Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Nassr Albahadly

Clea H Allington

Hannah Rebecca Lewbel

Minu George

Samantha Robbie Courts

Isabel Sophie Sharp

Margaret Arlene Grounds

Adam Michael Gleisner

Lindsey Conway

Scott H W Snyder

Lisa Carolyn Cherian

ArunKumar Narayanan Kotiedath

Ian Mikutel

Gilles Louis Peron

Scott Hw Snyder

Technologies are disclosed that enable a computing system to present a structured arrangement for tracking content items on a shared user interface (UI) during a communication session. The structured arrangement is a list that is displayed in a specific region of the shared UI. Inclusion of content items in the list makes it easier for users to locate and interact with those content items throughout the communication session. The ability to create and manipulate the list may be limited to only certain users such as a moderator. Use of this list can promote inclusivity and fairness. For instance, inclusion in the list may prevent content items from being forgotten or ignored. Additionally, the names of users who contributed the content items may be shown in the list thereby providing recognition for those users.

Structured arrangements for tracking content items on a shared user interface

Technologies are disclosed for a computing system that allows users to control the disclosure of their identities during communication sessions. Users can control the disclosure of their identities with respect to certain types of shared content. In one mode of operation, a user can share content anonymously. In another mode of operation, identity may be revealed when certain conditions are met or revealed to only certain other users. For example, the identity of a user who shared a comment anonymously may be revealed if multiple other users agree with that comment. In another mode of operation, the user's identity is revealed to all other users such as in a live video stream. The computing system can control display of users' identities based on user instructions or based on triggering conditions. A user interface (UI) can show content items that identify a user together with content items that are shared anonymously.

Controlling disclosure of identities in communication sessions

A proximity selection feature of a content creation and consumption application for selecting proximate content displayed by a computing device is described. The content application can initiate a selection mode in response to receiving, for example, a command to enter the selection mode or a defined gesture. The content application can identify an origination point and surface a two-dimensional selection shape anchored to the origination point. The selection shape may form an original capture area. The origination point is a location on a user interface where the selection shape is to be surfaced, anchored to, and have a capture area expanded from. After surfacing the selection shape, the content application can receive indicia of expansion, and based on the indicia of expansion, expand the selection shape from its original capture area to an expanded capture area to capture content proximate the original capture area.

Proximity selector

Technologies are disclosed that enable a computing system to provide a computationally efficient interface for collaborative viewing and/or editing of shared content. Individual users may separately edit (e.g., create, modify, etc.) content in a particular section (e.g., area, region, page, etc.) of a shared data unit such as a file. A result of this separate editing may cause sections of the shared data unit to be off-screen from a perspective of a user and/or a computing device being used by the user. The disclosed techniques provide an effective way for an individual user, of a multi-user sharing session, to request that other users view content being edited by the individual user in a section that is 'off-screen' for the other users. Based on the request, a selectable user interface element can be displayed enabling efficient access to the content to be viewed by the other users.

Calling attention to a section of shared data

Analog written content of handwritten drawings or written characters can be transformed into digital ink via an analog-to-ink service. The analog-to-ink service can receive a static image of the analog written content, extract analog strokes from other information, such as background, in the static image, and then convert the analog strokes to digital ink strokes, for example, by populating an ink container with at least two parameters for defining the digital ink strokes. The at least two parameters can include a pressure, at tilt, a direction, a beginning point, an end point, a direction, a color, an order, an overlap, a language, and a time. The analog-to-ink service can provide the ink container to a content creation application that supports inking so that a user can manipulate the content in an inking environment.

Analog strokes to digital ink strokes

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Nassr Albahadly