Single-Handed Approach for Navigation of Application Tiles Using Panning and Zooming

• US 20120174025A1
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Zumobi Incorporated (Aclate, Inc.)
• Inventors: SanGiovanni, John, Robbins, Daniel C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,411,505 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/783
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites

Abstract

Unique interactive systems and methods that facilitate single-handed navigation and interaction with applications within a display space on any type of mobile computing device are provided. Embodiments include or employ scalable application tiles corresponding to applications, whereby the application tiles can provide or indicate the current state of the corresponding application. State information provided in each tile can vary as well depending on the current size of the tile. Tiles can be arranged into a plurality of zones such that a user can view one zone at a time and obtain context and information from the application tiles in that zone rather than working with all tiles and all zones simultaneously. The view of the display space can be of the world or all application tiles, zone, or application. Panning and zooming among the zones, application tiles and/or views can also be performed.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A computing device having code executed by a processor of said device, which when executed configures the computing device to:

present a tile-based user interface having a plurality of zones, each zone configured to display a plurality of application tiles; and

facilitate navigation from a first displayed zone of said plurality of zones to a second zone of said plurality of zones, said second zone spatially adjacent to said first displayed zone, wherein said navigating is accomplished while displaying content within said first and second zones in a smooth transition between adjacent zone.

22. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said facilitating navigation includes receiving a horizontal movement command and navigating between said first and second zone horizontally.

23. The computing device of claim 22 wherein said horizontal movement command comprises a single-handed user panning indication.

24. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said facilitating navigation includes receiving a vertical movement command and navigating between said first and second zone vertically.

25. The computing device of claim 24 wherein said horizontal movement command comprises a single-handed user panning indication.

27. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said code, when executed, further configures the device to present a transitional view between said first and second zones thereby providing a smooth shift in view between said first and second zones.

28. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said code, when executed, further configures the device to snap to the center of one of said first and second zones, thereby preventing the transition from being caught between zones.

29. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said device is a mobile device.

30. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said code, when executed, further configures the device to display said plurality of zones in a world view upon receiving a single handed interaction command from a user.

31. The computing device of claim 21 wherein said facilitating navigation includes receiving either a horizontal movement command or a vertical movement command and navigating between said first and second zones either horizontally or vertically, respectively.

32. A navigation method for allowing a user to interact with applications in a tile-based environment on a computing device, said method comprising:

arranging a plurality of individual zones, each of said zones configured to include a plurality of application tiles; and

configuring said zones to be navigated therebetween upon receiving an indication from a user'"'"'s hand, such that upon receiving a horizontal indication from said user, a first displayed zone transitions horizontally to a second displayed zone.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising configuring the device to snap to the center of one of said first and second zones, thereby preventing the transition from being caught between zones.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising configuring said zones to be navigated therebetween upon receiving an indication from a user'"'"'s hand such that upon receiving a vertical indication from a user, a first displayed zone transitions vertically to a second zone.

35. The method of claim 32 configuring said navigation such that upon receiving a single handed interaction command from a user, said plurality of individual zones are displayed simultaneously in a world view.

36. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

configuring said zone to be navigated therebetween upon receiving an indication from a user'"'"'s hand, such that upon receiving a vertical indication from said user, a first displayed zone transitions vertically to a second displayed zone.

37. A computing device comprising a screen displaying a display space, a processor executing instructions, and memory storing said instructions, said memory comprising:

code, when executed by said processor, to display a plurality of tiles on said display space, said tiles grouped into a plurality of zones;

code, when executed by said processor, to facilitate navigation between a first displayed zone of said plurality of zones and a second zone of said plurality of zones after receiving a single handed user command; and

code, when executed by said processor, to snap to the center of one of said first displayed zone and second zone upon receiving a partial single handed user command, thereby preventing the transition from being caught between zones.

38. The computing device of claim 37 wherein said code to facilitate navigation between a first displayed zone of said plurality of zones and a second zone of said plurality of zones further comprises code to display the transition between zones in a smooth manner.

39. The computing device of claim 37 wherein said code to facilitate navigation includes code for navigating between said first zone and second zone horizontally.

40. The computing device of claim 37 wherein said code to facilitate navigation includes code for navigating between said first zone and second zone vertically.

41. The computing device of claim 37 wherein said code to facilitate navigation includes code for navigating between said first zone and second zone diagonally.

42. The computing device of claim 37 further comprising code for receiving a single handed interaction command from a user and cause said plurality of individual zones to be displayed simultaneously in a world view.