Proximal menu generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11237699-B2
Application number	US-201715680713-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2017
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A system for generating proximal menus described herein can include a processor to detect a location of a touch gesture on a display device coupled to the system. The processor can also determine a proximal menu is to be displayed at the location of the touch gesture and populate the proximal menu with at least one feature corresponding to a ring of an operating system. Furthermore, the processor can display the proximal menu with the at least one feature within an executed application.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for generating proximal menus, comprising:
a processor; and
a memory device to store a plurality of instructions that, in response to an execution of the plurality of instructions by the processor, cause the processor to:
detect a location of a first touch gesture on a display device coupled to the system;
generate a proximal menu to be displayed at the location of the first touch gesture in response to detecting the first touch gesture comprising a number of fingers contacting the display device;
display a first tab of the proximal menu, the first tab corresponding to an operating system feature;
in response to detecting a second touch gesture comprising a different number of fingers contacting the display device, replace the first tab with a second tab corresponding to an application window feature of an executed application, wherein the application window feature comprises a command menu of a displayed application window of the executed application that is copied from the displayed application window and pulled into the proximal menu; and
in response to detecting a third gesture comprising a different number of fingers than the first gesture or the second gesture, replace the second tab with a third tab corresponding to an application window feature of a second executed application.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second tab comprises a first icon corresponding to the executed application and the first tab comprises a second icon corresponding to an operating system.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the application window feature is displayed if the second tab is active and the operating system feature is displayed if the first tab is active.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the processor to reshape the proximal menu based on a height of a user proximate the display device.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the processor to reshape the proximal menu based on an edge of the display device in relation to the proximal menu.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of instructions cause the processor to display the proximal menu until a fourth gesture is detected.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application window feature comprises a window frame feature.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application window feature comprises a menu feature from the executed application that is accessed a number of times above a threshold value.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first touch gesture comprises the number of fingers contacting the display device within a time interval.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the application window feature command menu comprises an item selected in response to being accessed a number of times that exceeds a threshold.

11. A method for generating proximal menus, comprising:
detecting a location of a first touch gesture on a display device coupled to a system;
generating a proximal menu to be displayed at the location of the first touch gesture in response to detecting the first touch gesture comprising a number of fingers contacting the display device;
display a first tab of the proximal menu, the first tab corresponding to an operating system feature;
in response to detecting a second touch gesture comprising a different number of fingers contacting the display device, replacing the first tab with a second tab of the proximal menu, the second tab corresponding to an application window feature of an executed application, wherein the application window feature comprises a command menu of a displayed application window of the executed application that is copied from the displayed application window and pulled into the proximal menu; and
in response to detecting a third gesture comprising a different number of fingers than the first gesture or the second gesture, replacing the second tab with a third tab corresponding to an application window feature of a second executed application.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first tab comprises a first icon corresponding to the executed application and the second tab comprises a second icon corresponding to an operating system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the application window feature is displayed if the second tab is active and the operating system feature is displayed if the first tab is active.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising reshaping the proximal menu based on a height of a user proximate the display device.

15. The method of claim 11 , comprising reshaping the proximal menu based on an edge of the display device in relation to the proximal menu.

16. The method of claim 11 , comprising displaying the proximal menu until a fourth gesture is detected.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the application window feature comprises a window frame feature.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the application window feature comprises a menu feature from the executed application that is accessed a number of times above a threshold value.

19. One or more computer-readable media storage devices for generating proximal menus, wherein the one or more computer-readable media storage devices comprise a plurality of instructions that, in response to execution by a processor, cause the processor to:
detect a location of a first touch gesture on a display device coupled to a system;
generate a proximal menu to be displayed at the location of the first touch gesture in response to detecting the first touch gesture comprising a number of fingers contacting the display device;
display a first tab of the proximal menu, the first tab corresponding to an operating system feature;
in response to detecting a second touch gesture comprising a different number of fingers contacting the display device, replace the first tab with a second tab of the proximal menu, the second tab corresponding to an application window feature of an executed application, wherein the application window feature comprises a command menu of a displayed application window of the executed application that is copied from the displayed application window and pulled into the proximal menu; and
in response to detecting a third gesture comprising a different number of fingers than the first gesture or the second gesture, replace the second tab with a third tab corresponding to an application window feature of a second executed application.

20. The one or more computer-readable media storage devices of claim 19 , wherein the proximal menu comprises at least one feature that corresponds to an operating system if the first tab is active and the at least one feature corresponds to the executed application if the second tab is active.

Assignees

• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Mamaril Bryan K
• Baer Matthias
• Howard Gregory A
• Cain Jonathan M
• Ng Isaiah
• Gerrits Jack B
• Kumar Kiran
• Bourgade Jessica
• Hilsdale Michael C

Classifications

• G06F3/0488 Primary

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title

• G06F3/0482 Primary

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/04817

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/04886

  by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title