Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Charles W Stabb

Mark R Ligameri

Greg S Melander

David Andrew Matthews

Charles Cummins

Jenny T Lam

Jeffrey West Pettiross

Hillel Noah Cooperman

Paul Alexander Gusmorino, Iii

Ales Holecek

Kanwal Vedbrat

Donald James Lindsay

Cornelis K Van Dok

Matthew Rubin Lerner

Robert Kenneth Stein, Iii

Michael James Hone

Sterling M Reasor

Colin Ray Anthony

R Syam Kumar

Yeming Shi

Timothy P McKee

Richard Malcolm Banks

J Craig Hally

Giampiero M Sierra

Randall Knight Winjum

Zeke Book Odins-Lucas

Jan Thomas Miksovsky

Eric R Flo

Timothy Daniel Noonan

Sarah E Schrock

Robert K Stein

Jordan Luther King Schwartz

Chris J Guzak

Richard M Banks

Brian D Wentz

Marcus Harvey

David Ruzyski

James H Hong

Joshua A Dersch

Brian K McNeil

Alan L Marks

Gerald P Shea

Anastasia C Doerr

Stephane St-Michel

Stéphane St-Michel

Marcus Simon Howell Harvey

Gregory Scott Matthews Melander

Vincent L Paceri

Marcus Simmon Howell Harvey

Joshua Alexander Dersch

Jeffrey W Pettiross

Matthew R Lerner

The present invention provides a system or method for displaying rich presentation taskbar buttons for a corresponding application. In one example, the rich presentation taskbar button may receive content from an application through a programming interface. The present invention further relates to a system and method for displaying a rich presentation taskbar button and for displaying and/or dismissing a thumbnail of an application window associated with the rich presentation taskbar button. The present invention may further include a system and method of pinning the thumbnail on a display or dismissing a thumbnail. The present invention also relates to a system and method for displaying multiple taskbar buttons in a taskbar including controlling the size of individual taskbar buttons, consolidating taskbar buttons and placing taskbar buttons into an overflow based on the type of taskbar button in the taskbar.

Method and system of taskbar button interfaces

An operating system program launch menu, such as a Start menu, provides various mechanisms for a user to quickly and efficiently locate and launch desired data items such as programs, data files, storage locations, and the like. A search box within the program launch menu may be used to quickly locate programs, documents, communications, and other data items. An auto-complete feature may be used, e.g., when the user restricts the locations searched for the user-entered search text. A most commonly used program list may include programs based on various criteria including both frequency of use and recent use, thereby always including a most recently used item. An all programs view may display programs and documents in a hosted-tree view within the original confines of the program launch menu, thereby negating the need to open sub-menus on top of a large portion of the desktop displayed on the display device.

Operating system program launch menu search

A method referred to as visual window browsing allows a user to browse through windows on their desktop. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, moving open windows to form a visual stack with the topmost window in the stack being in focus. Responsive to a browse the windows in the visual stack can be browsed, where the topmost window moves to the bottom of the visual stack and the other windows move higher in the stack, with the second highest window becoming the topmost window and being in focus. Successive browse commands causes this behavior to repeat allowing a user to cycle through each of the open windows.

System and method for visually browsing of open windows

A graphical user interface is provided that has two distinct sections. A first area has an array of menu items. When a menu item is hovered over by a pointer, an icon such as a contextually-related animated icon is displayed on a second area and changes its appearance in such a way as to indicate to the user the location of the pointer and/or the consequence of selecting that menu item.

User interface menu with hovering icons

A method for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of associating a first window with at least one second window, the at least one second window being independent of and external to the first window, and combining the first window and the at least one second window into a common window on a display screen, the first window and the at least one second window being configured to share a common window frame. An indicator may appear on the display as a target region when a user desires to associate the first and second windows. Subsequent operations performed on the common window are performed automatically on any underlying window. For example, when a user chooses to save the contents of the common window, the contents of all of the windows of the common window may be saved.

Multi-application tabbing system

A three-dimensional (3D) view of a data collection based on an attribute is disclosed. A timeline is provided for displaying files and folders. The timeline may include a focal group that displays detailed information about its contents to the user. Remaining items on the timeline are displayed in less detail and may be positioned to appear further away from the user. A histogram may be provided as part of the view to allow the user to more easily navigate the timeline to find a desired file or folder.

Graphical user interface for 3-dimensional view of a data collection based on an attribute of the data

In an implementation of user interface transition, a user interface logon page is displayed with selectable logon controls that each have a corresponding user-identifiable indicator. A transition from the user interface logon page to a user interface desktop page is initiated in response to a selectable logon control being selected. The transition displays the user-identifiable indicator corresponding to the selectable logon control uninterrupted throughout the transition, and the user-identifiable indicator corresponding to the selectable logon control is displayed on the user interface desktop page.

User interface transition

In an implementation of user interface start page, the start page includes a user-identifiable indicator associated with a user of a computing system to indicate that the user is logged-on to the computing system. The user interface start page also includes user-selectable controls from one or more regions of a user interface desktop page which is displayed after a transition from the user interface start page to the user interface desktop page. Each of the user-selectable controls on the user interface start page initiate a display of information associated with the user when selected.

User interface start page

A method referred to as x-ray browsing for allowing a user to browse through windows on their desktop is provided. Aspects of the invention include responsive to a command, making a first window the window in focus on the display screen and changing the relative opacities between a content portion of the first window and a content portion of the second window. By controlling the opacities a single window can be made opaque while the remaining windows can be made transparent to allow a user to successively navigate among open windows.

System and method for controlling the opacity of multiple windows while browsing

Systems and/or methods are described that enable a user to elevate his or her rights. In one embodiment, these systems and/or methods present a user interface identifying an account having a right to permit a task in response to the task being prohibited based on a user's current account not having that right.

Rights elevator

A method for displaying a plurality of windows on a display screen is described. The method includes steps of displaying a first application window and a second application window on a display screen, declaring the first application window and the second application window as a group, the second application window being independent of and external to the first application window, grouping the first application window and the second window into a group, and displaying the group as a representation on the display screen. As new application windows are opened, they may be added to the group and/or they may become members of a second group of application windows. A user may switch between various groups.

Method and apparatus for application window grouping and management

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Charles W Stabb