Patents by Inventor Scott L. Ruthfield

Scott L. Ruthfield has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20110296290
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard Banks
  • Patent number: 7818677
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard J. Wolf, Michael J. Hopcroft, Paul R. Erickson, Satoshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7689929
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard Banks
  • Patent number: 7360171
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard Banks
  • Patent number: 7346848
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard J. Wolf, Michael J. Hopcroft, Paul R. Erickson, Satoshi Nakajima
  • Patent number: 7346610
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard Banks
  • Patent number: 6948135
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Scott L. Ruthfield, Richard Banks