Computer-Implemented Systems and Methods Providing User Interface Features for Editing Multi-Layer Images

• US 20120185768A1
• Filed: 01/14/2011
• Published: 07/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Dowd, Geoffrey
• Granted Patent: US 9,619,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04801 Cursor retrieval aid, i.e. visual aspect modification, blinking, colour changes, enlargement or other visual cues, for helping user do find the cursor in graphical user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04804 Transparency, e.g. transparent or translucent windows
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

One exemplary embodiment involves, on a computer device, displaying a graphical user interface for editing electronic content and displaying representations of a fixed number of layers available for use in the electronic content. Representation of ones of the layers that are not used are graphically distinguished from representations of ones of the layers that are used. In response to receiving input at the computer device, an editing feature for editing a layer of the electronic content is provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

displaying, on a computer device, a graphical user interface for editing electronic content;

displaying, on the computer device, representations of a fixed number of layers available for use in the electronic content, wherein representation of ones of the layers that are not used are graphically distinguished from representations of ones of the layers that are used; and

in response to receiving input at the computer device, providing an editing feature for editing a layer of the electronic content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein:

each representation of the ones of the layers that are used displays only a selectable thumbnail image representative of a corresponding layer of the electronic content; and

each representation of the ones of the layers that are not used displays a selectable indicator indicating that a respective layer is not used.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein relative positions of the representations of the fixed number of layers indicate an order, wherein a representation of a first layer positioned above a representation of a second layer indicates that the first layer is above the second layer in the electronic content.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the input comprises a touch-based input received on a touch-screen display of the computer device, the touch screen display displaying the representations of the fixed number of layers.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input selects a first representation representing a first layer of the layers that is not used, wherein in response to receiving the input, the first representation changes to indicate that the first layer is used.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input selects a first representation representing a first layer of the layers that is used and deletes the first layer, wherein in response to receiving the input, the first representation changes to indicate that the first layer is not used.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input comprises a gesture that selects a first representation representing a first layer and moves it to a new location relative to a second representation of a second layer such that there is a changed order of the representations displayed, wherein in response to receiving the input, an order of the layers of the electronic content is changed based on the changed order of the representations.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input comprises a gesture that selects a first representation representing a first layer and moves it to a new location relative to a second representation of a second layer, wherein in response to receiving the input:

the first layer is merged into the second layer; and

the first representation changes to indicate that the first layer is not used.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input comprises a gesture that selects three or more representations to merge, wherein in response to receiving the input the three or more layers are merged in to a single layer represented by a single one of the representations.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the gesture results in merging of all of the layers of the electronic content.

11. The method of claim 4 wherein the touch-based input comprises a gesture that selects a first representation representing a first layer, wherein in response to receiving the input a menu of expanded layer options is displayed.

12. The method of claim 4 wherein menus of expanded layer options are displayed simultaneously for multiple layers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein a representation a first layer that is used displays only a portion of the first layer, wherein a transparent portion of the first layer is not displayed as part of the representation of the first layer.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the fixed number of layers is fixed based on a type of the computing device upon which a software application providing the graphical user interface has been installed, wherein, when the software application is installed on a second computing device of a different type, the fixed number of layers is different, wherein a same set of layer constructions is used to provide the software application on computer device and the second computer device.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the editing feature comprises a feature for identifying a layer, wherein, while the input is received, an indicator cycles through selecting individual ones of the representations, wherein while a first representation is selected as the indicator cycles, a corresponding feature of a layer represented by the first representation is highlighted.

16. A system comprising:

a touch screen; and

a processor for executing instructions stored in computer-readable medium on one or more devices providing an application for editing electronic content,

the application comprises;

a module for causing the touch screen to display representations of a fixed number of layers available for use in the electronic content, wherein representation of ones of the layers that are not used are graphically distinguished from representations of ones of the layers that are used, wherein each representation of the ones of the layers that are used displays only a selectable thumbnail image representative of a corresponding layer of the electronic content and each representation of the ones of the layers that are not used displays a selectable indicator indicating that a respective layer is not used; and

a module for responding to input received via the touch screen to provide an editing feature for editing a layer of the electronic content.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the module for causing the touch screen to display the representations determines relative positions of the representations of the fixed number of layers to indicate an order, wherein a representation of a first layer positioned above a representation of a second layer indicates that the first layer is above the second layer in the electronic content.

18. The system of claim 16 wherein module for responding to input received via the touch screen is configured to receive the touch-based input as a gesture that selects a first representation representing a first layer and moves it to a new location relative to a second representation of a second layer, wherein in response to receiving the input the module for responding to input received via the touch screen is configured to:

merge the first layer into the second layer; and

change the first representation to indicate that the first layer is not used.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein a diagonally-measured screen size of the touch screen is within a range of 5 inches to 9 inches, inclusive.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:

program code for displaying, on a computer device, a graphical user interface for editing electronic content;

program code for displaying, on the computer device, representations of a fixed number of layers available for use in the electronic content, wherein representation of ones of the layers that are not used are graphically distinguished from representations of ones of the layers that are used; and

program code for, in response to receiving input at the computer device, providing an editing feature for editing a layer of the electronic content.