User interface for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object

• US 7,703,036 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Harris, Jensen M., Satterfield, Jesse Clay, Denney, Justin, Butcher, Aaron M., Morton, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow; Dennis-Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pham; Linh K
• Application Number:
  US10/955,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20060036964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,028 Days
• Field of Search: 715/841, 715/843, 715/845, 715/530, 715/711, 715/724, 715/779, 715/777, 715/810, 715/762, 715/255, 715/788, 715/798, 715/815
• US Class Current: 715/777
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor

Abstract

An improved user interface is provided for displaying selectable software functionality controls that are relevant to a selected object and that remain visibly available for use while the selected object is being edited. Upon selection of a particular object for editing, functionality available for editing the object is presented in a ribbon-shaped user interface above the software application workspace to allow the user ready and efficient access to functionality needed for editing the selected object. The display of relevant functionality controls is persisted until the user dismisses the display, selects another top-level functionality control or selects another object for editing.

Claims

1. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object via an improved user interface, the method comprising:

providing, by a computer, a plurality of software functionalities in a task-based interface presented in tab format, wherein each of the plurality of functionalities are presented as selectable controls, each selectable control being presented by a graphic representation and a textual representation;

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing additional selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the first subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object;

grouping the selectable controls into logical groupings, wherein each of the logical groupings combines the first subset of the plurality of software functionalities, and wherein the textual representation of each selectable control and the graphic representation of each selectable control is varied to accommodate a display size of the logical groupings; and

when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing the display size of each of the logical groupings until each of the logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of the selection of a first user interface tab, providing in selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a first task associated with the selected first user interface tab.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing selectable controls for selecting functionalities organized under a second task associated with the selected second user interface tab.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in a given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising amending a display of individual selectable controls grouped in the given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and

upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising after providing selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities;

and

when the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision of selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the selectable controls to the selected object.

12. A computer implemented method for providing an improved user interface that provides functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object, the method comprising:

displaying, by a computer, tabs identified textually and disposed in an upper row of the user interface, each of the tabs identifying a task operatively associated with objects of a same type as the selected object, wherein each of the tabs displayed by the computer are operative, upon selection, to cause a display of selectable functionality controls associated with the selected tab;

displaying, by the computer, the selectable functionality controls disposed in a row underneath the disposition of the tabs, each of the functionality controls being presented by a graphic representation and a textual representation and being operative to cause an instance of an associated functionality of the software application to the selected object;

displaying, by the computer, the selectable functionality controls in logical groupings, wherein each of the logical groupings combine a subset of the selectable functionality controls associated with the selected tab and the selected object, and wherein the textual representation of each selectable control and the graphic representation of each selectable control is varied to accommodate a display size of the logical groupings; and

when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing the display size of each of the logical groupings until each of the logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

13. A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object via an improved user interface, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of software functionalities in a task-based interface presented in tab format, wherein each of the plurality of functionalities are presented as selectable controls, each selectable control being presented by a graphic representation and a textual representation;

receiving an indication of a selection of an object for editing via the software application;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing additional selectable controls representing a first subset of the plurality of functionalities, wherein the first subset of the plurality of functionalities allows for editing the selected object;

grouping the selectable controls into logical groupings, wherein each of the logical groupings combines the first subset of the plurality of software functionalities, and wherein the textual representation of each selectable control and the graphic representation of each selectable control is varied to accommodate a display size of the logical groupings; and

when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing the display size of each of the logical groupings until each of the logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision of the selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising rearranging a layout of individual selectable controls grouped in the given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising amending a display of individual selectable controls grouped in the given logical grouping for reducing the display size of the logical grouping.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication of a mouse-over of a second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities; and

upon cessation of the mouse-over of the second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, further comprising after providing selectable controls representing a second subset of the plurality of functionalities, receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities;

and

when the second user interface tab is not selected for persisting a provision of selectable controls representing the second subset of the plurality of functionalities, providing selectable controls representing the first subset of the plurality of functionalities.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the object for editing via the software application includes receiving an indication of the insertion of the object for editing into a document object via the software application.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the selectable controls to the selected object.

23. A method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object via an improved user interface, comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection of a first object for editing;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing, displaying user interface tabs associated with tasks that are particular to operations on a second object of a same type as the selected first object;

displaying selectable controls associated with a first user interface tab, each of the selectable controls being operatively associated with the selected first object for applying functionalities of the software application associated with a first task, wherein each of the selectable controls is presented by a graphic representation and a textual representation;

grouping the selectable controls into logical groupings of selectable controls, wherein each of the logical groupings combine a subset of the selectable controls, and wherein the textual representation of each selectable control and the graphic representation of each selectable control is varied to accommodate a display size of the logical groupings; and

when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing the display size of each of the logical groupings until each of the logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

24. The method of claim 23, in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision of tasks that are particular to operations on the second object of the same type as the selected first object.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing the second user interface tab.

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

28. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the selectable controls to the selected first object.

30. A computer readable storage medium containing computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for providing functionality from a software application that is relevant to a selected object via an improved user interface, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a selection of a first object for editing;

upon receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing, displaying user interface tabs associated with tasks that are particular to operations on a second object of a same type as the selected first object;

displaying selectable controls associated with a first user interface tab, each of the selectable controls being operatively associated with the selected first object for applying functionalities of the software application associated with a first task, wherein each of the selectable controls is presented by a graphic representation and a textual representation;

grouping the selectable controls into logical groupings of selectable controls, wherein each of the logical groupings combine a subset of the selectable controls, and wherein the textual representation of each selectable control and the graphic representation of each selectable control is varied to accommodate a display size of the logical groupings; and

when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, reducing the display size of each of the logical groupings until each of the logical groupings may be displayed in the user interface.

31. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, in response to receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing via the software application, providing a selectable control at the selected object for selectively causing provision of tasks that are particular to operations on the second object of the same type as the selected first object.

32. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of a second user interface tab, providing selectable controls representing the second user interface tab.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising when the user interface lacks sufficient space for displaying selectable controls of a given logical grouping, collapsing the given logical grouping into a single selectable control for accessing the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33, further comprising upon receiving a selection of the single selectable control, providing a menu of the selectable controls grouped under the given logical grouping.

35. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, wherein receiving the indication of the selection of the first object for editing includes receiving an indication of an insertion of an object for editing into a document object via the software application.

36. The computer readable storage medium of claim 30, further comprising upon receiving an indication of a selection of one of the selectable controls, applying functionality associated with the selected one of the selectable controls to the selected first object.