User Interface for Electronic Backup

• US 20080307345A1
• Filed: 06/08/2007
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hart, David, Matas, Mike, Cisler, Pavel, Tiene, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1448 Management of the data involved in backup or backup restore
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1469 Backup restoration techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/84 Using snapshots, i.e. a logical point-in-time copy of the data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for storing and restoring digital data. A method includes receiving, a first user input requesting that a backup interface be displayed, displaying the backup interface, the backup interface including a display area for presenting at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of a current view and a visual representation of the current view, the earlier version including a first element, receiving, while the backup interface is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view be modified according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element, animating the modification of the first element as moving from the visual representation of the earlier version to the visual representation of the current view, and modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, while a current view is displayed in a user interface, a first user input requesting that a backup interface be displayed;

displaying the backup interface, the backup interface including a display area for presenting at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view and a visual representation of the current view, the earlier version including a first element;

receiving, while the backup interface is displayed, a second user input requesting that the current view be modified according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element;

animating the modification of the first element as moving from the visual representation of the earlier version to the visual representation of the current view; and

modifying, in response to the second user input, the current view according to the earlier version, at least with regard to the first element.

2. The method of claim 1, where animating the modification further comprises:

lifting a copy of the first element from the visual representation of the earlier version;

maintaining the position of the copy of the first element while animating the visual representations such that the visual representation of the earlier version falls away and the visual representation of the current view is presented; and

adding the copy of the first element to the visual representation of the current view.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying the current view in the user interface, where the current view includes the modification of the first element.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, while a current view is displayed in a user interface, a first user input requesting that a backup interface be displayed; and

displaying the backup interface, the backup interface including a display area for presenting at least a first visual representation of an earlier version of the current view and a visual representation of the current view, the backup interface further including a timeline, where the timeline represents a plurality of visual representations of earlier versions of the current view.

5. The method of claim 4, where displaying the backup interface includes displaying a timeline including a vertical column of tick marks.

6. The method of claim 4, where the timeline is a condensed timeline that includes a plurality of condensed tick marks, where each condensed tick mark represents multiple individual tick marks.

7. The method of claim 6, where the timeline animates in response to a user input.

8. The method of claim 7, where the animation is based on a cursor position.

9. The method of claim 8, where the animation further comprises:

determining an identified tick mark, the identified tick mark having a shortest distance from a cursor position; and

expanding the timeline to display individual tick marks relative to the identified tick mark.

10. The method of claim 9, where displaying the individual tick marks includes magnifying the identified tick mark.

11. The method of claim 9, where a date is displayed corresponding to the earlier version of the current view represented by the identified tick mark.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining that the cursor position has moved;

determining a next identified tick mark relative to the cursor position; and

magnifying the next identified tick mark.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving an input selecting the identified tick mark;

displaying the visual representation of an earlier version of the current view corresponding to the identified tick mark; and

compressing the timeline to the condensed timeline.

14. A method comprising;

displaying a backup interface in a user interface, the backup interface including a display area for presenting a plurality of visual representations of an earlier version of the current view and a visual representation of the current view; and

displaying a timeline, the timeline including a series of steps and including one or more compressed portions and an expanded portion where each step in a compressed portion is associated with one or more earlier versions of the current view, and each step in an expanded portion is associated with only a single earlier version of the current view or the current view.

15. The method of claim 14 where each step has a visible representation in the timeline and includes a tick mark.

16. The method of claim 15 where a tick mark associated with a compressed portion of the time line is larger than a tick mark associated with an expanded portion of the timeline.