MOTION PICTURE PREVIEW ICONS

• US 20080034306A1
• Filed: 08/04/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas
• Granted Patent: US 8,255,815 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/739 in form of a video summary, e.g. the video summary being a video sequence, a composite still image or having synthesized frames
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/743 a collection of video files or sequences
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34

Abstract

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method that presents a preview of a set of images in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a device. The method presents a GUI element to represent the set of images in the GUI, where the GUI element is moveable within the GUI. The method then displays within said GUI element a sequence of the images in the set of images to provide a preview of the set of images.

Claims

1. A method of providing a preview of a set of images in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a device, the method comprising:

a) presenting a GUI element to represent the set of images in the GUI, said GUI element moveable within the GUI; and

b) within said GUI element, displaying a sequence of the images in the set of images to provide a preview of the set of images.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said element is an icon having a graphical component, wherein the sequence of images is displayed within the graphical component.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying the sequence of the images comprises starting an application for retrieving said images and for generating the display of said images, without providing a visual indication of the starting of the application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the application is a media player.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays either one image or displays the sequence of images one image at a time.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising presenting a play button to start the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising presenting a stop button to stop the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the play and stop buttons are part of the icon.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the play and stop buttons are items in the GUI that are associated with the icon.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein presenting the play button comprises presenting the play button when a cursor of the GUI is within a particular distance of the icon.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein presenting the play button comprises presenting the play button when the sequence of images are not being displayed within the graphical component.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays the sequence of images, the method further comprising displaying geometric element that scrolls across the window as the sequence of images is displayed in the window, said geometric element for providing an indication of the location within the sequence of an images that is displayed in the window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said geometric element is user selectable for allowing a user to view other images within the sequence by selecting and moving said element across the window.

14. A computer readable medium having sets of instructions for providing a preview of a set of images in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a device, the sets of instructions comprising instructions for:

a) presenting an icon to represent the set of images in the GUI, said icon having a graphical component, said set of images stored on said device; and

b) within said graphical component, displaying a sequence of the images in the set of images to provide a preview of the set of images.

15. A computer readable medium having sets of instructions for providing a preview of a set of images in a graphical user interface (GUI) of a device, the sets of instructions comprising instructions for:

a) presenting a GUI element to represent the set of images in the GUI, said GUI element moveable within the GUI; and

b) within said GUI element, displaying a sequence of the images in the set of images to provide a preview of the set of images.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein said element is an icon having a graphical component, wherein the sequence of images is displayed within the graphical component.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the sequence of the images comprises a set of instructions for starting an application for retrieving said images and for generating the display of said images, without providing a visual indication of the starting of the application.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays either one image or displays the sequence of images one image at a time.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the sets of instructions further comprises a set of instructions for presenting a play button to start the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the sets of instructions further comprises a set of instructions for presenting a stop button to stop the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the play button comprises a set of instructions for presenting the play button when a cursor of the GUI is within a particular distance of the icon.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the play button comprises a set of instructions for presenting the play button when the sequence of images are not being displayed within the graphical component.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays the sequence of images, the sets of instructions further comprising a set of instructions for displaying geometric element that scrolls across the window as the sequence of images is displayed in the window, said geometric element for providing an indication of the location within the sequence of an images that is displayed in the window.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 23, wherein said geometric element is user selectable for allowing a user to view other images within the sequence by selecting and moving said element across the window.

25. A graphical user interface (GUI) for a device, the GUI comprising:

an icon that represents a set of images,

said icon having at least one graphical component for displaying a sequence of the images in the set of images to provide a preview of the set of images.

wherein said icon is moveable within the GUI.

26. The GUI of claim 25, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays either one image or displays the sequence of images one image at a time.

27. The GUI of claim 25 further comprising a play button for starting the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

28. The GUI of claim 27 further comprising a stop button for stopping the display of the sequence of images within the graphical component.

29. The GUI of claim 28, wherein the play and stop buttons are part of the icon.

30. The GUI of claim 28, wherein the play and stop buttons are items in the GUI that are associated with the icon.

31. The GUI of claim 27, wherein the play button is presented when a cursor of the GUI is within a particular distance of the icon.

32. The GUI of claim 25, wherein the graphical component includes a window that displays the sequence of images, the GUI further comprising a geometric element for scrolling across the window as the sequence of images is displayed in the window, to provide an indication of the location within the sequence of an images that is displayed in the window.

33. The GUI of claim 32, wherein said geometric element is user selectable for allowing a user to view other images within the sequence by selecting and moving said element across the window.