Dynamic context based menus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9582187-B2
Application number	US-201113289272-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2011
Priority date	Jul 14, 2011
Publication date	Feb 28, 2017
Grant date	Feb 28, 2017

Abstract

Context based menus that can be dynamically positioned, laid out, and activated are provided for tap, swipe, and press-and-hold type interactions. Presenting a plurality of executable commands and/or links to submenus, a context based menu may be displayed in various shapes and forms in relation to selected content displayed on a user interface and/or other factors such as available display space, user attributes, and similar ones. Submenus presenting commands within a category may be displayed in place of, adjacent to, or overlapping with a parent context based menu. Menu position, contents, and/or shape may be adjusted in response to changes in selected content, user contact location, changes in user interface, and the like.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method executed at least in part in a computing device for providing a dynamic context based menu, the method comprising:
in response to detecting one of: a selection of a portion of displayed content on a user interface, a tap action on an insertion point gripper, and an action associated with a launcher indicator on the user interface, presenting the context based menu at a dynamically selected location based on at least one from a set of: the selected portion of the displayed content, a displayed content type, available display area, user interface borders, a type of input, and a device type, wherein presenting the context based menu comprises:
in response to detecting one of: a limited available space on the user interface and empty segments on the context based menu, displaying a partial view of the context based menu; and
in response to detecting both of: the limited available space on the user interface and full segments on the context based menu, rotating the partial view of context based menu;

in response to detecting selection of one or more items from a plurality of items displayed on the context based menu, one of:
executing a command and
displaying a submenu associated with the selected one or more items by automatically arranging a layout of the items displayed on the context based menu based on a user attribute, wherein the user attribute includes at least one from a set of: a left or right handedness of a user, a size of fingers, and a size of tap action pointer associated with a pointing device; and

displaying a textual tip associated with the selected one or more items, wherein the textual tip is positioned on one of an interior and an exterior of the context based menu.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the action associated with the launcher indicator on the user interface includes at least one from a set of: a tap action on a fixed launcher indicator on the user interface, a tap action on a dynamic launcher indicator, a swipe action on the dynamic launcher indicator, a keyboard entry combination, a mouse input, a pen input, a tap action on a selected object, a tap action on one of a pair of content selection handles, an accelerometer sensor based input, an orientation sensor based input, an optically captured gesture, a time based input, a proximity to another device, a proximity to another person, and a proximity to a place.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting the context based menu at a fixed location on the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting the context based menu along one of: a left side, a right side, a top, and a bottom of the selected portion of the displayed content based on the user attribute.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the user attribute further includes at least one from a set of: a user credential, an ergonomic characteristic of the device, and a location attribute comprising one or more of a language selection for the user interface, geographic location information, time zone information, and country information; and
automatically moving the context based menu in response to a change of the user attribute.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to a change of the available display area, moving the context based menu to a different location on the user interface.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the change of the available display area is appearance of a virtual keyboard.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the context based menu includes one of: a substantially radially menu presenting items representing distinct categories of commands and a list style menu, where categories of displayed items alter presentation of items on the context based menu, and wherein at least one of a number of items displayed on the context based menu and a menu style is adjusted based on available display area and the displayed content type such that the context based menu is connected with the selected portion of the displayed content.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the context based menu has one of a substantially radial, a substantially rectangular, a straight in-line, a curved in-line, a flower-like, and an irregular shape.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
displaying one or more segments of the context based menu in a transparent manner such that one of: underlying displayed content is visible and overlapping of the context based menu and the submenu is accommodated.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one from a set of: moving the context based menu, modifying a shape of the context based menu, and modifying a size of the context based menu in response to one of: a change in a size of the selected portion of the displayed content, a change in the size of the user interface, a change in a type of the selected portion of the displayed content, and a change in an orientation of the user interface.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
enabling selection of available items in a category through a rotating swipe action on a substantially radial shaped context based menu, wherein the available items are displayed in a scrolling list fashion in one of: a center and a vicinity of the context based menu.

13. A computing device for providing a dynamic context based menu, the computing device comprising:
an input device;
a memory;
a processor coupled to the memory and the input device, the processor executing an application and causing a user interface associated with the application to be displayed on a screen, wherein the processor is configured to:
in response to detecting one of: a selection of a portion of displayed content on a user interface, a tap action on an insertion point gripper, and an action associated with a launcher indicator on the user interface, present the context based menu at a dynamically selected location based on at least one from a set of: the selected portion of the displayed content, a displayed content type, available display area, user interface borders, a type of input, and a device type, wherein the context based menu is presented by:
in response to detecting one of: a limited available space on the user interface and empty segments on the context based menu, displaying a partial view of the context based menu; and
in response to detecting both of: the limited available space on the user interface and full segments on the context based menu, rotating the partial view of context based menu;

in response to detecting selection of one or more items from a plurality of items displayed on the context based menu, one of:
execute a command and
display a submenu associated with the selected one or more items by automatically arranging a layout of the items displayed on the context based menu based on a user attribute, wherein the user attribute includes at least one from a set of: a left or right handedness of a user, a size of fingers, and a size of tap action pointer associated with a pointing device;

display a textual tip associated with the selected one or more items, wherein the textual tip is positioned on one of an interior and an exterior of the context based menu; and
in response to one of: execution of a predefined command, a tap action away from the context based menu, a selection of a back button displayed on the context based menu, a scroll action, a zooming action, a selection of a different portion of displayed content, a new content entry, and selection of another user interface, hide the context based menu.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein items on the context based menu represent a

Assignees

• Gil Erez Kikin
• Kotler Matthew
• Sachidanandam Vignesh
• Pearson Mark
• Hockman Andrew
• Friend Ned
• Grieb Doreen
• Microsoft Technology Licensing Llc

Inventors

• Gil Erez Kikin
• Kotler Matthew
• Sachidanandam Vignesh
• Pearson Mark
• Hockman Andrew
• Friend Ned
• Grieb Doreen

Classifications

• G06F2203/04807

  Pen manipulated menu · CPC title

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

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

• G06F3/04886 Primary

  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