Mary P Czerwinski

6590593, Jul 8, 2003

Mar 31, 2000

09/539817

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA
Kenneth P. Hinckley - Kirkland WA
Kirsten C. Risden - Bothell WA
Daniel C. Robbins - Seattle WA
Maarten R. van Dantzich - Seattle WA

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G09G 500

345782, 345809, 345848, 345850

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for handling a dismissed dialogue box that displays an animation in which the dialogue box moves to an off-screen space beyond the perimeter of a computer display. Based on a later user request to view the dismissed dialogue box, the present invention provides a further animation that brings the off-screen space and the dialogue box into view. Under some embodiments, multiple dismissed dialogue boxes are stored in the off-screen space and the user can manipulate the boxes when viewing the off-screen space. In some embodiments, the off-screen space is brought into view by rotating the space into the users current view. In other embodiments, the users current view is rotated to show the space.

6859217, Feb 22, 2005

Nov 29, 2000

09/728935

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Kim Cameron - Bellevue WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Daniel C. Robbins - Seattle WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06F003/00

345853, 345854

An object having first and second intersecting hierarchies is specified. The object is illustrated with respect to the first hierarchy. The second intersecting hierarchy is presented for selection to illustrate the object with respect to the second intersecting hierarchy. In response to selecting the second intersecting hierarchy, the object is illustrated within the second intersecting hierarchy. To illustrate the object within the second intersecting hierarchy, the procedure visually morphs from the first intersecting hierarchy to the second intersecting hierarchy. This means that a first structure representing the first hierarchy is gradually changed to a second structure that represents the second hierarchy.

6909443, Jun 21, 2005

Mar 31, 2000

09/540069

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Kenneth P. Hinckley - Kirkland WA, US
Kirsten C. Risden - Bothell WA, US
Daniel C. Robbins - Seattle WA, US
Maarten R. van Dantzich - Seattle WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G09G005/00

345782, 345848

The present invention provides a three-dimensional user interface for a computer system that allows a user to combine and store a group of windows as a task. The image of each task can be positioned within a three-dimensional environment such that the user may utilize spatial memory in order to remember where a particular task is located. In further embodiments of the invention, the three-dimensional environment includes a stage, which is used to display the task with the current focus. When a user selects a new task in the gallery, the task is moved to the stage and given focus. If a previous task was on the stage, an image of the previous task is captured. This image is then moved into the task gallery away from the stage. This process allows users to switch between multiple window configurations with a simple action.

6968511, Nov 22, 2005

Mar 7, 2002

10/092458

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Daniel C. Robbins - Seattle WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06F003/00

715835, 715788, 715789, 715526, 715790, 715848

The present invention relates to a user interface, data structure and method to facilitate management and/or access to data, such as by grouping graphical representations of the data in an image space relative to cluster indicators. A given graphical representation for selected data (e. g. , a graphical object) can be associated with a corresponding cluster indicator based on its proximity to the cluster indicator. Thus, cluster membership can be changed, in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, by moving graphical objects relative to the cluster indicators.

6987512, Jan 17, 2006

Mar 29, 2001

09/821126

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Desney Tan - Pittsburgh PA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06T 15/00

345427, 345419, 345421, 345156, 345165, 345580, 345581, 434 32, 463 32

A system and method is provided for facilitating navigation techniques in a three-dimensional virtual environment. The present invention couples input driving techniques to the state of one or more workspace variables (e. g. , object state, virtual body state, environment state) to change the user's viewing context within a single input control motion. Modification of the user's viewing context allows navigation to various positions and orientations with out the need to be provided with that viewing context prior to navigation. The modification of the user's viewing context also allows for single input motion employing the same input drive controls.

7119819, Oct 10, 2006

Mar 31, 2000

09/540744

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Kenneth P. Hinckley - Kirkland WA, US
Kristen C. Risden - Bothell WA, US
Daniel C. Robbins - Seattle WA, US
Maarten R. van Dantzich - Seattle WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G06T 15/00

345782, 345776, 345738, 345809, 345848, 345850

A user interface for a computer system controls the creation and appearance of windows in a computer display. Aspects of the interface include utilizing three-dimensional rendering technology to render two-dimensional windows as texture on three-dimensional objects, automatically positioning windows in a primary viewing area so that the windows appear aligned with each other, and providing a three-dimensional start palette that contains icons for opening windows on the display.

7148892, Dec 12, 2006

Jun 3, 2005

11/145145

George G. Robertson - Seattle WA, US
Mary P. Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US
Desney Tan - Pittsburgh PA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Remdond WA

G06T 15/00

345427, 345581, 345156, 345165, 715850, 715851, 715857, 715858, 434 32, 434 51, 463 32

A system and method is provided for facilitating navigation techniques in a three-dimensional virtual environment. The present invention couples input driving techniques to the state of one or more workspace variables (e. g. , object state, virtual body state, environment state) to change the user's viewing context within a single input control motion. Modification of the user's viewing context allows navigation to various positions and orientations with out the need to be provided with that viewing context prior to navigation. The modification of the user's viewing context also allows for single input motion employing the same input drive controls.

7176943, Feb 13, 2007

Jun 27, 2003

10/608462

Brian Meyers - Bellevue WA, US
Tim Regan - Sammamish WA, US
Greg Smith - Bellevue WA, US
Mary Czerwinski - Woodinville WA, US

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

G09G 5/00
G09G 3/04

345619, 345 40, 345 11, 345672, 715798, 715799

A system and method for bumping graphical components between display regions of a graphical computer interface are provided. The present invention bumps a selected graphical component in response to a signal from an input device. Bumping involves locating a destination location for the graphical component to be bumped, and moving the graphical component to the destination. The destination can be determined in any one of a number of different manners. Destinations can be located at a predetermined distance from an original location of a graphical component, at an “analogous” location on another display region, or at an open location in the same display region or another display region.