Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

David D Thiel

George G Robertson

Daniel Chaim Robbins

Maarten Roderik Van Dantzich

Mary P Czerwinski

Susan Theresa Dumais

Susan E Dziadosz

Maarten Van Dantzich

Tobias Hans Hoellerer

A user interface for facilitating a decision making process, such as planning a trip. A unified view of various types of information related to an event may be provided. The unified view may be presented in a simulated three-dimensional environment having different types of information depicted on different windows. Different types of information related to a common event may be visually linked. A window showing a particular type of information may be brought into a focus view for closer inspection by a user. Alternative decisions may be depicted to permit vagueness or uncertainty, particularly at early iterations in the decision making process.

Methods, apparatus and data structures for providing a user interface which facilitates decision making

A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails, as scaled images, are rendered on a two-dimensional wall or screen, and which exploits spatial memory. The objects may be moved, continuously, on the surface with a two-dimensional input device. Pop-up title bars may be rendered over active objects. Intelligent help may be provided to the user, as visual indicators, based on proximity clustering or based on matching algorithms.

Methods, apparatus and data structures for providing a user interface, which exploits spatial memory, to objects

A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails are rendered on a simulated three-dimensional surface which (i) exploits spatial memory and (ii) allows more objects to be rendered on a given screen. The objects may be moved, continuously, on the surface with a two-dimensional input device.

Methods, apparatus and data structures for providing a user interface,

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

David D Thiel