Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Dennis R Proffitt

George G Robertson

Matthew Conway

Stephen A Jacquot

A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails are rendered in a three-dimensional environment and which exploits spatial memory. The objects may be moved, continuously, 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. The simulated location of the object thumbnails in a direction orthogonal to the surface is based on function, such as a linear, polynomial, or exponential function for example, of one or more object properties, such as number of mouse clicks since selected, age, size, etc.

Methods, apparatus and data structures for providing a user interface to objects, the user interface exploiting spatial memory and visually indicating at least one object parameter

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Earlysville, VA, United States of America

Dennis R Proffitt