How Handheld Devices Organize Recently Used Files and Contacts
A 2000-era Microsoft patent for showing a 'Recent' category on handheld devices, allowing users to interact with recent items exactly like they would with any other file.
Original patent title: “Method and apparatus for providing recent categories on a hand-held device”
A 2000-era Microsoft patent for showing a 'Recent' category on handheld devices, allowing users to interact with recent items exactly like they would with any other file. Granted to Microsoft Corp in 2005 with 18 claims and 73 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a way to organize data on early handheld devices by creating a 'Recently Accessed' category alongside standard folders. When a user selects this category, the device displays a list of the most recently used contacts or tasks. The core innovation is that these items are not just shortcuts or links; they are fully functional database entries. This means a user can edit, delete, or modify an item while viewing it in the 'Recent' list, and those changes are applied directly to the original record in the database, just as if the user had accessed it through a standard category folder.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover predictive or AI-based suggestions that guess what a user might want next.
- Does not cover displaying 'Recent' items as read-only shortcuts or static links.
- Does not cover cloud-synced history that tracks usage across multiple different devices.
- Does not cover voice-activated retrieval of recent files or contacts.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The invention treats the 'Recent' list as a dynamic view of the primary database rather than a separate, static log file, ensuring that any action taken on a 'recent' item is immediately reflected in the master record.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Windows Mobile 'Recent' contacts lists
Early PDA task management interfaces
Modern mobile file explorer 'Recent' tabs
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent addressed the limitations of early mobile devices like the Pocket PC, which had very small screens and limited input methods. By treating 'Recent' items as live, editable database objects rather than temporary shortcuts, it made mobile navigation significantly faster and more intuitive for users managing contacts and tasks on the go.
Filed
April 27, 2000
Granted
May 31, 2005
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Microsoft continues to integrate these concepts into its Windows and Office mobile ecosystems. Other major OS developers like Apple and Google have refined these concepts into the standard 'Recent' or 'Recents' sections found in almost every modern mobile file manager and contact application.
Market impact
This patent helped standardize the user experience for mobile data management during the transition from dedicated PDAs to early smartphones. It established the expectation that 'Recent' lists should be functional workspaces rather than just passive history logs, a design pattern that remains a staple of mobile user interface design today.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a way to organize data on early handheld devices by creating a 'Recently Accessed' category alongside standard folders. When a user selects this category, the device displays a list of the most recently used contacts or tasks. The core innovation is that these items are not just shortcuts or links; they are fully functional database entries. This means a user can edit, delete, or modify an item while viewing it in the 'Recent' list, and those changes are applied directly to the original record in the database, just as if the user had accessed it through a standard category folder.
The clever bit
The invention treats the 'Recent' list as a dynamic view of the primary database rather than a separate, static log file, ensuring that any action taken on a 'recent' item is immediately reflected in the master record.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover predictive or AI-based suggestions that guess what a user might want next.
- Does not cover displaying 'Recent' items as read-only shortcuts or static links.
- Does not cover cloud-synced history that tracks usage across multiple different devices.
- Does not cover voice-activated retrieval of recent files or contacts.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
37/40
Highly cited
Claim breadth
12/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$56K – $180K
Midpoint $112K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
18 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Ben-Shachar, I., Blum, J. R., & Bastiaanse, E. A. (2005). How Handheld Devices Organize Recently Used Files and Contacts (U.S. Patent No. 6,901,559). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/6901559/microsoft-office-ribbon-ui
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Handheld Devices Organize Recently Used Files and Contacts cover?
A 2000-era Microsoft patent for showing a 'Recent' category on handheld devices, allowing users to interact with recent items exactly like they would with any other file.
Who owns patent US 6901559?
Microsoft Corp owns this patent, granted in 2005.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 6901559 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 73 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent addressed the limitations of early mobile devices like the Pocket PC, which had very small screens and limited input methods. By treating 'Recent' items as live, editable database objects rather than temporary shortcuts, it made mobile navigation significantly faster and more intuitive for users managing contacts and tasks on the go.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover predictive or AI-based suggestions that guess what a user might want next.
Same assignee
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