS G
• Application Number:
  US10/607,707
• Time in Patent Office: 1,999 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/739, 715/804, 715/775, 715/776, 715/963
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An integrated user environment for creating, managing, and organizing components of a project. A user is able to select a predefined project that includes a list of to do items, or can start with a blank project and add to do items. Once a to do item has been added, the user can associate several different functions with the to do item, including a due date, a note, and one of several categories of entities. These entities include a task or template, a document, and a Web link. If the user selects a task or template, Answer Wizard technology returns options that may be relevant to the selected to do item. Since all of the components of the project are accessible by the user from within an integral project environment, it is relatively efficient for the user to manage the project and make any changes that are required.

Claims

1. A memory medium on which are stored machine instructions for carrying out a method for enabling a user to organize a project, comprising:

(a) displaying an integral user environment to a user to enable access of information pertinent to the project from within the integral user environment;

(b) receiving a list of to do items that are displayed within the integral user environment, wherein the to do items are reminders created by the user to take certain actions;

(c) in response to user input, associating an entity with a single to do item selected from the list of to do items;

wherein associating comprises;

(i) simultaneously displaying the list of to do items and a user interface pane separate from the list of to do items in a non-overlapping manner, wherein a plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select within the integral user environment are displayed within the user interface pane, and wherein the plurality of categories of entities includes at least a Web link category and a document category;

(ii) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying a uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate an address for a Web Page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iii) when the user indicates the address for the Web page, providing a first indication that the address for the Web Page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iv) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(v) when the user selects a document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a second indication that the document is associated with the single to do item;

(d) enabling a user to access said entity that is associated with the selected to do item, from the simultaneously displayed user interface pane where the associated entity to a selected to do item is displayed; and

(e) for the single to do item associated with the entity, enabling the user to replace the entity associated with the single to do item with a new associated entity, wherein enabling the user to replace the entity comprises;

(i) displaying, within the integral user environment, the plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select;

(ii) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying the uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate another address for another Web page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iii) when the user indicates the another address for the another Web page, providing a third indication, replacing the first indication, that the another address for the another Web page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(iv) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(v) when the user selects another document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a fourth indication, replacing the second indication, that the another document is associated with the single to do item.

2. The medium of claim 1, further comprising automatically executing a search for relevant alternative choices of entities to display to the user, as a function of the to do item in the list that is currently selected.

3. The medium of claim 2, further comprising providing alternative choices derived from other programs that are accessible to the user.

4. The medium of claim 2, further comprising the step of including a blank entity among the plurality of choices that are displayed to the user.

5. The medium of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to enter a note in association with a currently selected to do item in the list, so that the note is displayed within the integral user environment when the user subsequently again selects said to do item in the list with which the note is associated.

6. The medium of claim 1, further comprising enabling the user to indicate a date for association with a currently selected to do item in the list.

7. The medium of claim 6, further comprising automatically scheduling the date indicated by the user within a calendar program so that a user is subsequently provided a reminder by the calendar program in regard to the date thus indicated.

8. The medium of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of defined projects, each defined project including a plurality of proposed to do items that are likely relevant to a subject matter of the defined project.

9. A method for enabling a user to organize a project, comprising:

(a) displaying an integral user environment to a user to enable access of information pertinent to the project from within the integral user environment;

(b) receiving a list of to do items that are displayed within the integral user environment, wherein the to do items are reminders created by the user to take certain actions;

(c) in response to user input, associating an entity with a single to do item selected from the list of to do items;

wherein associating comprises;

(i) simultaneously displaying the list of to do items and a user interface pane separate from the list of to do items in a non-overlapping manner, wherein a plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select within the integral user environment are displayed within the user interface pane, and wherein the plurality of categories of entities includes at least a Web link category and a document category;

(ii) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying a uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate an address for a Web page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iii) when the user indicates the address for the Web page, providing a first indication that the address for the Web page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iv) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(v) when the user selects a document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a second indication that the document is associated with the single to do item;

(d) enabling a user to access said entity that is associated with the selected to do item, from the simultaneously displayed user interface pane where the associated entity to a selected to do item is displayed; and

(e) for the single to do item associated with the entity, enabling the user to replace the entity associated with the single to do item with a new associated entity, wherein enabling the user to replace the entity comprises;

(i) displaying, within the integral user environment, the plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select;

(ii) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying the uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate another address for another Web page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(iii) when the user indicates the another address for the another Web page, providing a third indication, replacing the first indication, that the another address for the another Web page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(iv) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(v) when the user selects another document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a fourth indication, replacing the second indication, that the another document is associated with the single to do item.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising automatically executing a search for relevant alternative choices of entities to display to the user, as a function of the to do item in the list that is currently selected.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising providing alternative choices derived from other programs that are accessible to the user.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of including a blank entity among the plurality of choices that are displayed to the user.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising enabling the user to enter a note in association with a currently selected to do item in the list, so that the note is displayed within the integral user environment when the user subsequently again selects said to do item in the list with which the note is associated.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising enabling the user to indicate a date for association with a currently selected to do item in the list.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising automatically scheduling the date indicated by the user within a calendar program so that a user is subsequently provided a reminder by the calendar program in regard to the date thus indicated.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of defined projects, each defined project including a plurality of proposed to do items that are likely relevant to a subject matter of the defined project.

17. A system for enabling organizing a project, comprising:

(a) a memory in which a plurality of machine instructions are stored;

(b) a display on which text and graphics are displayed;

(c) a user input device that enables input and selection of choices provided on the display; and

(d) a processor, coupled to the memory, user input device, and the display, said processor executing the plurality of machine instructions to carry out a plurality of functions, including;

(i) displaying an integral user environment to a user to enable access of information pertinent to the project from within the integral user environment;

(ii) receiving a list of to do items that are displayed within the integral user environment, wherein the to do items are reminders created by the user to take certain actions;

(iii) in response to user input, associating an entity with a single to do item selected from the list of to do items;

wherein associating comprises;

(A) simultaneously displaying the list of to do items and a user interface pane separate from the list of to do items in a non-overlapping manner, wherein a plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select within the integral user environment are displayed within the user interface pane, and wherein the plurality of categories of entities includes at least a Web link category and a document category;

(B) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying a uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate an address for a Web page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(C) when the user indicates the address for the Web page, providing a first indication that the address for the Web page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list;

(D) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(E) when the user selects a document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a second indication that the document is associated with the single to do item;

(iv) enabling a user to access said entity that is associated with the selected to do item, from the simultaneously displayed user interface pane where the associated entity to a selected to do item is displayed; and

(v) for the single to do item associated with the entity, enabling the user to replace the entity associated with the single to do item with a new associated entity, wherein enabling the user to replace the entity comprises;

(A) displaying, within the integral user environment, the plurality of categories of entities from which the user can select;

(B) when the user selects the Web link category, displaying the uniform resource locator entry user interface that enables the user to indicate another address for another Web page for association with the single to do item selected from the list;

(C) when the user indicates the another address for the another Web page, providing a third indication, replacing the first indication, that the another address for the another Web page is associated with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(D) when the user selects the document category, displaying alternative choices of documents from which the user can select for association with the single to do item selected from the list; and

(E) when the user selects another document from the alternative choices of documents for association, providing a fourth indication, replacing the second indication, that the another document is associated with the single to do item.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to automatically execute a search for relevant alternative choices of entities to display to the user, as a function of the to do item in the list that is currently selected.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to provide alternative choices derived from other programs that are accessible to the user.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to include a blank entity among the plurality of choices that are displayed to the user.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable the user to enter a note in association with a currently selected to do item in the list, so that the note is displayed within the integral user environment when the user subsequently again selects said to do item in the list with which the note is associated.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to enable the user to indicate a date for association with a currently selected to do item in the list.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to automatically schedule the date indicated by the user within a calendar program so that a user is subsequently provided a reminder by the calendar program in regard to the date thus indicated.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the machine instructions further cause the processor to provide a plurality of defined projects, each defined project including a plurality of proposed to do items that are likely relevant to a subject matter of the defined project.