Abstract: An approach is provided for presenting a global view of content. A content mapping platform determines a viewing location of a device with respect to a user interface, wherein the user interface depicts a three-dimensional object in which a surface closest to the viewing location is transparent to show, at least in part, an opposite surface of the three-dimensional object. Further, the content mapping platform then determines at least one target location associated with at least one content item. Furthermore, the content mapping platform causes, at least in part, a rendering of the at least one content item on the opposite surface of the three-dimensional object based, at least in part, on the at least one target location.

Abstract: A method of displaying available multimedia content items includes receiving a request to display a set of available content items. In response to the request, a first set of icons are provided for display, where each icon corresponds to a type of available multimedia content. The icons are displayed in an approximately circular arrangement, providing for easy viewing and manipulation. In response to selection of an icon, a second set of icons is displayed in an approximately circular arrangement, where each icon of the second set corresponds to a sub-type of the available multimedia content. The user can continue to select icons based on the type of desired multimedia content until a list of available multimedia content items are displayed. Accordingly, the user is able to quickly locate and view multimedia content of a desired type, resulting in an improved user experience.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are disclosed to generate an interface for a web service and to query the web service. A particular method includes generating a user interface associated with a web service. The user interface includes one or more input parameter options associated with the web service. The user interface is generated based on a service specification and one or more series specifications associated with the service specification. User input is received via the user interface, where the user input includes a selection of at least one of the one or more input parameter options. A query of the web service is generated based on the received user input, where the query reflects at least one selected input parameter option. The method includes invoking the generated query with respect to the web service to receive results and automatically adding the received results to the user interface.

Abstract: Processes for presenting a current state of a device having device storage connected with a host system are provided. In some processes, device manufacturers or vendors define a set of operational states of a device and provide user interface (UI) elements of a custom representation of each state through information stored in the device storage. Initially, the set of states of the device and UI elements associated with each state are received from the device storage. Information regarding a current state is received from the device, and a representation of the current state, which includes the received UI elements, is presented on the host system. In other processes, UI elements of a representation of each state are obtained from a remote system using device identification information. In other processes, UI elements from the device, from the host system, and/or from a remote system are combined to form a state representation.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus includes: a display portion that is capable of: displaying in an icon display area, icons that correspond to function buttons for calling out setting screens for setting functions installed on the image processing apparatus, being organized in groups by function attribute; and displaying in a function button display area, function buttons that correspond to some of the icons, which exist at a position that a user points to; a position identification portion that identifies the position that a user points to in the icon display area; and a display controller that makes the display portion display: the icons in the icon display area; the function buttons that correspond to the icons existing at the position identified by the position identification portion, in the function button display area; and state information indicating the current state of at least one of the functions and/or attribute information indicating the current attribute of at least one of the functions, on/near a f

Abstract: A system and methodology for collaborating. The system is comprised of a plurality of computing appliances, each of the computing appliances having an input apparatus providing for a respective user input of and storage of annotations input relative to and while viewing a display presentation of a specific image and each of the computing appliances having a display apparatus providing a display presentation of a specific image to be viewed by an associated respective user of the plurality of users. Logic controls communication and utilization of selected annotations in providing a display presentation. At least two of the plurality of computing appliances have input apparatus each providing annotation data responsive to the associated respective user input of annotations using the input apparatus. Memory provides associative storage of the annotation data as mapped relative to the associated respective user of the respective computing appliance providing the respective user input.

Abstract: A method for managing media content includes storing a program received from a tuner in a storage device, outputting a plurality of first thumbnail images from the program to a display screen, extracting one or more second thumbnail images in a section of the program between a selected first thumbnail image and another first thumbnail image, and outputting the second thumbnail images to the display screen.

Abstract: Techniques for automated targeting of content components to users are described. Content components are selected and exposed through renderable pages for viewing by a population of users. User activity following exposure is tracked in an effort to identify which types of users (as characterized by certain attributes) are likely to act on the content components. The users are segmented into groups according to the attributes and the segments are fed back to aid in selection of content components to be exposed to the users. This enables more granular targeting of the content components to those users who exhibit the attributes that define the specific groups.

Abstract: The present invention enables a user to perform an operation of closing a software keyboard displayed on a display unit by an operation to a predetermined input item with use of a hardware keyboard. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus includes receiving an input to a predetermined input item via a software keyboard displayed on a display unit, receiving an input to the predetermined input item via a hardware keyboard connected to the information processing apparatus, inputting a character to the predetermined input item according to the key input received via the software keyboard or the hardware keyboard, and closing a display of the software keyboard displayed on the display unit if the input to the predetermined input item which is received via the hardware keyboard satisfies a predetermined condition during the display of the software keyboard.

Abstract: Improved multi-input gesture control for a display screen is enabled by using a first screen input to determine control operations that result from a second screen input that is followed by a gesture. A gesture that corresponds to a path traced on a display screen may define a new screen input or manipulate existing screen objects depending on some specific feature of the path or the entirety of the path.

Abstract: An intuitive file transfer method transfers a selected file from a source device to a selected destination device based on intuitive operation of file transferring. The source device and the destination device are connected by a data transmission device. The source device and the destination device are both provided with a storage device and are both loaded with an intuitive file transfer program. After initialization, the source device and the destination device start the intuitive file transfer programs, which detect if a user uses a pointing device to select an object icon to be transferred in a display area of the source device. When the selected object icon is detected to be moved by the user through a predetermined pointing operation, source data associated with the selected object icon are transmitted through the data transmission device to the storage device of the destination device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: operation accepting means for accept an operation input; image storing means for storing a plurality of images; management information storing means for storing management information corresponding to the plurality of images stored in the image storing means; image drawing means for drawing, in a display area including at least an image display area, at least one of images stored in the image storing means onto the image display area in a predetermined sequence; and controlling means for, when an operation input commanding selection of an image included in the image display area has been accepted by the operation accepting means, controlling recording of the selection of the image to management information stored in the management information storing means in correspondence with the image.

Abstract: Techniques are described for dynamically placing graphical elements into theme layouts on a graphical user interface. A rendering engine reads a set of theme metadata and graphics metadata. The theme metadata defines a layout of the page and the regions into which the graphic elements will be placed. The theme metadata can further include tags to define categories or conceptual purposes for the regions and design changes that can be applied to graphics in that region. The graphics metadata defines a list of graphic files to be included in the layout, tags to define a category or conceptual purpose for each element and optional tags to override the design changes that are indicated in the theme metadata. The rendering engine combines and matches the theme metadata to the graphics metadata and places the graphic elements into the theme layout according to the matching.

Abstract: A reduced complexity user interface is described. In an embodiment, a user interface module causes an animation of a pile of objects on a user interface display. The pile of objects is configured to expand from a contracted form when a pointer approaches a boundary of the pile on the user interface display. The user interface module is configured to determine two closest objects in the pile of objects that correspond with the pointer on the user interface display and to move the two closest objects to the pointer to visually indicate an insertion point into the pile. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A method includes identifying one or more features of a short term profile of a user that are not included in a long term profile of the user, using the one or more features to identify one or more third party profiles having features that substantially match the one or more features of the user's short term profile, accessing the identified one or more third party profiles, and providing one or more content items included in the third party profile to the user, the one or more content items having associated features that match the one or more features of the short term profile. An alternative method includes accessing one or more third party profiles that are not a profile of the user, and using the accessed third party profile to identify a plurality of content items for recommendation based on a feature set of the third party profile.

Abstract: Interaction with web content in a web browser can control actions in an embedded virtual environment, and events in the virtual environment can be used to update content and applications running in the web browser. In one embodiment, particular events in the virtual environment are passed to a mapping component that listens for triggers and issues commands in the web browser. A JavaScript mapping component may be used to listen for the triggers, capture parameters associated with the trigger, lookup the trigger type in a mapping table, and call a mapped JavaScript function with the trigger parameters. In the reverse direction, if a JavaScript function call is entered in the web browser, the JavaScript function invokes a function exposed by a virtual environment plugin. The plug-in invokes an event within the virtual environment so that interaction with the web content can control actions in the virtual environment.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for launching an online support chat session in response to an occurrence of a support event on a personal computer and transmitting detailed event information via the chat session for display to support personnel. When an error or other event occurs on a computer, an online support chat session is established using an online support chat client associated with the error or event. The pertinent information about the error or event along with additional data regarding the computer and the user are transmitted via the online support chat session for display to the support personnel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to tab management in a browser, such as a web browser. In a first embodiment, a method creates a new tab in a browser on a device. An opener tab that opened the new tab is determined on the device. A tab opened from the opener tab is determined on the device. Finally, the new tab is positioned, on the device, adjacent to the tab opened from the opener tab.

Abstract: Technologies are described herein for providing a dynamic preview of diagram elements to be inserted into a flowchart or other diagram. Through the use of the embodiments presented herein, a diagramming application program displays a preview of diagram elements to be inserted into a diagram by an element insertion control on a drawing canvas when a cursor is placed over the element insertion control for threshold period of time. The preview is displayed until the mouse cursor is moved away from the element insertion control or the element insertion control is selected.

Abstract: A method for managing a web application initiated by a user is disclosed which enables navigation between two or more wizards while executing said web application. Predefined instructions ensure that a user can execute a plurality of steps in different orders when navigating between two or more wizards without losing any data that has been executed in a previous step. A wizard engine is also disclosed which is adapted to execute the suggested method.