Live companion user interface

• US 8,677,270 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2007
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Moromisato, George P., Edelstein, Noah B., Bhandarkar, Aditya G., Ozzie, Raymond E., Parasnis, Abhay V.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEGGETT, ANDREA C.
• Application Number:
  US11/744,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20080276195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,510 Days
• Field of Search: 715/804, 715/783
• US Class Current: 715/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/164 File meta data generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/168 Details of user interfaces specifically adapted to file systems, e.g. browsing and visualisation, 2d or 3d GUIs query results presentation G06F16/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

An apparatus and method provide a companion application via a companion application corresponding to a host window provided by a host application, the companion window providing information or metadata descriptive of data in the host window. The host application and companion applications may be separate applications such that the host application is unaware of the companion application. The companion application may hook into the host application (e.g., via an application programming interface) and may monitor host application activities and/or data. Based on identification of data or events in the host application, the companion application may obtain information characterizing or providing a context for data provided by the host application. The host window and companion window may be attached to each other, the host window providing host application data and the companion window providing data describing the host application data.

Claims

1. A method performed on a computing device, the method comprising:

detecting, by a companion application based on monitoring a host application, data from among actions and events of the host application, data generated by the host application, data provided by the host application, and selections of elements in a host window of a host user interface of the host application, where the companion application and the host application are each computer programs that are distinct from the other, and where the host application is substantially unaware of the companion application;

obtaining, by the companion application based on the detecting, metadata that is different than the detected data, and that is descriptive of data displayed by the host application in the host window, where the companion application is configured for obtaining the metadata from an operating environment comprising the computing device and an operating system of the computing device, and where the computing device concurrently executes the host application and the companion application; and

displaying, by the companion application, the obtained metadata in a companion window of a companion user interface of the companion application.

2. The method of claim 1 where the companion user interface is displayed concurrently with the host user interface.

3. The method of claim 2 where the displayed companion user interface is attached to the displayed host user interface.

4. The method of claim 2 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are modified in tandem in response to a change in the data.

5. The method of claim 2 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface form a combination user interface that behaves as a single user interface.

6. The method of claim 2 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface share a side.

7. The method of claim 2 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are in contact with each other but do not overlap.

8. At least one computer storage media that is an article of manufacture and that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method comprising:

detecting, by a companion application based on monitoring a host application, data from among actions and events of the host application, data generated by the host application, data provided by the host application, and selections of elements in a host window of a host user interface of the host application, where the companion application and the host application are each computer programs that are distinct from the other, and where the host application is substantially unaware of the companion application;

obtaining, by the companion application based on the detecting, metadata that is different than the detected data, and that is descriptive of data displayed by the host application in the host window, where the companion application is configured for obtaining the metadata from an operating environment comprising the computing device and an operating system of the computing device, and where the computing device concurrently executes the host application and the companion application; and

displaying, by the companion application, the obtained metadata in a companion window of a companion user interface of the companion application.

9. The at least one computer storage media of claim 8 where the companion user interface is displayed concurrently with the host user interface.

10. The at least one computer storage media of claim 9 where the displayed companion user interface is attached to the displayed host user interface.

11. The at least one computer storage media of claim 9 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are modified in tandem in response to a change in the data.

12. The at least one computer storage media of claim 9 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface form a combination user interface that behaves as a single user interface.

13. The at least one computer storage media of claim 9 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface share a side.

14. The at least one computer storage media of claim 9 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are in contact with each other but do not overlap.

15. A system comprising a computing device and at least one program module together configured for performing actions comprising:

detecting, by a companion application based on monitoring a host application, from among actions and events of the host application, data generated by the host application, data provided by the host application, and selections of elements in a host window of a host user interface of the host application, where the companion application and the host application are each computer programs that are distinct from the other, and where the host application is substantially unaware of the companion application;

obtaining, by the companion application based on the detecting, metadata that is different than the detected data, and that is descriptive of data displayed by the host application in the host window, where the companion application is configured for obtaining the metadata from an operating environment comprising the computing device and an operating system of the computing device, and where the computing device concurrently executes the host application and the companion application; and

displaying, by the companion application, the obtained metadata in a companion window of a companion user interface of the companion application.

16. The system of claim 15 where the displayed companion user interface is displayed concurrently with the host user interface.

17. The system of claim 16 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are modified in tandem in response to a change in the data.

18. The system of claim 16 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface form a combination user interface that behaves as a single user interface.

19. The system of claim 16 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface share a side.

20. The system of claim 16 where the displayed companion user interface and the displayed host user interface are in contact with each other but do not overlap.