The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Apr. 15, 2008

Filed:

Apr. 12, 2005
Applicants:

Scott L. Ruthfield, Seattle, WA (US);

Richard Banks, Kirkland, WA (US);

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield, Seattle, WA (US);

Richard Banks, Kirkland, WA (US);

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, WA (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G06F 17/21 (2006.01); G06K 3/00 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

Systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, the system comprises means for displaying, in a navigable window of a display area of a user interface, a first contextual display associated with a first context that can enable a user to accomplish one or more tasks. The system further comprises means for, without changing the first context, presenting quick links to one or more contexts that are different from the user's current context and that are provided by the single application program, each context being associated with a functionality that can enable the user to accomplish various tasks that are different from the one or more tasks that the user can accomplish using the first contextual display, the quick links being selectable to navigate the navigable window to a context associated with a selectable quick link.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…