Aggregation of computing device settings

• US 9,665,384 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Zielinski, Tobiasz A., Tumsi Dayakar, Kamesh C., Barker, Guy, Stallard, Jennifer R., Cukierman, Ryan E., Hahn, Christopher M., Soin, Ravipal S., Mak, William
• Primary Examiner(s): BASHORE, WILLIAM L
• Assistant Examiner(s): DiStefano, Gregory A
• Application Number:
  US13/550,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,779 Days
• Field of Search: 715765, 715810
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming

Abstract

Aggregation of computing device settings is disclosed. In embodiments, at least one tile is generated for display. The tile represents a system setting and a status of the system setting. The tile also includes one or more user-selectable elements that are selectable to adjust an aspect of the system setting. In addition, the tile is displayed and is presentable in different user interfaces with one or more aspects of the tile differing between two or more of the different user interfaces.

Claims

1. A computer readable memory device having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, responsive to execution by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising:

generating at least one tile for display, the at least one tile being configured to represent a system setting and a status of the system setting, and the at least one tile including one or more user-selectable elements and a visual indicator, the one or more user-selectable elements capable of receiving selection to affect a state of an aspect of the system setting and the visual indicator capable of indicating the state of the aspect of the system setting as affected via manipulation of the one or more user-selectable elements; and

causing the at least one tile to be displayed, the at least one tile being presentable in different user interfaces with the one or more user-selectable elements or the visual indicator being displayable differently between two or more of the different user interfaces based on a user preference for the one or more user-selectable elements or the visual indicator.

2. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one tile is displayed in a menu comprising multiple tiles, at least some of the multiple tiles being configured to represent different system settings than others of the multiple tiles.

3. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 2, wherein the menu is configured to enable a user to adjust different aspects of multiple different system settings via the at least some of the multiple tiles without navigating to an additional menu, wherein one or more of the different aspects are adjustable with a single user input.

4. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the one or more user-selectable elements include a display element that is selectable to cause a menu to be displayed, the menu comprising additional user-adjustable aspects associated with the system setting represented by the at least one tile.

5. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one tile is represented by a subkey, and wherein generating the at least one tile for display comprises using the subkey to retrieve the at least one tile and using a registry value to determine an order in which the at least one tile is to be displayed together with one or more other tiles.

6. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one tile is customizable to enable a user to change at least a name of the at least one tile.

7. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the different user interfaces are specific to different respective original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

8. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein one or more characteristics of the one or more user-selectable elements are customizable by a user of the computing device.

9. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 8, wherein the one or more characteristics of the one or more user-selectable elements are customizable to modify one or more of a size of a display of the one or more user-selectable elements or the visual indicator of the one or more user-selectable elements.

10. A computer readable memory device as described in claim 1, wherein the at least one tile is displayed in a menu comprising multiple tiles, wherein one or more of the multiple tiles are vacant and associable with an application.

11. A computing device comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to utilize instructions in the memory to cause the computing device to;

generate a menu for display on a display device, the menu comprising a plurality of tiles and at least one tile being configured to represent an application, a status of the application, and include a user-selectable display element including a visual indicator, the user-selectable display element capable of receiving selection to affect a state of an aspect of the application and the visual indicator capable of indicating the state of the aspect of the application as affected via manipulation of the user-selectable element; and

cause the menu to be displayed via a user interface to enable user-interaction with the plurality of tiles, the at least one tile being configured to be presentable to different users of the computing device with the user-selectable element or the visual indicator differing among respective user interfaces presented to two or more of the different users based on a user preference for the user-selectable element or the visual indicator.

12. A computing device as described in claim 11, wherein the aspect of the application includes at least one of layout, brightness, orientation, resolution, signal format, or audio volume.

13. A computing device as described in claim 11, wherein the at least one tile further includes an additional user-selectable display element that is selectable to cause a second menu to be displayed.

14. A computing device as described in claim 13, wherein the second menu includes one or more additional adjustable aspects associated with the application represented by the at least one tile.

15. A computing device as described in claim 13, wherein the second menu is displayed within the at least one tile.

16. A computing device as described in claim 11, wherein the at least one tile is presentable to the different users of the computing device with the user-selectable display element of the at least one tile differing in at least one of size or the visual indicator among respective user interfaces presented to two or more of the different users.

17. A computing device as described in claim 11, wherein a display of the user-selectable display element is customizable by the user.

18. A computing device as described in claim 11, wherein the menu includes one or more tiles that are vacant and which are configured to be subsequently associated with a respective application.

19. A method comprising:

generating a menu for display at a computing device, the menu comprising at least one tile configured to;

represent an application;

include a user-selectable display element including a visual indicator, the user-selectable element capable of receiving selection to affect a state of a user-adjustable aspect of the application and the visual indicator capable of indicating the state of the aspect of the system setting as affected via manipulation of the user-selectable element; and

causing the at least one tile to remain in the menu according to a user preference, the at least one tile being presentable in different user interfaces with the user-selectable element or the visual indicator being displayable differently between two or more of the different user interfaces based on a user preference for user-selectable element or the visual indicator.

20. A method as described in claim 19, wherein the at least one tile is presentable in the different user interfaces with the visual indicator of the user-selectable display element differing between two or more of the different user interfaces based on computing device preferences.