Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Manipulating User Interface Objects

• US 20110074710A1
• Filed: 04/27/2010
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Marr, Jason Robert, Leffert, Akiva Dov, Weeldreyer, Christopher Douglas, Rapp, Peter William, Capela, Jay Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,766,928 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method is performed at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: displaying a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level. The first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects. The application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture. The method also includes: detecting a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and, in response: when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, displaying the second user interface simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

Claims

1. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level, wherein;

the first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects; and

the application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture;

detecting a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first multi-finger pinch gesture;

when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, displaying the second user interface simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and

when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture comprises demagnifying the first user interface to a variable magnification level within the range of magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the application has a set of predefined magnification levels; and

zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture comprises demagnifying the first user interface to a respective magnification level in the set of predefined magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the application has a set of predefined magnification levels; and

zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture comprises;

when a velocity of the first multi-finger pinch gesture is less than a predefined gesture velocity threshold, demagnifying the first user interface to a variable magnification level within the range of magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture; and

,

when the velocity of the first multi-finger pinch gesture is greater than the predefined gesture velocity threshold, demagnifying the first user interface to a respective magnification level in the set of predefined magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second user interface at least partly overlaps the first user interface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the second user interface is at least partly transparent.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is in an electronic document authoring application and the second user interface is a navigation pane for the electronic document authoring application.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is in an electronic document authoring application and the second user interface is a document properties pane for the electronic document authoring application.

9. The device of claim 1, further comprising instructions for, while displaying the second user interface:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first user interface; and

,

in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the first user interface, ceasing to display the second user interface.

10. The device of claim 1, further comprising instructions for, while displaying the second user interface:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the second user interface; and

,

in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the second user interface, ceasing to display the second user interface.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the second user interface is a tap gesture.

12. The device of claim 1, further comprising instructions for:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the second user interface; and

,

in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the second user interface, scrolling at least a portion of the second user interface.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the second user interface is a swipe gesture.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface is in an electronic document authoring application and the second user interface is an object palette that includes a plurality of objects, further comprising instructions for:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to an object in the object palette; and

,

in response to detecting the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the object in the object palette, inserting the object into the first user interface.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the gesture on the touch-sensitive surface at the location that corresponds to the object in the object palette is a tap and drag gesture.

16. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface;

displaying a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level, wherein;

the first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects; and

the application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture;

detecting a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first multi-finger pinch gesture;

when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, displaying the second user interface simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and

when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture comprises demagnifying the first user interface to a variable magnification level within the range of magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

18. A computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:

display a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level, wherein;

the first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects; and

the application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture;

detect a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first multi-finger pinch gesture;

when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, display the second user interface simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and

when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, zoom out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein zooming out the first user interface in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture comprises demagnifying the first user interface to a variable magnification level within the range of magnification levels in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.

20. A graphical user interface on a multifunction device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

a first user interface for an application at a first magnification level;

wherein;

the first user interface includes a first plurality of user interface objects;

the application has a range of magnification levels, including a predefined magnification level for requesting a second user interface with a multi-finger pinch gesture; and

,

in response to detecting a first multi-finger pinch gesture on the touch-sensitive surface;

when the first magnification level is the predefined magnification level, the second user interface is displayed simultaneously with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface includes a second plurality of user interface objects that are distinct from the first plurality of user interface objects in the first user interface; and

when the first magnification level is greater than the predefined magnification level, the first user interface is zoomed out in accordance with the first multi-finger pinch gesture.