Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Managing Folders

• US 20110252375A1
• 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 8,881,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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 plurality of icons on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

detecting an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon;

changing a size of the activation region for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

in response to detecting the input, moving the first icon across the display away from the first location;

detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

in response to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, performing a first operation that is associated with the second icon; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, performing a second operation that is distinct from the first operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria includes detecting termination of the first input.

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

for one or more respective icons in the plurality of icons other than the first icon, changing a size of a respective activation region for a respective icon from a respective default size based on a distance from the first location to a respective location of the respective icon.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the first operation is an operation selected from the set consisting of;

creating a folder including the first icon and the second icon, and adding the first icon to a folder that is represented by the second icon; and

the second operation is an operation selected from the set consisting of;

rearranging the plurality of icons on the display so that the first icon is proximate to a location of the second icon on the display and returning the first icon to the first location on the display.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the size of the activation region of the second icon is also changed based at least in part on a type of the second icon.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein:

when the second icon is a folder icon, and the first operation is adding the first icon to the folder represented by the second icon, the activation region has a first size; and

when the second icon is an action icon, and the first operation is creating a folder including the first icon and the second icon, the activation region has a second size that is smaller than the first size.

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

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon for more than a predetermined period of time, displaying an indication of an action that will be performed when the input is terminated.

8. A method comprising:

at a multifunction device with a display;

displaying a plurality of icons on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

detecting an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon;

changing a size of the activation region for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

in response to detecting the input, moving the first icon across the display away from the first location;

detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

in response to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, performing a first operation that is associated with the second icon; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, performing a second operation that is distinct from the first operation.

9. 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 plurality of icons displayed on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

wherein;

an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon is detected;

a size of the activation region is changed for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

in response to detecting the input, the first icon is moved across the display away from the first location;

it is detected that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

in response to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, a first operation that is associated with the second icon is performed; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, a second operation that is distinct from the first operation is performed.

10. 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 plurality of icons on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

detect an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon;

change a size of the activation region for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

in response to detecting the input, move the first icon across the display away from the first location;

detect that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

in response to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, perform a first operation that is associated with the second icon; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, perform a second operation that is distinct from the first operation.

11. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a plurality of icons on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

means for detecting an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon;

means for changing a size of the activation region for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

means, responsive to detecting the input, for moving the first icon across the display away from the first location;

means for detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

means, responsive to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria, for;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, performing a first operation that is associated with the second icon; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, performing a second operation that is distinct from the first operation.

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

means for displaying a plurality of icons on the display, wherein;

a first icon in the plurality of icons is displayed at a first location on the display, and

a second icon in the plurality of icons, distinct from the first icon, has an activation region with a default size;

means for detecting an input that corresponds to a request to move the first icon;

means for changing a size of the activation region for the second icon from the default size based on a distance from the first location to a location of the second icon;

means, responsive to detecting the input, for moving the first icon across the display away from the first location;

means for detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria; and

,

means, responsive to detecting that the input meets predefined trigger criteria, for;

when the first icon is at least partly within the activation region of the second icon, performing a first operation that is associated with the second icon; and

when the first icon is outside of the activation region of the second icon, performing a second operation that is distinct from the first operation.