US 2018/0121034 A1Published application

Changing visual aspects of a graphical user interface to bring focus to a message

AssigneeMicrosoft Technology Licensing, LLC

InventorsCasey Baker, Jose Rodriguez

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Abstract

This disclosure describes a system in which a user is enabled to efficiently locate and view messages of a conversation that are likely to be more relevant or pertinent to the user. The system is configured to determine that a message in the conversation is associated with a trigger feature that comprises a piece of information and/or an interaction from another user that is likely worthy of the user's attention. The system can then generate a visual notification associated with the trigger feature. The visual notification can be displayed in association with a graphical element that represents the conversation. Upon receiving an indication of a selection of the visual notification, the system can display the message and trigger feature and/or change visual characteristics associated with the message to bring focus to the message.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for a system hosting a conversation, the method comprising:

determining that a message that is part of the conversation is associated with a trigger feature;
generating a visual notification associated with the trigger feature for display via a computing device;
receiving data indicating a selection of the visual notification displayed via the computing device;
in response to receiving the data, identifying a portion of the conversation that includes the message that is associated with the trigger feature and at least one other message that surrounds the message in the conversation;
and
generating at least a portion of a graphical user interface to bring focus to the message as the portion of the conversation is displayed via the computing device, wherein generating the portion of the graphical user interface comprises
scaling one or more visual aspects associated with the message from a normal size to an enlarged size for a predetermined period of time to bring the focus to the message, and
returning the one or more visual aspects associated with the message from the enlarged size back to the normal size after the predetermined period of time expires.

5 more elements

A system comprising:

one or more processing units;
computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processing units, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
determining that a message that is part of a conversation is associated with a trigger feature;
generating a visual notification associated with the trigger feature for display via a computing device;
receiving data indicating a selection of the visual notification displayed via the computing device;
in response to receiving the data, identifying a portion of the conversation that includes the message that is associated with the trigger feature and at least one other message that surrounds the message in the conversation;
and
generating at least a portion of a graphical user interface that visually distinguishes between the message and the at least one other message to bring focus to the message as the portion of the conversation is displayed via the computing device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/339,806Filed 31 Oct 2016
Published: 3 May 2018
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G06Q 10/10
Administration; Management: office automation; Time management
G06F 3/0482
Based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like…:…
G06F 40/279
Natural language analysis: recognition of textual entities
G06Q 10/40
Administration; Management: business processes related to social networking or social networking services