Fanning user interface controls for a media editing application

• US 10,545,631 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2015
• Issued: 01/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ubillos, Randy, Roberts, Samuel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US14/885,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20160188131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,565 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of presenting several user interface (UI) controls for editing images. Upon receiving a selection of an image to edit, the method displays the image in a display area for displaying edits to the image. At a first location, the method receives input to activate a UI tool includes the several UI tools. In response to the input, the method displays, at a second location, a fanning animation that fans the several UI controls from a fanned closed layout to a fanned open layout.

Claims

1. A system for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for an image editing application, the system comprising:

at least one processing unit; and

a non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program executable by the at least one processing unit, the program comprising sets of instructions for;

providing a display area for displaying an image;

providing an expandable user interface (UI) tool comprising a plurality of selectable on-image editing tools that each, in response to being selected, allows an associated effect to be applied to the image by directly providing input on the image using a selected on-image editing tool;

upon selection of the expandable UI tool, providing a fanning out animation that enlarges and rotationally spreads on-image editing tools as individually selectable enlarged on-image editing tools about an axial point;

upon selection of one of the enlarged on-image editing tools, providing a fanning in animation that reduces a display area, rotationally contracts the individually selectable on-image editing tools about the axial point, and reduces a display area of the expandable UI tool to display only a portion of the selected on-image editing tool; and

indicating, using a visual indication above one or more on-image editing tools of the expandable UI tool while it is contracted, that the one or more on-image editing tools are associated with one or more effects that have already been applied to the image.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the on-image editing tools include more than one tool selected from a group comprising:

a repair brush control for removing blemishes from the image, a red-eye brush control for removing red-eye from the image, a saturate brush control for increasing a saturation of a selected portion of the image, a desaturate brush control for decreasing the saturation of the selected portion of the image, a lighten brush control for increasing brightness of the selected portion of the image, a darken brush control for decreasing the brightness of the selected portion of the image, a sharpen brush control for sharpening the selected portion of the image, and a soften brush control for softening the selected portion of the image.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the expandable UI tool displays only the enlarged version of the selected on-image editing tool after the expandable UI tool contracts.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein after the expandable UI tool contracts, the expandable UI tool displays:

(1) the plurality of on-image editing tools, and (2) a highlight indicating the selected on-image editing tool.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the on-image editing tools comprises a slider control for controlling an intensity for applying an associated effect, the slider control being displayed upon selection of the at least one of the on-image editing tools that comprises the slider control.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection of the expandable UI tool comprises determination of a swipe gesture upon the expandable UI tool.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for:

receiving selection of a first on-image editing tool from the expandable UI tool while the expandable UI tool is contracted, wherein a first effect associated with the first on-image editing tool has already been applied to the image; and

in response to the selection of the first on-image editing tool, reversibly removing the first effect from the image.

8. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for an image editing application, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

providing a display area for displaying an image;

providing an expandable user interface (UI) tool comprising a plurality of selectable on-image editing tools that each, in response to being selected, allows an associated effect to be applied to the image by directly providing input on the image using a selected on-image editing tool;

upon selection of the expandable UI tool, providing a fanning out animation that enlarges and rotationally spreads the on-image editing tools as individually selectable enlarged on-image editing tools about an axial point;

upon selection of one of the enlarged on-image editing tools, providing a fanning in animation that reduces a display area, rotationally contracts the individually selectable on-image editing tools about the axial point, and reduces a display area of the expandable UI tool to display only a portion of the selected on-image editing tool; and

indicating, using a visual indication above one or more on-image editing tools of the expandable UI tool while it is contracted, that the one or more on-image editing tools are associated with one or more effects that have already been applied to the image.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the program further comprises a set of instructions for:

receiving selection of a first on-image editing tool from the expandable UI tool while the expandable UI tool is contracted, wherein a first effect associated with the first on-image editing tool has already been applied to the image; and

in response to the selection of the first on-image editing tool, reversibly removing the first effect from the image.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the expandable UI tool displays only the enlarged version of the selected on-image editing tool after the expandable UI tool contracts.

11. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein after the expandable UI tool contracts, the expandable UI tool displays:

(1) the plurality of on-image editing tools, and (2) a highlight indicating the selected on-image editing tool.

12. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein at least one of the on-image editing tools comprises a slider control for controlling an intensity for applying an associated effect, the slider control being displayed upon selection of the at least one of the on-image editing tools that comprises the slider control.

13. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 8, wherein the selection of the expandable UI tool comprises determination of a swipe gesture upon the expandable UI tool.

14. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for an image editing application, the method comprising:

providing a display area for displaying an image;

providing an expandable user interface (UI) tool comprising a plurality of selectable on-image editing tools that each, in response to being selected, allows an associated effect to be applied to the image by directly providing input on the image using a selected on-image editing tool;

upon selection of the expandable UI tool, providing a fanning out animation that enlarges and rotationally spreads the on-image editing tools as individually selectable enlarged on-image editing tools about an axial point;

upon selection of one of the enlarged on-image editing tools, providing a fanning in animation that reduces a display area, rotationally contracts the individually selectable on-image editing tools about the axial point, and reduces a display area of the expandable UI tool to display only a portion of the selected on-image editing tool; and

indicating, using a visual indication above one or more on-image editing tools of the expandable UI tool while it is contracted, that the one or more on-image editing tools are associated with one or more effects that have already been applied to the image.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving selection of a first on-image editing tool from the expandable UI tool while the expandable UI tool is contracted, wherein a first effect associated with the first on-image editing tool has already been applied to the image; and

in response to the selection of the first on-image editing tool, reversibly removing the first effect from the image.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the expandable UI tool displays only the enlarged version of the selected on-image editing tool after the expandable UI tool contracts.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein after the expandable UI tool contracts, the expandable UI tool displays:

(1) the plurality of on-image editing tools, and (2) a highlight indicating the selected on-image editing tool.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the on-image editing tools comprises a slider control for controlling an intensity for applying an associated effect, the slider control being displayed upon selection of the at least one of the on-image editing tools that comprises the slider control.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the selection of the expandable UI tool comprises determination of a swipe gesture upon the expandable UI tool.