Computer system with enhanced user interface for images

• US 7,549,129 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Sheldon, Michael G., Guzak, Chris, Ganesan, Rajesh, Ouzts, Todd, Camara, Franc
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu; Tadesse
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roswell; Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/185,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20030081011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,545 Days
• Field of Search: 715/776, 715/810, 715/853, 715/854, 715/804, 715/730, 715/835, 715/838
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3231 Monitoring the presence, absence or movement of users
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/329 by task scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management

Abstract

A computer system and method are presented that enhance a user experience when viewing images displayed on the computer. The system includes a user interface for the computer that displays a number of thumbnail images that are representations of image files existing on the computer. The thumbnail images are arranged in alignment with one another, such as at the bottom of a viewing window. An enlarged preview image is positioned adjacent the thumbnail image. The preview image corresponds to a selected one of the thumbnail images. A control is displayed in the window that enables the user to iterate through the thumbnail images in at least one direction. As the user iterates through the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image changes correspondingly.

Claims

1. A user interface embodied on a computer readable medium and executable on a computer, the user interface for a file and folder system for managing image and non-image files and folders stored in a computing environment, the user interface comprising:

a plurality of thumbnail images, each thumbnail image associated with an image file;

an enlarged preview image corresponding to a selected one of the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image being positioned adjacent to the thumbnail images in a preview area such that the enlarged preview image does not cover any of the thumbnail images; and

a navigational icon presented in the user interface with the plurality of thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the navigational icon being-selectable by a user to enable the user to alter the enlarged preview image by iterating through the thumbnail images when the navigational icon is repeatedly selected by the user,

wherein the location of the plurality of thumbnail images changes based on an orientation of the enlarged preview image as the user iterates through the plurality of thumbnail images, wherein the plurality of thumbnail images are located in a single row immediately below the enlarged preview image when the enlarged preview image is in a landscape orientation and the plurality of thumbnail images are located in a single column immediately besides the enlarged preview image when the enlarged preview image is in a portrait orientation.

2. A user interface as recited in claim 1, wherein the selected one of the thumbnail images is selected by at least one of a user clicking on the selected one of the thumbnail images and a user clicking on the navigational icon.

3. A user interface as recited in claim 1, the user interface further comprising a task option area for performing operations relating to the management of files and folders.

4. A user interface as recited in claim 1, further comprising a file name description presented contemporaneously with each of the thumbnail images.

5. One or more computer-readable media storing computer-useable instructions that, when used by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method for managing image and non-image files and folders stored in a computing environment, the method comprising:

presenting a plurality of thumbnail images, each thumbnail image associated with an image file;

presenting an enlarged preview image corresponding to a selected one of the thumbnail images, the enlarged preview image being positioned adjacent to the thumbnail images in a preview area such that the enlarged preview image does not cover any of the thumbnail images; and

presenting a navigational icon in the user interface with the plurality of thumbnail images and the enlarged preview image, the navigational icon being- selectable by a user to enable the user to alter the enlarged preview image by iterating through the thumbnail images when the navigational icon is repeatedly selected by the user,

wherein the location of the plurality of thumbnail images changes based on an orientation of the enlarged preview image as the user iterates through the plurality of thumbnail images, wherein the plurality of thumbnail images are located in a single row immediately below the enlarged preview image when the enlarged preview image is in a landscape orientation and the plurality of thumbnail images are located in a single column immediately besides the enlarged preview image when the enlarged preview image is in a portrait orientation.

6. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the selected one of the thumbnail images is selected by at least one of a user clicking on the selected one of the thumbnail images and a user clicking on the navigational icon.

7. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the method further comprises presenting a task option area for performing operations relating to the management of files and folders.

8. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, wherein the method further comprises presenting a file name description contemporaneously with each of the thumbnail images.