Patent Application
20080189627
A user of a processing device such as, for example, a personal computer (PC), typically, is presented with a menu or a display of user interface (UI) elements including a representation of a number of applications which can be used to perform a number of tasks. With respect to some processing devices, a command line or other non-graphical interface may be provided for a user to enter a name of an application, which the user desires to be executed. However, a beginning user of the processing device may be overwhelmed by a quantity of the UI elements presented or, with respect to a provided non-graphical interface, may be overwhelmed and may not understand what application name to enter. Further, the user also may not understand which applications to use to perform certain tasks. For example, the beginning user may not know what application to use to prepare a report for school, what application to use to perform a search on the Internet, what application to use to create or view a spreadsheet, or what application to use to send and receive e-mail messages. The problem, for example, could be a poor product name, or a poorly described product function. Further, the beginning user may not understand what an operating system can do and may get confused or distracted by pop-ups, notifications, windows, balloons, tool tips, etc, effectively making task completion difficult or impossible.
This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that is further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
In embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, a graphical user interface, including a number of selectable task-focused user interface (UI) elements, may be presented to a user of a processing device. In some embodiments, the task-focused UI elements may be orb-shaped and displayed in a circular pattern at about a middle portion of a display screen. Each of the selectable task-focused UI elements may include text describing a corresponding task. When the user selects one of the selectable task-focused UI elements, a corresponding application may be executed to perform the corresponding task. In one embodiment, when the application is launching, an orb-shaped representation of the application might minimize to a certain area on the screen, into a certain portion of the UI (i.e. system tray, Start button, icon, etc), or may disappear/close completely.
When the processing device starts up, configuration information may be automatically examined to determine applications for performing a number of tasks. The displayed task-focused UI elements may be based on the automatically examined configuration information.
In some embodiments, selectable category-focused UI elements may be displayed based on the automatically examined configuration information. Each of the selectable category-focused UI elements may describe a corresponding category of tasks. When the user selects one of the selectable category-focused UI elements, the processing device may display at least one selectable task-focused UI element corresponding to the selected one of the selectable category-focused UI elements.
In order to describe the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and features can be obtained, a more particular description is described below and will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, implementations will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments are discussed in detail below. While specific implementations are discussed, it should be understood that this is done for illustration purposes only. A person skilled in the relevant art will recognize that other components and configurations may be used without parting from the spirit and scope of the subject matter of this disclosure.
In embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, a user of a processing device may be presented with an interface including a number of task-focused user interface (UI) elements. In one implementation, the task-focused UI elements may be orb-shaped UI elements labeled by task, rather than by application name. The orb-shaped UI elements may be displayed in a circular pattern in about a middle portion of a display screen. In order to eliminate clutter and to focus attention of the user on the orb-shaped UI elements, a background portion of the display screen may be dimmed.
When the processing device starts up, the processing device may automatically examine configuration information to determine applications for performing a number of tasks. Corresponding task-focused UI elements may then be displayed, each of which may indicate a task linked to an application such as, for example, create a document, create a spreadsheet, open e-mail, browse Internet, open media player, games, as well as other or different tasks, including, but not limited to tasks linked to the control of the Task Launcher (Minimize, Close, etc). The user may select one of the task-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task. As a result of the selection, an application for performing the desired task may be executed.
In some implementations, after selection of one of the task-focused UI elements, the task-focused UI elements may be minimized and a representation of the minimized task-focused UI elements may be moved and placed at a location of the display screen near a UI element used by more advanced users such as, for example, a Start button usually appearing at a lower left portion of the display screen, or other UI element.
Further, in some implementations the displayed UI elements may be category focused. For example, a number of category-focused UI elements may be displayed in an approximate circular configuration at about a middle portion of the display screen. Each category-focused UI element may represent a category of tasks. For example, the UI elements may represent categories such as, for example, entertainment, Internet & communications, documents, as well as additional or different categories. Selection by the user of one of the UI elements representing a desired category may result in a number of corresponding task-focused UI elements being displayed on the display screen. The user may then select one of the corresponding task-focused UI elements in order to execute an application to accomplish a desired task.
Processor 120 may include at least one conventional processor or microprocessor that interprets and executes instructions. Memory 130 may be a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processor 120. Memory 130 may also store temporary variables or other intermediate information used during execution of instructions by processor 120. ROM 140 may include a conventional ROM device or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for processor 120. Storage device 150 may include any type of media for storing data and/or instructions.
Input device 160 may include one or more conventional mechanisms that permit a user to input information to processing device 100, such as, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, or other input device. Output device 170 may include one or more conventional mechanisms that output information to the user, including a display, or other output device.
Processing device 100 may perform such functions in response to processor 120 executing sequences of instructions contained in a tangible machine-readable medium, such as, for example, memory 130, or other medium. Such instructions may be read into memory 130 from another machine-readable medium, such as storage device 150, or from a separate device via a communication interface (not shown).
In order to focus a user's attention on the category-focused UI elements, in some embodiments, the processing device may cause a background portion of display 200 to be dimmed, thereby highlighting the displayed category-focused UI elements. A user may select one of the category-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task by using a pointing device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad, an electronic stylus or a user's finger on a touch screen, or other device.
After selection of one of the category-focused UI elements, the processing device may cause one or more task-focused UI elements, corresponding to the selected one of the category-focused UI elements, to be displayed. In one embodiment, the one or more task-focused UI elements may be circular or orb-shaped and may be displayed in an approximate circular configuration about a middle portion of a display screen. In other embodiments, the task-focused UI elements may have a shape other than circular or orb-shaped. Each of the task-focused UI elements may include text describing a task, which a user may perform using the processing device.
In order to focus a user's attention on the task-focused UI elements, in some embodiments, the processing device may cause a background a portion of display screen 200 to be dimmed, thereby highlighting the displayed task-focused UI elements. A user may select one of the task-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task by using a pointing device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad, an electronic stylus or a user's finger on a touch screen, or other device.
Upon selection of one of task-focused UI elements 302 and 304 or minimize UI element 306, task-focused UI elements 302 and 304 and minimize UI element 306 may be minimized by the processing device and a minimized representation of the UI elements may be moved to a portion of the display screen near a user interface element used by more experienced users. For example, in one embodiment, in which a version of a Windows® operating system, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., may be executing on the processing device, the minimized representation of the UI elements may be moved to a lower left portion of a display screen where a UI element, represented by a START button, may be displayed. Such a movement may cause a user, such as an inexperienced user, to get used to focusing on a UI element, such as, for example, the START button, or other UI element, as would a more experienced user.
Further, after selection of one of the task-focused UI elements, an application corresponding to the selected one of the task-focused UI elements may be executed by the processing device. For example, upon selection of task-focused UI element 302, a word processor, such as, for example, Microsoft Office Word, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., or another word processor may be executed.
In some embodiments consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure, upon startup of a processing device, such as, for example, processing device 100, the processing device may automatically read or obtain configuration information to determine installed applications for performing various tasks. After determining which of the installed applications may perform various tasks and icons corresponding to the applications, the processing device may display a task-focused user interface.
In exemplary display screen 600, a number of task-focused UI elements may be displayed. For example, display screen 600 may include a create a document UI element 602, a create a spreadsheet UI element 604, an open e-mail UI element 606, a browse Internet UI element 608, an open media player UI element 610, a games UI element 612, and a minimize UI element 614. Each of task-focused UI elements 602-612 may include text describing a corresponding task and may include an icon associated with an application for performing a corresponding task. Minimize UI element 614 may include an icon representative of a minimization operation.
In this embodiment, UI elements 602-614 may be circular or orb-shaped and may be displayed in an approximate circular configuration about a middle portion of a display screen. In some embodiments, UI elements may be displayed with 3-dimensional (3D) effects. For example, the displayed UI elements 602-614 may be displayed, such that, for example, UI elements 602-614 may appear to be tilted. In such an embodiment, UI elements appearing in one portion of the display screen, such as, for example, a bottom portion of the display screen, may appear to be closer to a user viewing the display screen than other UI elements. In other embodiments, UI elements 602-614 may have a shape other than circular or orb-shaped and/or the UI elements may be displayed in a configuration other than an approximate circular configuration. For example, in one embodiment, displayed UI elements may appear as rectangular tiles arranged in multiple rows and columns. Of course, the displayed UI elements may appear in numerous configurations in different embodiments.
In some embodiments, the processing device may cause a background portion of display 600 to be dimmed, thereby highlighting displayed UI elements 602-614. A user may select one of task-focused UI elements 602-612 corresponding to a desired task by using a pointing device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad, an electronic stylus or a user's finger on a touch screen, or other device.
In one embodiment, as a pointer moves closer to a UI element, a configuration of the displayed UI elements may appear to tilting, such that a UI element closest to the pointer may appear closest to a user viewing the display screen.
Upon selection of one of task-focused UI elements 602-612 or minimize UI element 614, UI elements 602-614 may be minimized by processing device and a minimized representation of the UI elements may be moved to a portion of the display screen near a user interface element used by more experienced users, such as, a START button, or other UI element as described previously.
Further, after selection of one of task-focused UI elements 602-612, an application corresponding to the selected one of the task-focused UI elements 602-612 may be executed by the processing device. For example, upon selection of task-focused UI element 602, a word processor, such as, for example, Microsoft Office Word, available from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., or another word processor may be executed.
The configuration information may be included in a registry or elsewhere. Further, in some embodiments, some configuration information may be located in another area, such as, for example, an area which may include supplemental or other configuration information.
In some embodiments, the configuration information may include a hierarchy of file extensions for one or more types of applications.
The hierarchy shown in
In other embodiments, the configuration information may include predefined direct access information for executing a particular application to perform a specific task.
Returning to the flowchart of
Next, the processing device may receive a selection of a category from a user (act 706). A user may select one of the category-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task by using a pointing device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad, electronics stylus or a user's finger on a touch screen, or other device.
After selection of one of the category-focused UI elements, the processing device may cause one or more task-focused UI elements, corresponding to the selected one of the category-focused UI elements, to be presented or displayed (act 708). In one embodiment, the processing device may provide audio to a user during act 708. For example, the processing device may describe the UI elements using sound, such as generated speech or other sound. As mentioned previously, the one or more displayed task-focused UI elements may be circular or orb-shaped and may be displayed in an approximate circular configuration about a middle portion of a display screen. In other embodiments, the task-focused UI elements may have a shape other than circular or orb-shaped. Each of the task-focused UI elements may include text describing a task, which a user may perform using the processing device.
Next, the processing device may receive the user's selection of one of the task-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task (act 710). The user may select one of the task-focused UI elements corresponding to a desired task by using a pointing device, such as, for example, a computer mouse, a touchpad, an electronic stylus or a user's finger on a touch screen, or other device. Upon selection of one of the task-focused UI elements, the task-focused UI elements may be minimized by the processing device and a minimized representation of the UI elements may be moved to a portion of the display screen near a user interface element used by more experienced users, as described previously (act 712). The processing device may then execute an application associated with the selected one of the task-focused UI elements (act 714).
The flowchart illustrated by
Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms for implementing the claims.
Although the above descriptions may contain specific details, they should not be construed as limiting the claims in any way. Other configurations of the described embodiments are part of the scope of this disclosure. Further, implementations consistent with the subject matter of this disclosure may have more or fewer acts than as described, or may implement acts in a different order than as shown. Accordingly, the appended claims and their legal equivalents should only define the invention, rather than any specific examples given.
