Scott Louis Ruthfield

US Patent:

7346610, Mar 18, 2008

Filed:

Feb 11, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/056439

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/30
G06F 15/16

US Classification:

707 3, 707 4, 707 5, 715854

Abstract:

Methods and systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, the methods and systems can provide a ranked list of favorite links. The list can be based upon the recency and frequency with which a user accesses items associated with the links. A most recently added favorites list of links is provided that is based upon when particular links were added to a user's favorites list. The methods and system can calculate a union of the lists to provide a collection of favorite quick links.

US Patent:

7346848, Mar 18, 2008

Filed:

Jun 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/599298

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard J. Wolf - Seattle WA, US
Michael J. Hopcroft - Kirkland WA, US
Paul R. Erickson - Sammamish WA, US
Satoshi Nakajima - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 15/16

US Classification:

715749, 715802

Abstract:

A user interface (UI) in the form of a single navigable window enables a user to navigate to and between multiple different functionalities that are provided by a single application program. Novel use is made of a navigation model that manages the user's navigation activities to and between the different functionalities. Navigation instrumentalities enable the user to navigate among the different functionalities and include links to each of the different functionalities as well as browser-like navigation buttons. Context-sensitive command sets can also be provided along with the single navigable window. The context sensitive command sets include commands that automatically change as the user's computing context changes, e. g. as the user moves from functionality to functionality. The single application can be defined as a software platform that is extensible to receive and incorporate different functionalities.

US Patent:

7360171, Apr 15, 2008

Filed:

Apr 12, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/103836

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/21
G06K 3/00

US Classification:

715804, 715749

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.

US Patent:

7689929, Mar 30, 2010

Filed:

Feb 11, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/056500

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00

US Classification:

715805, 715826

Abstract:

Methods and systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, multiple different algorithms are displayed for a user to select. The algorithms are configured to display quick links to which a user can navigate. Individual algorithms are employable across different content types. A user can select an individual algorithm and, responsively, the methods and systems can display one or more quick links that are provided by the selected algorithm.

US Patent:

7818677, Oct 19, 2010

Filed:

Aug 12, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/916692

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard J. Wolf - Seattle WA, US
Michael J. Hopcroft - Kirkland WA, US
Paul R. Erickson - Sammamish WA, US
Satoshi Nakajima - Redmond WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00
G06F 15/16

US Classification:

715749, 715802

Abstract:

A user interface (UI) in the form of a single navigable window enables a user to navigate to and between multiple different functionalities that are provided by a single application program. Novel use is made of a navigation model that manages the user's navigation activities to and between the different functionalities. Navigation instrumentalities enable the user to navigate among the different functionalities and include links to each of the different functionalities as well as browser-like navigation buttons. Context-sensitive command sets can also be provided along with the single navigable window. The context sensitive command sets include commands that automatically change as the user's computing context changes, e. g. as the user moves from functionality to functionality. The single application can be defined as a software platform that is extensible to receive and incorporate different functionalities.

US Patent:

20060026534, Feb 2, 2006

Filed:

Sep 23, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/234767

Inventors:

Scott Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 3/00

US Classification:

715854000

Abstract:

Methods of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, the method displays, 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 method further, without changing the first context, presents 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 is associated with a functionality that can enable the user to accomplish various tasks that are different from tasks that the user can accomplish using the first contextual display. The quick links are selectable to navigate the navigable window to a context associated with a selectable quick link.

US Patent:

20110296290, Dec 1, 2011

Filed:

Aug 10, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/207125

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

MICROSOFT CORPORATION - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F 17/00

US Classification:

715206

Abstract:

Methods and systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, the methods and systems can provide a ranked list of favorite links. The list can be based upon the recency and frequency with which a user accesses items associated with the links. A most recently added favorites list of links is provided that is based upon when particular links were added to a user's favorites list. The methods and system can calculate a union of the lists to provide a collection of favorite quick links.

US Patent:

6948135, Sep 20, 2005

Filed:

Jun 21, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/599806

Inventors:

Scott L. Ruthfield - Seattle WA, US
Richard Banks - Kirkland WA, US

Assignee:

Microsoft Corporation - Redmond WA

International Classification:

G06F017/30

US Classification:

715854, 715817

Abstract:

Methods and systems of providing information to computer users are described. In one embodiment, a user interface is provided having a display area that permits a user to accomplish various tasks. Individual tasks can be associated with individual different functionalities which can enable the user to accomplish tasks in different user contexts, e. g. word processing-tasks, email tasks web browsing tasks and the like. The different tasks can advantageously pertain to different content types or document types. When a user is working within a particular context, they can view quick links that are associated with one or more of the different contexts without having to change their particular context. By clicking on a quick link, the user then can automatically navigate to the context associated with the quick link so that they can then accomplish context-specific tasks. Advantageously, the various functionalities or contexts can be provided by a single application program that also manages the user's navigation activities to and between the different functionalities.