Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Managing Folders

• US 20110252350A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran
• Granted Patent: US 8,458,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/769
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A multifunction device displays a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display. In response to detecting the first input, the device moves a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects. In response to detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, the device creates a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

Claims

1. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

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 folder icon over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

detecting a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder; and

in response to detecting the first input;

dividing the wallpaper background into a first portion and a second portion;

moving the second portion away from the first portion; and

displaying content of the folder in an area between the first portion and the second portion.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the multifunction device is in a normal operation mode when the first input is detected, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a second input that corresponds to activation of a respective selectable user interface object in the folder; and

,

in response to detecting the second input, performing an operation associated with the respective selectable user interface object.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the multifunction device is in a user interface reconfiguration mode when the first input is detected, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a second input that corresponds to a request to move a respective selectable user interface object within the folder; and

in response to detecting the second input, moving the respective selectable user interface object within the folder.

4. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

prior to detecting the first input, displaying one or more additional selectable user interface objects, wherein the one or more additional selectable user interface objects include;

a first set of additional selectable user interface objects that have predefined locations on the first portion of the wallpaper background; and

a second set of additional selectable user interface objects that have predefined locations on the second portion of the wallpaper background; and

moving the first portion away from the second portion includes moving the first set of additional selectable user interface objects in accordance with movement of the first portion of the wallpaper background and moving the second set of additional selectable user interface objects in accordance with movement of the second portion of the wallpaper background.

5. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

prior to detecting the first input, displaying one or more additional selectable user interface objects; and

,

in response to detecting the first input, visually distinguishing the folder icon from the one or more additional selectable user interface objects.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the folder icon is displayed within the first portion of the wallpaper, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

when the folder icon is one of a plurality of selectable user interface objects in a dock area of the display, the first portion includes the dock area of the display; and

when the folder icon is one of a plurality of selectable user interface objects outside of the dock area of the display, the second portion includes the dock area of the display.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein, a size of the area between the first portion and the second portion is determined based on a number of selectable user interface objects within the folder.

8. The device of claim 1, including, while displaying content of the folder in the area between the first portion and the second portion:

detecting an input that corresponds to selection of the first portion or the second portion;

in response to detecting the input, ceasing to display the content of the folder.

9. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

entering a user interface reconfiguration mode; and

,

while displaying content of the folder in the area between the first portion and the second portion;

detecting an input that corresponds to a request to move a respective selectable user interface object from the area between the first portion and the second portion into the first portion or the second portion;

in response to detecting the input, removing the respective selectable user interface object from the folder.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein:

dividing the wallpaper background includes dividing the wallpaper along a dividing line so that a contour of a first edge of the first portion is complementary to a contour of a second edge of the second portion; and

moving the second portion away from the first portion includes adjusting the contour of the first edge and/or adjusting the contour of the second edge so that the contour of the first edge ceases to be complementary to the contour of the second edge.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein:

the folder icon is displayed within the first portion of the wallpaper; and

the contour of the first edge includes a cut-out shape was defined by the dividing line, wherein the cut-out shape provides a visual indication of a location of the folder icon within the first portion.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the content of the folder is displayed in the area between the first portion and the second portion, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a next-portion input that corresponds to a request to display a second portion of the content of the folder; and

in response to detecting the next-portion input, displaying the second portion of the content of the folder in the area between the first portion and the second portion.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein a first portion of the content of the folder is displayed in the area between the first portion and the second portion, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a scrolling input that corresponds to a request to scroll the content of the folder; and

in response to detecting the scrolling input, scrolling the content of the folder laterally on the display in the area between the first portion and the second portion so as to display as second portion of the content.

14. A method comprising:

at a multifunction device with a display;

displaying a folder icon over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

detecting a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder; and

in response to detecting the first input;

dividing the wallpaper background into a first portion and a second portion;

moving the second portion away from the first portion; and

displaying content of the folder in an area between the first portion and the second portion.

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

a folder icon displayed over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

wherein;

a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder is detected; and

in response to detecting the first input;

the wallpaper background is divided into a first portion and a second portion;

the second portion is moved away from the first portion; and

content of the folder is displayed in an area between the first portion and the second portion.

16. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a display, cause the device to:

display a folder icon over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

detect a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder; and

in response to detecting the first input;

divide the wallpaper background into a first portion and a second portion;

move the second portion away from the first portion; and

display content of the folder in an area between the first portion and the second portion.

17. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a folder icon over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

means for detecting a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder; and

means, responsive to detecting the first input for;

dividing the wallpaper background into a first portion and a second portion;

moving the second portion away from the first portion; and

displaying content of the folder in an area between the first portion and the second portion.

18. An information processing apparatus for use in a multifunction device with a display, comprising:

means for displaying a folder icon over a wallpaper background on the display, the folder icon corresponding to a folder that contains content, the content including one or more selectable user interface objects;

means for detecting a first input that corresponds to a request to display content of the folder; and

means, responsive to detecting the first input for;

dividing the wallpaper background into a first portion and a second portion;

moving the second portion away from the first portion; and

displaying content of the folder in an area between the first portion and the second portion.