Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

David George De Vorchik

Jason Fergus Moore

Patrice Lynn Miner

Timothy P McKee

Chris J Guzak

Relja Ivanovic

Kenneth Martin Tubbs

Charles Cummins

Paul Alexander Gusmorino, Iii

Tyler Kien Beam

Cornelis K Van Dok

Richard Malcolm Banks

Stephan Hoefnagels

Mohammed Samji

Richard M Banks

Shaun A Kaasten

Colin Ray Anthony

Giampiero M Sierra

Zeke Book Odins-Lucas

David Joel Sheldon

Sasanka Chalivendra

Nathaniel Harper Ballou

Shaun Kaasten

Jeffrey C Belt

Mark R Ligameri

J Craig Hally

Michael G Sheldon

Lyon K F Wong

Paul Cutsinger

Benjamin Betz

Lyon King-Fook Wong

Kenneth A Koch

Jenny T Lam

Anshul Rawat

John E Brezak

Brian D Wentz

Ming Hong Zhu

Aidan N Low

Ram Ramasubramanian

Yun Lin

Balan Sethu Raman

Bret P Anderson

David Andrew Matthews

Matthew Rubin Lerner

Shishir P Pardikar

Song Zou

Navjot Virk

Walter R Smith

Brian Scott Aust

David C Steere

Scott S Hysom

Stuart Sechrest

James D Harriger

Eric Christian Brown

Kerem B Karatal

Leonard J Peterson

Eli Tamanaha

Sierra M Giampiero

Judson Craig Hally

Robert F Day

Marieke Iwema Watson

Richard S Turner, Jr

Ahsan Syed Kabir

Jonathan Paul Rosenberg

Marcus Harvey

Raymond J Chen

Oshoma Momoh

Sarah E Schrock

Isaac A Sheldon

Rhae-Christie Shaw

Lauren Beth Gallagher

Donna B Andrews

Wayne G Scott

Timothy Allen Satalich

Lyon F K Wong

Gerald Paul Joyce

Alex D Wade

Vasantha Badari Kostojohn

Ben Karas

Jason R Moore

Benjamin A Betz

Timothy P Mckee

Craig J Hally

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.

Rich drag drop user interface

An address bar user interface control includes one or more interactive segments. A segment may include one or more filters or selection criteria for selecting content from physical and/or virtual locations. In some instances, a segment may include two or more filters or selection criteria which are logically combined for selecting content.

Address bar user interface control

In a graphical user interface environment, a situational-specific browser may be used to provide contextually appropriate levels of information for files whose information is to be displayed. As different views of files are to be displayed, the browser may dynamically adjust its configuration to display different types of information, features and/or command options. Different views may be predefined, or new views may be dynamically created in response to user navigation.

Scenario specialization of file browser

Various embodiments provide for use of multiple different search engines. The individual search engines are configured to conduct searches in different ways across a search space that includes different types of data sets. In at least some embodiments, the type of search engine that is utilized is selected to due characteristics of the data set(s) that is (are) to be searched. In search spaces that include different types of data sets, combining and mixing different search engines to collectively search the search space can provide a desirably fast and robust user experience.

Search tool using multiple different search engine types across different data sets

A system and method for filtering and organizing items from computer memories based on common elements is provided. Filters can be provided for manipulating the items, which serve as tools for narrowing down a set of items. The filters can be dynamically generated based on the properties of the separate items. The system can utilize virtual folders. The virtual folders can expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. Quick links can be provided, which serve as a set of predefined links (e.g., located on the left side of the display) that can be clicked on to generate useful views of the sets of items. Libraries, which can provide large groups of usable types of items that can be associated together, may also be used.

System and method for filtering and organizing items based on common elements

A system and method for filtering and organizing items from computer memories based on common elements. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, filters are provided for manipulating the items. The filters are essentially tools for narrowing down a set of items. In one embodiment, the filters are dynamically generated based on the properties of the separate items. The system utilizes virtual folders. The virtual folders expose regular files and folders to users in different views based on their metadata instead of the actual physical underlying file system structure on the disk. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, quick links are provided. In one embodiment, quick links are a set of predefined links (e.g., located on the left side of the display) that can be clicked on to generate useful views of the sets of items. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, libraries are provided. Libraries consist of large groups of usable types of items that can be associated together.

System and method for filtering and organizing items based on metadata

Various embodiments provide a search tool that utilizes multiple different search engines. The individual search engines are configured to conduct searches in different ways across a search space that includes different types of data sets. In at least some embodiments, the type of search engine that is utilized is a function of characteristics of the data set(s) that is (are) to be searched. In search spaces that include different types of data sets, combining and mixing different search engines to collectively search the search space can provide a desirably fast and robust user experience.

A virtual address bar user interface control is presented. The virtual address bar comprises an interactive address segment and a conventional address segment. The interactive address segment corresponds to a predefined filter comprising selection criteria applied to content stored on a storage device. Selection of the interactive address segment causes content satisfying the predefined filter to be displayed. The conventional address segment references content at the content's particular location within a hierarchical file system structure on the storage device. Selection of the conventional address segment causes the content stored at the particular location to be displayed.

Virtual address bar user interface control

A virtual address bar user interface control is presented. The virtual address bar comprises one or more interactive address segments and one or more conventional address segments. Each interactive address segment corresponds to a predefined filter comprising selection criteria applied to content stored on a storage device. Selection of the one or more interactive address segments navigates a user to content satisfying the predefined filters of the one or more selected interactive address segments. Each conventional address segment references content at the content's particular location on the storage device. Selection of the one or more conventional address segments navigates the user to content at the content's particular location.

Methods and systems providing a user interface control allowing a user to specify a scope of items on a computer system or network is disclosed. Certain aspects provide an input control through which a user can specify an explicit scope, or range, of items, while also identifying explicit exclusions from the specified scope, thereby reducing ambiguity regarding identification of items included and items excluded from the scope. When a user explicitly selects an item for inclusion in the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for inclusion. When a user explicitly selects an item for exclusion from the scope, the explicitly selected item is added to the scope definition as an exclusion from an explicitly included item, and all descendants of the explicitly selected item are implicitly selected for exclusion.

Computer input control for specifying scope with explicit exclusions

Implementing a consistent user name-space on networked computing devices includes various components and methods. When a network connection between a local or host computing device and one or more remote computing devices is present, remote items are represented using the same methodology as items located on the host computing device. To the user, remote and local items are indistinguishable. When the network connection is lost or items located on a remote computer are otherwise unavailable, the unavailable items remain represented on the host computing device. Unavailable items are represented in a way that informs the user that the items may not be fully accessed.

System and method for generating a consistent user name-space on networked devices

A virtual address bar user interface control is presented. The virtual address bar includes a plurality of interactive segments, each segment corresponding to a predetermined filter for selecting content in a computer file system. Collectively, the interactive segments represent a virtual address for selecting content. Selecting an interactive segment in the virtual address bar causes those segments subsequent to the selected segment to be removed from the virtual address bar. A user may select a peer filter for a segment to replace that segment's current filter and removes those segments subsequent to the updated segment. The virtual address bar can be selectively configured to operate as a conventional address bar, and reconfigured to operate as a virtual address bar. Additional filter segments are added to the end of the existing filter segments. Those existing filter segments that conflict with the added segment are removed from the virtual address bar.

A method and data structure for separating application data from user data in a namespace. The data structure provides an intuitive profile layout for developers or users while supporting legacy applications. The namespace utilizes a hierarchical structure allowing access by developers or users over a network to information contained in identified public folders and/or a user's profile.

User data profile namespace

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

David George De Vorchik