Contact user interface

US7360174B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Microsoft Corporation · US

Inventors

• Joel Grossman · Petaling Jaya, MY
• Cornelis K. Van Dok · Bellevue, US
• Jonathan David Perlow · San Francisco, US
• Vivien Park · Seattle, US
• Sandra Barnat · Santa Monica, US
• Debra Weissman · Redmond, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 19, 2002
• Grant date: Apr 15, 2008
• Expiry date: Feb 2, 2025

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/10
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

An interface for enabling different contact information for a plurality of different contacts to be aggregated from numerous data stores into a single contact management system includes a window frame for displaying the contact information in a variety of rich views that graphically illustrate patterns existent within the contact information. Some of the available views include hierarchical, organizational, chronological, social, geographical and operational views of the contact information. The interface also enables a user to search through the aggregate contact information by search term and by filter. The interface also includes another window frame for displaying exploded, detailed, or additional information about selected directories and contacts.