Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Microsoft Corporation

Song Zou

Bret P Anderson

David Andrew Matthews

Ross Nathaniel Luengen

Matthew Rubin Lerner

Brian Daniel Beck

Gregory Thomas Mattox, Jr

Carmen Quan

Allison Anne O'Mahony

Pai-Hung Chen

Jesse Clay Satterfield

Charles Cummins

Joseph H Matthews, Iii

Robert J Jarrett

Chaitanya Dev Sareen

Patrice Lynn Miner

David George De Vorchik

Pasquale DeMaio

Nils Anders Sundelin

Miron Vranjes

Christopher Doan

Jeremy Monroe Bowen

Mohammed Samji

Alex G Snitkovskiy

Nicholas Randall Waggoner

Isabelo V De Los Reyes

Michael H Krause

Stuart Sechrest

Nicolas J Brun

Yaou Wei

Michael John Bray

Megan Ann Bates

Omobayonle AyoYinka Olatunji

Laurent Mouton

Zachary Grant Herman

Christopher Wallace Heuser

Jared C Simpson

Eduardo Quijano Rivadeneyra

Patrick Seth Donoghue

Shaojie Zhang

Peter Nils Skillman

Lola Marie Ball

Jonathan Eric Gleasman

J Craig Hally

Seung Yang

Wei Zhang

Deana Rae Fuller

Paul Cutsinger

Richard W Zarick

Robert E Corrington

Stephen David Bader

Diane Shambaugh

Bonny Lau

Rick Molloy

Steven James Frederickson

Derek Richard Westcott

Robert David Rugge

Thomas J Layson

Jared L Reisinger

Srinivas Chakravarthula

Kathryn G Rasmussen

Jalayne Taber Boni

Robert Hernon

Shane Wyatt Zamora

Gamage I Viriththamulla

Mun (Scott) Ying Leong

Nathan William Bower

Akshatha Kommalapati

Douglas Koenig

Implementing people as operating system level objects. A method includes, for a user logged in to an operating system, identifying a person with a relationship to the user. For the person, the method further includes identifying information, including information that can be used to communication with the person. The method further includes storing the information related to the person in a data store that is a global data store with respect to the operating system such that the information related to the person can be accessed at the operating system level. The method further includes using the information related to the person stored in the data store to identify applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person. The method further includes displaying in a user interface for the person an enumeration of applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person.

Person centric applications

Panning animation techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an input is recognized by a computing device as corresponding to a panning animation. A distance is calculated that is to be traveled by the panning animation in a user interface output by computing device, the distance limited by a predefined maximum distance. The panning animation is output by the computing device to travel the calculated distance.

Panning animations

A computer-implemented technique is described herein for presenting notifications on a user interface presentation of a recipient computing device. The technique is considered tiered because it distinguishes between first-type (people-centric) notifications and second-type notifications, and because it processes and presents first-type notifications in a privileged manner compared to the second-type notifications. For instance, the technique presents content associated with each first-type notification in an allocated window that appears in positional association with a person indicator, where that person indicator identifies the person who sent the first-type notification; the technique presents each second-type notification in a different manner. In some implementations, an application developer who designs a custom first-type notification is given authority to draw within the allocated window that is used to present the custom first-type notification in a manner specified by the application developer.

Tiered notification framework

Techniques for an experience mode transition are described. Generally, an experience mode refers to a visual and functional arrangement that is presented to a user of a device. Different experience modes present different visual and functional arrangements to a user. According to various embodiments, a computing device is configured to operate in multiple experience modes and may transition between different experience modes and based on a variety of different triggering events. Generally, a transition between different experience modes causes a visual and/or functional reconfiguration of a user experience on a device.

Experience mode transition

Techniques for configuring a user interface based on an experience mode transition are described. Generally, an experience mode refers to a visual and functional arrangement that is presented to a user of a device. Different experience modes present different visual and functional arrangements to a user. According to various embodiments, a computing device is configured to operate in multiple experience modes and may transition between different experience modes and based on a variety of different triggering events. Generally, a transition between different experience modes causes a visual and/or functional reconfiguration of a user experience on a device.

Configuring a user interface based on an experience mode transition

Contextual help is provided in an unobtrusive manner. The optimum point in time for displaying a help notification is determined by triggers associated with each help notification. The triggers may take into account various factors, such as the action currently being performed by the user, whether the tip has been presented to the user before, the user's past experience with the feature, and so forth.

Contextual help

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

This document describes techniques and apparatuses for asynchronous handling of a user interface manipulation. These techniques handle a user interface manipulation with two or more asynchronous processes. One asynchronous process, for example, may determine a position responsive to the user interface manipulation while another asynchronous process determines the pixels to render. By so doing, these techniques enable a quick and/or consistent response to a user interface manipulation.

Asynchronous handling of a user interface manipulation

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.

Cumulative movement animation techniques are described. In one or more implementations, an output a first animation is initiated that involves a display of movement in a user interface of a computing device. An input is received by the computing device during the output of the first animation, the input configured to cause a second display of movement in the user interface. Responsive to the receipt of the input, a remaining portion of the movement of the first animation is output along with the movement of the second animation by the computing device.

Cumulative movement animations

Systems and methods are provided that enable direct response to user input, e.g., in accordance with storyboards. For instance, applications can predefine storyboards which describe output in terms of received input. The predefined storyboards can be used externally and independently from the applications to process user input on behalf of the applications.

Response to user input based on declarative mappings

Animation coordination system and methods are provided that manage animation context transitions between and/or among multiple applications. A global coordinator can obtain initial information, such as initial graphical representations and object types, initial positions, etc., from initiator applications and final information, such as final graphical representations and object types, final positions, etc. from destination applications. The global coordination creates an animation context transition between initiator applications and destination applications based upon the initial information and the final information.

Coordination of animations across multiple applications or processes

A method and computer-storage media for minimizing application windows based on a triggering event are provided. Embodiments of the present invention include determining that a triggering event has occurred with respect to a target window, automatically minimizing all of the minimizable application windows except the target application window, and generating an undo record that may be used to restore the minimized windows upon the determination that a second triggering event has occurred with respect to the target window. In one embodiment, the triggering event is shaking the target application window.

Window minimization trigger

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Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Song Zou