Portable electronic device with interface reconfiguration mode

• US 10,359,907 B2
• Filed: 05/12/2015
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Van Os, Marcel, Anzures, Freddy Allen, Forstall, Scott, Christie, Greg, Chaudhri, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Tillery, Rashawn N
• Application Number:
  US14/710,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20150242092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons (e.g., graphical objects) in a region in a touch-sensitive display; detects a predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguration process; and varies positions of one or more icons in the plurality of icons in response to detecting the predefined user action. The varying includes varying the positions of the one or more icons about respective average positions.

Claims

1. A method of operating a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display in a normal mode of operation, the plurality of application icons including a first application icon, a second application icon, and a third application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detecting a first finger gesture on a first application icon in the plurality of application icons, the first finger gesture being a tap gesture, the first application icon being at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting the first finger gesture on the first application icon, initiating the application that corresponds to the first application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detecting a second finger gesture on the first application icon at the first location on the touch-sensitive display, the second finger gesture including a finger contact held on the first application icon for more than predetermined period;

in response to detecting the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period, entering a user interface reconfiguration mode, distinct from the normal mode of operation, wherein entering the user interface reconfiguration mode includes varying the position of the second application icon and the position of the third application icon;

while in the user interface reconfiguration mode, detecting movement of a finger contact from the first location on the touch-sensitive display to a second location on the touch-sensitive display; and

moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with the movement of the finger contact.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each application icon in the plurality of application icons is capable of being repositioned on the touch-sensitive display while in the user interface reconfiguration mode.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display includes animating the first application icon to simulate floating of the first application icon on a surface corresponding to a surface of the touch-sensitive display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes operating the portable electronic device to provide at least one of audible and tactile feedback when the first application icon has been moved.

5. The method of claim 1, including:

in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, moving a second application icon from the second location to a third location on the touch-sensitive display to make room for the first application icon at the second location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein on moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display, one or more application icons are removed from the plurality of application icons to prevent overlapping of the moved first application icon with any of the application icons in the plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger contact that moves from the first location to the second location on the touch-sensitive display is a continuation of the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period that caused the device to enter the user interface reconfiguration mode.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying of the position of the second application icon is time-varying.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the portable electronic device to:

display a plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display in a normal mode of operation, the plurality of application icons including a first application icon, a second application icon, and a third application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detect a first finger gesture on a first application icon in the plurality of application icons, the first finger gesture being a tap gesture, the first application icon being at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting the first finger gesture on the first application icon, initiate the application that corresponds to the first application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detect a second finger gesture on the first application icon at the first location on the touch-sensitive display, the second finger gesture including a finger contact held on the first application icon for more than predetermined period,

in response to detecting the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period, enter a user interface reconfiguration mode, distinct from the normal mode of operation, wherein causing the portable electronic device to enter the user interface reconfiguration mode includes causing the portable electronic device to vary the position of the second application icon and the position of the third application icon;

while in the user interface reconfiguration mode, detect movement of a finger contact from the first location on the touch-sensitive display to a second location on the touch-sensitive display; and

move the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with the movement of the finger contact.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein each application icon in the plurality of application icons is capable of being repositioned on the touch-sensitive display while in the user interface reconfiguration mode.

9. The medium of claim 7, wherein the moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display includes animating the first application icon to simulate floating of the first application icon on a surface corresponding to a surface of the touch-sensitive display.

10. The medium of claim 7, wherein the portable electronic device provides at least one of audible and tactile feedback when the first application icon has been moved.

11. The medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed by the device, further cause the device to:

in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, move a second application icon from the second location to a third location on the touch-sensitive display to make room for the first application icon at the second location.

12. The medium of claim 7, wherein on moving the first application icon to a second location on the touch-sensitive display, one or more application icons are removed from the plurality of application icons to prevent overlapping of the first application icon with any of the application icons in the plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display.

21. The medium of claim 7, wherein the finger contact that moves from the first location to the second location on the touch-sensitive display is a continuation of the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period that caused the device to enter the user interface reconfiguration mode.

24. The medium of claim 7, wherein the varying of the position of the second application icon is time-varying.

13. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

means for displaying a plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display in a normal mode of operation, the plurality of application icons including a first application icon, a second application icon, and a third application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, means for detecting a first finger gesture on a first application icon in the plurality of application icons, the first finger gesture being a tap gesture, the first application icon being at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting the first finger gesture on the first application icon, means for initiating the application that corresponds to the first application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, means for detecting a second finger gesture on the first application icon at the first location on the touch-sensitive display, the second finger gesture including a finger contact held on the first application icon for more than predetermined period;

in response to detecting the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period, means for entering a user interface reconfiguration mode, distinct from the normal mode of operation, wherein the means for entering includes means for varying the position of the second application icon and the position of the third application icon;

while in the user interface reconfiguration mode, means for detecting movement of a finger contact from the first location on the touch-sensitive display to a second location on the touch sensitive display; and

means for moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with the movement of the finger contact.

14. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including instructions for;

displaying a plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display in a normal mode of operation, the plurality of application icons including a first application icon, a second application icon, and a third application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detecting a first finger gesture on a first application icon in the plurality of application icons, the first finger gesture being a tap gesture, the first application icon being at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting the first finger gesture on the first application icon, initiating the application that corresponds to the first application icon;

while in the normal mode of operation and displaying the plurality of application icons, detecting a second finger gesture on the first application icon at the first location on the touch-sensitive display, the second finger gesture including a finger contact held on the first application icon for more than predetermined period;

in response to detecting the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period, entering a user interface reconfiguration mode, distinct from the normal mode of operation, wherein entering the user interface reconfiguration mode includes varying the position of the second application icon and the position of the third application icon;

while in the user interface reconfiguration mode, detecting movement of a finger contact from the first location on the touch-sensitive display to a second location on the touch-sensitive display; and

moving the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display in accordance with the movement of the finger contact.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein each application icon in the plurality of application icons is capable of being repositioned on the touch-sensitive display while in the user interface reconfiguration mode.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the moving of the first application icon to the second location on the touch-sensitive display includes animating the first application icon to simulate floating of the first application icon on a surface corresponding to a surface of the touch-sensitive display.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the portable electronic device provides at least one of audible and tactile feedback when the first application icon has been moved.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the programs further includes instructions for:

in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, moving a second application icon from the second location to a third location on the touch-sensitive display to make room for the first application icon at the second location.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein on moving the application icon to a second location on the touch-sensitive display, one or more of the application icons are removed from the plurality of application icons to prevent overlapping of the moved first application icon with any of the application icons in the plurality of application icons on the touch-sensitive display.

22. The device of claim 14, wherein the finger contact that moves from the first location to the second location on the touch-sensitive display is a continuation of the finger contact held on the first application icon for more than the predetermined period that caused the device to enter the user interface reconfiguration mode.

25. The portable electronic device of claim 14, wherein the varying of the position of the second application icon is time-varying.