Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090193364 | DISPLAYING THUMBNAIL COPIES OF RUNNING ITEMS - Methods, user interfaces, and computer-readable media for displaying thumbnail copies of running items for a particular running application on a display are provided. The displayed thumbnail copies are interactive, and provide the user with an easy and efficient way to identify and manage multiple items, such as windows, that are concurrently running. The thumbnail copies are either snapshots or real-time displays of the corresponding running items, depending on whether the running item is minimized or maximized at the time the thumbnail copies are displayed. The user interacts with the thumbnail copies by choosing to either close a particular running item by selecting the closing icon on the corresponding thumbnail copy, or view a particular running item on the display by selecting the corresponding thumbnail in any location other than the closing icon. | 07-30-2009 |
20090199122 | DESTINATION LIST ASSOCIATED WITH AN APPLICATION LAUNCHER - A computer application launcher can be displayed. In response to receiving a first user input associated with the launcher while a computer application indicated by the launcher is not running, a destination list can be displayed. The destination list can include one or more destinations indicating one or more items that can be performed by a computer application. In response to a second user input associated with the destination list and indicating selection of a destination on the destination list, the application can be launched and instructed to perform an item indicated by the selected destination. | 08-06-2009 |
20090199127 | PREVIEWING TARGET DISPLAY AREAS - Systems, methods, computer-readable media, and graphical user interfaces for previewing target display areas are provided. A preview indication that indicates a desire to preview a target display area is detected. Upon detecting a preview indication, events are associated with display areas. The preview events associated with the respective display areas are applied to the display areas such that a preview of the target display area is temporarily presented in an inactive state. In one embodiment, the preview events include changing relative opacity and/or transparency such that the target display area is visibly presented. | 08-06-2009 |
20090295788 | VISUALLY EMPHASIZING PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF A USER INTERFACE - Methods and computer-readable media for visually emphasizing small and typically unnoticed portions of a user interface are provided. A user indicates a desire to modify or customize certain settings for a particular portion of a user interface by, for example, opening a control panel window. Portions that can be modified or customized include a toolbar, taskbar, or system tray. The portion may be magnified or highlighted to draw the user's attention to that area, and any modifications that the user makes to that portion may be immediately displayed on the emphasized portion, which establishes a clear visual association between a set of configuration options for the portion of the user interface, and the portion itself. The portion may be emphasized at different times, such as when the configuration settings are displayed, when the user makes a change, or after the changes have been made. | 12-03-2009 |
20100017734 | RICH DRAG DROP USER INTERFACE - In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor. | 01-21-2010 |
20100070900 | RICH DRAG DROP USER INTERFACE - In an electronic file system, preview information is provided to the user during a drag operation of a selected object onto a target object. The information indicates what type(s) of action is to be taken should the selected object be dropped onto the target object. The action(s) to be taken may depend upon the type of the selected object and/or the type of the target object. For example, where the selected object is an item and the target object is a persisted auto-list, the action may include adding, removing, or modifying one or more properties of the selected object to conform to one or more criteria defined by the persisted auto-list. Also, numerical feedback may be provided to the user where multiple objects are selected. For example, where seven objects are selected, the textual number “7” may appear next to the cursor. | 03-18-2010 |
20100107120 | Painting user controls - The described implementations relate to dynamically painting user-controls. One method dynamically determines a highlight color of a user-control under a cursor on a graphical user-interface. The method also paints at least a portion of the user-control with the highlight color. | 04-29-2010 |
20100107123 | SURFACING AND MANAGEMENT OF WINDOW-SPECIFIC CONTROLS - The functionality traditionally provided by an application program through a window presented as part of a window-based user interface can be accessed while the window remains hidden. A toolbar, or similar collection of user interface elements, can be presented when a user indicates an intention to interact with an application program whose window is hidden. The toolbar can comprise elements associated with functions specific to the hidden window. The user's selection can be communicated to the application program so that it can perform the requested function. If the user no longer indicates an intention to interact with the application program, the toolbar can be removed. In one embodiment, the toolbar can be presented together with a thumbnail of the relevant window in a floating display element. | 04-29-2010 |
20100228702 | FILE HANDLING FOR NAMING CONFLICTS - A file operations engine is provided that manages many user interactions with their files via a computer system. The operation engine may provide a user with the option to keep both files that have a file name conflict. It may further permit the user to rename a file involved with a file name conflict. The operations engine may also automatically rename one of the files of a file name conflict by appending a character to a root of the filename. The character may include the lowest integer available for the root in a destination for the files. The operations engine may provide the option to keep both files as part of a pre-calculation of potential errors for a requested operation. The operations engine may place file name conflicts in an error queue and permit the user to select an option to keep both files after the conflict is encountered. | 09-09-2010 |
20110071987 | FILE HANDLING FOR NAMING CONFLICTS - A file operations engine is provided that manages many user interactions with their files via a computer system. The operation engine may provide a user with the option to keep both files that have a file name conflict. It may further permit the user to rename a file involved with a file name conflict. The operations engine may also automatically rename one of the files of a file name conflict by appending a character to a root of the filename. The character may include the lowest integer available for the root in a destination for the files. The operations engine may provide the option to keep both files as part of a pre-calculation of potential errors for a requested operation. The operations engine may place file name conflicts in an error queue and permit the user to select an option to keep both files after the conflict is encountered. | 03-24-2011 |
20120124459 | Predictive Cursor Interaction - Embodiments include providing multiple discernible indicia that provide an indication of behaviors associated with selection of a particular link. The multiple discernible indicia may include visually-discernible graphical icons configured to be displayed as a pictorial image that visually represents a behavior associated with selection of the particular link. The visually-discernible graphical icons may include a first icon that, when selected, causes a default behavior associated with the link selection to occur, and a second icon that, when selected, causes an alternative behavior associated with the link selection to occur. Also, responsive to receiving a user-provided modifier, the first or second icon may be replaced with a third icon that visually represents a different alternative behavior to occur that is different than both the default and alternative behaviors. | 05-17-2012 |
20120246207 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND USER INTERFACES FOR STORING, SEARCHING, NAVIGATING, AND RETRIEVING ELECTRONIC INFORMATION - Computer system navigation tools provide “links” to various different files, lists, folders, and/or other storage elements and allow users to organize files, e.g., by hierarchical properties, lists, auto lists, folders, and the like. Such systems and methods allow users to assign properties to a file (optionally in a hierarchical manner), to change assigned properties, to search, view, and retrieve information based on the assigned properties, and the like. | 09-27-2012 |
20130104075 | ARRANGING DISPLAY AREAS UTILIZING ENHANCED WINDOW STATES - Computer-readable media, computerized methods, and user interfaces (UIs) for manipulating display areas on a GUI workspace by transitioning the display areas from an original state to one of a set of enhanced window states are provided. Initially, an indication to resize a display area is received at an operating system, which consequently invokes an appropriate window state. The indication may include capturing an edge of the display area and vertically dragging the edge to a dock-target region, thereby invoking a vertically-maximized state. Accordingly, configuration settings of the vertically-maximized state are applied such that the display area is stretched to approximately the screen height. In another instance, the indication may include capturing the display area and dragging a display area into a dock-target region, thereby invoking a semi-maximized state. Configuration settings of the semi-maximized state are applied, thus, extending the display area to approximately cover a predefined GUI workspace region. | 04-25-2013 |
20130298056 | PAINTING USER CONTROLS - The described implementations relate to dynamically painting user-controls. One method dynamically determines a highlight color of a user-control under a cursor on a graphical user-interface. The method also paints at least a portion of the user-control with the highlight color. | 11-07-2013 |
20130311932 | SURFACING AND MANAGEMENT OF WINDOW-SPECIFIC CONTROLS - The functionality traditionally provided by an application program through a window presented as part of a window-based user interface can be accessed while the window remains hidden. A toolbar, or similar collection of user interface elements, can be presented when a user indicates an intention to interact with an application program whose window is hidden. The toolbar can comprise elements associated with functions specific to the hidden window. The user's selection can be communicated to the application program so that it can perform the requested function. If the user no longer indicates an intention to interact with the application program, the toolbar can be removed. In one embodiment, the toolbar can be presented together with a thumbnail of the relevant window in a floating display element. | 11-21-2013 |