Grouping Graphical Representations of Objects in a User Interface

• US 20080307359A1
• 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: Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven, Bumgarner, Timothy Wayne, Hynes, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US11/760,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20080307359A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

Graphical representations of distinct system objects are associated into a group. The group is displayed in a user interface as a graphical element having one or more views. The group can be collapsed into a stack and gestures can be applied to group. Operations are performed on the group in response to user inputs. A selection of the group causes a control to appear in a graphical use interface. The control identities the operations that can be applied to the group.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a selection of graphical representations of distinct system objects;

creating a group containing the graphical representations;

associating the graphical representations within the group by an operation; and

applying the operation to the group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the group containing the graphical representations comprises displaying a context-sensitive control element in response to receiving the selection.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying the group as a graphical element in a graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying the group within a view, wherein the view is one of a list view, an icon view, a thumbnail picture view, a content view, or an application view as the view.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising displaying graphical representations within the group as having distinct views.

6. The method of claim 3, comprising collapsing the group into a stack.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a selection of the group;

displaying an operation selection element; and

applying an operation selected from the operation selection element to the group.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising defining a sub-group within the group.

9. The method of claim 8, comprising:

receiving a selection of the sub-group; and

applying an operation to the sub-group.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the operation applied to the sub-group is a different than a group operation applied to the group.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the group of the graphical representations is performed within an application environment.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising embedding the group within an application document.

13. The method of claim 1, comprising creating the group as an empty group prior to placing the graphical representations of objects into the group,

14. A computer readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to:

receive a selection of graphical representations of objects;

associate the selection of graphical representations of objects into a group in accordance with an operation to be performed on the group; and

perform an operation on the group in response to a user input.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to display the group as a graphical element in a graphical user interface.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to display the group having one of a list view, an icon view, a thumbnail picture view, a content view, or an application view.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to display graphical representations within the group having distinct views.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to collapse the group into a stack.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to:

receive a selection of a sub-group within the group; and

apply a second operation to the sub-group.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein upon execution the instructions cause the processing device to create the group within an application environment.

21. A graphical user interface, comprising:

a group element including graphical representations of at least two distinct types of system objects; and

a control element associated with the group element, the control element including an operation that is performed on the group upon receipt of a user input.

22. The graphical user interface of claim 21, wherein the group element contains sub-group elements.

23. The graphical user interface of claim 21, wherein the group element is displayed as one of a list view, an icon view, a thumbnail picture view, a content view, or an application view.

24. The graphical user interface of claim 23, wherein the graphical representations within the group have distinct views.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 21, wherein the group element is displayed as a stack.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 21, wherein the group element is displayed within an application environment.