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Method and apparatus for managing user interface elements on a touch-screen device

  • US 10,019,151 B2
  • Filed: 02/08/2013
  • Issued: 07/10/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for managing user interface (UI) elements on a touch screen, the method comprising the steps of:

  • displaying, via a display portion of the touch screen, a plurality of UI elements in original docking positions;

    detecting a plurality of simultaneous contact points on the touch screen different from the original docking positions, the number of contact points is less than the number of UI elements in the original docking positions;

    re-arranging the plurality of UI elements from respective original docking positions to place one of the plurality of UI elements under each contact point on the touch screen and to place multiple layers of the plurality of UI elements under on or more of each of the finger contact points in response to the detected plurality of simultaneous contact points, further activation of any one re-arranged UI element of which causes a particular corresponding function, application, or program to be executed;

    detecting that all contact points on the touch screen moved simultaneously a predetermined amount; and

    swapping a background layer of the layers of UI elements to foreground layer of the layers of UI elements under the respective finger contact points in response to the detected simultaneously move;

    wherein a detected direction of simultaneous movement indicates how layers are switched such that a movement in a first direction causes the layers to switch in a first manner while a movement in a second direction causes the layers to switch in a second manner different from the first manner.

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