Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Raymond J Chen

Jesse Clay Satterfield

Chaitanya Dev Sareen

Patrice Lynn Miner

Christopher Andrew Evans

Tsz Yan Wong

Sterling M Reasor

Alice Pritikin Steinglass

Jennifer Nan

Eric R Flo

Theresa B Pittappilly

Ramkumar Ramasubramanian

Brian S LeVee

Dennis L Davis

Craig Adam Beilinson

Sankar Ramasubramanian

Charles Cummins

Jenny T Lam

Paul Alexander Gusmorino, Iii

David George De Vorchik

Ralph A Lipe

Colin Ray Anthony

Tyler Kien Beam

Richard Wales Stoakley

Robert F Day

Michael A Schmidt

Isaac A Sheldon

Heiwad Hamidy Osman

Jason D Farnsworth

Sam Leventer

John E Schussler

Desktop as an immersive application techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an immersive environment module is configured to provide an immersive shell through which a user may interact with applications of a computing device. The immersive environment module is further configured to provide a desktop shell within the immersive shell to support additional techniques for interaction with the application of the computing device. The desktop shell, for instance, may be configured for accessibility similar to that provided to applications in the immersive shell.

Navigation of immersive and desktop shells

Display of immersive and desktop shells

Desktop as immersive application

A method and system are provided for displaying icons in accordance with user preferences. The method includes providing a user with a size selection mechanism for selecting an icon size from a range of sizes. The method additionally includes searching a set of stored resources related to the underlying file and generating the icon in the selected size based upon the stored resources. The method may additionally include selecting an icon type including one of an image icon, a detail icon and a generic icon based on at least one of the user's size selection and the represented file. Furthermore, the icon display system of the invention positions labels and overlays in the vicinity of the icon based upon the selected size of the icon.

Scaling icons for representing files

This invention is directed to provide a method for enabling an administrator to monitor and selectively limit the computer functions available to a user. The method is carried out on a personal computer by an administrator, and administrator decisions can be enforced on other personal computers in a local network. The invention enables an administrator to restrict a user's logon hours, logon duration, access to computer functions, and access to applications based on content rating. In addition, the administrator may temporarily restrict or extend normally allowed access privileges. The invention also allows for the monitoring, auditing, and reporting of a user's computer function usage to an administrator.

User controls for a computer

The present invention provides a system and method for dynamically populating a list of most used execution points in a graphical user interface of an operating system based upon the utilization behavior of a user. One embodiment provides for depicting a list of execution points to most used programs by determining a list of eligible programs, tracking the usage of the eligible programs in a usage list, taking into account chronological order of the activation of the programs and determining which programs in the usage list have the most usage. These programs then have execution points placed on a displayed most used list in the graphical user interface.

Most used programs list

An operating system for a computer system having a protection scheme with a plurality of privilege rings provides services for message broadcasting from applications at less privileged rings to virtual drivers at a most privileged ring, and from the virtual drivers to applications. The virtual drivers can perform user mode operations including message broadcasting as an application by synchronizing to a thread of a user mode message server at application time, and setting the thread's user mode context to perform the operations.

Computer system messaging architecture

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

Raymond J Chen