Visualization object divet

• US 20080307330A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven, Bumgarner, Timothy Wayne, Hynes, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/760,698
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/763
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A graphical user interface includes a desktop and a visualization object receptacle defining a depth aspect. One or more visualization objects are disposed within the visualization object receptacle. A selectable divet can be displayed proximate to a visualization object to indicate an actionable state associated with a system object represented by the visualization object.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a desktop;

a visualization object receptacle defining a depth aspect;

one or more visualization objects disposed within the visualization object receptacle; and

a selectable divet displayed proximate to a visualization object to indicate an actionable state associated with a system object represented by the visualization object.

2. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein:

the selectable divet comprises a floating orb.

3. The graphical user interface of claim 1, wherein:

the selectable divet is color coded according to a color code indicative of corresponding actionable states.

4. The graphical user interface of claim 1, comprising:

a contextual menu displayed proximate to the visualization object, the contextual menu comprising one or more menu options related to the visualization object;

wherein the contextual menu is generated in response to receiving a selection of the selectable divet.

5. The graphical user interface of claim 1, comprising:

one or more highlight indicators displayed to highlight one or more corresponding visualization objects.

6. The graphical user interface of claim 5, wherein:

the one or more highlight indicators are generated in response to type input data, the type input data corresponding to textual descriptions of each of the visualization objects having corresponding highlight indicators.

7. The graphical user interface of claim 6, wherein:

the one or more highlight indicators are adjusted in response to the type input data so that only visualization objects having textual descriptions defined by the type input data are highlighted.

8. The graphical user interface of claim 1, comprising:

a plurality of visualization objects displayed on the desktop; and

a corresponding stack item displayed within the visualization object receptacle and operatively associated with the plurality of visualization objects.

9. The graphical user interface of claim 8, wherein:

the operative association comprises a first state in which the plurality of visualization objects are displayed on the desktop and a second state in which the plurality of visualization objects are represented in the correspond stack item.

10. The graphical user interface of claim 9, wherein:

the first state and the second state are toggle states.

11. The graphical user interface of claim 10, wherein:

the plurality of desktop items comprise representations of peripherals.

12. The graphical user interface of claim 1, comprising:

a stack item displayed within the visualization object receptacle and operatively associated with representations of system objects.

13. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein:

the system objects comprise download operations.

14. The graphical user interface of claim 12, wherein:

the system objects comprises active applications.

15. A method, comprising:

generating an icon receptacle disposed in a three-dimensional interface;

generating one or more icons disposed within the icon receptacle;

identifying an actionable state associated with one of the icons; and

generating a selectable divet displayed proximate to the icon to indicate an actionable state associated with the icon.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

generating the selectable divet comprises generating a floating orb.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising:

color coding the floating orb based on the actionable state.

18. The method of claim 15, comprising:

receiving a selection of the selectable divet;

generating a contextual menu proximate to the icon in response to receiving the selection of the selectable divet, the contextual menu comprising one or more menu options related to the icon.

19. A computer readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to generate a graphical user interface on a display device, the graphical user interface comprising:

a desktop;

a visualization object receptacle defining a depth aspect;

one or more visualization objects disposed within the visualization object receptacle; and

a selectable divet displayed proximate to a visualization object to indicate an actionable state associated with a system object represented by the visualization object.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

the selectable divet is color coded to indicate corresponding actionable states.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the computer readable medium storing further instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to generate the graphical user interface comprising:

a contextual menu displayed proximate to the visualization object, the contextual menu comprising one or more menu options related to the visualization object;

wherein the contextual menu is generated in response to receiving a selection of the selectable divet.