Dynamic Graphical Interface Shadows

• US 20130135309A1
• Filed: 11/29/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: King, Nicholas V., Kerr, Duncan Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,324,183 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/426
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/60 Shadow generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]

Abstract

Dynamic window and cursor shadows are described. In some implementations, graphical user interface display objects can be configured with elevation offset information to give the display objects a three-dimensional surface that can have pixels of varying height. In some implementations, shadows that are rendered upon display objects configured with pixel elevation offset information can be adjusted to reflect the three-dimensional surface of the objects thereby better approximating real-life shadows. In some implementations, shadows can be dynamically rendered in real-time and adjusted according to the elevations of display objects onto which they are cast.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining an elevation value for a first graphical user interface element, where the elevation value corresponds to a distance along an axis perpendicular to a graphical user interface display;

obtaining elevation offset values for pixels of the first graphical user interface element;

generating a shadow associated with a second graphical user interface element based on the determined elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

displaying the first graphical user interface element and the shadow.

2. The method of claim 1, where the first graphical user interface element is a window of an operating system.

3. The method of claim 1, where the first graphical user interface element is an icon.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a size of the shadow based on the elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined size.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an opacity of the shadow based on the elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined opacity.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a blur radius for the shadow based on the elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined blur radius.

7. A method comprising:

displaying, in an graphical user interface editor, a graphical user interface;

receiving user input specifying pixel elevation offset values for pixels of the graphical user interface; and

storing the pixel elevation offset values.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

displaying an elevation map of the graphical user interface, where each pixel of the elevation map has an intensity value that represents the elevation offset of a corresponding pixel of the graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving input indicating an intensity value for one or more pixels of the elevation map;

adjusting the intensity values of the elevation map pixels based on the received intensity value;

adjusting the elevation offset of corresponding graphical user interface pixels based on the received intensity value; and

adjusting the display of the elevation map based on the received intensity values.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

determining an elevation value for a first graphical user interface element, where the elevation value corresponds to a distance along an axis perpendicular to a graphical user interface display;

obtaining elevation offset values for pixels of the first graphical user interface element;

generating a shadow associated with a second graphical user interface element based on the determined elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

displaying the first graphical user interface element and the shadow.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the first graphical user interface element is a window of an operating system.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the first graphical user interface element is an icon.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the instructions cause:

determining a size of the shadow based on the elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined size.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the instructions cause:

determining an opacity of the shadow based on the elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined opacity.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, where the instructions cause:

determining a blur radius for the shadow based on the elevation value and the ured elevation offset values; and

generating the shadow based on the determined blur radius.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes:

displaying, in an graphical user interface editor, a graphical user interface;

receiving user input specifying pixel elevation offset values for pixels of the graphical user interface; and

storing the pixel elevation offset values.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, where the instructions cause:

displaying an elevation map of the graphical user interface, where each pixel of the elevation map has an intensity value that represents the elevation offset of a corresponding pixel of the graphical user interface.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, where the instructions cause:

receiving input indicating an intensity value for one or more pixels of the elevation map;

adjusting the intensity values of the elevation map pixels based on the received intensity value;

adjusting the elevation offset of corresponding graphical user interface pixels based on the received intensity value; and

adjusting the display of the elevation map based on the received intensity values.

19. A method comprising:

receiving touch input to a touch interface of a computing device;

determining an area of the touch interface associated with the touch input;

determining an elevation value for a first graphical user interface element, where the elevation value corresponds to a distance along an axis perpendicular to a graphical user interface display;

obtaining elevation offset values for pixels of the first graphical user interface element;

generating a shadow associated with the touch input based on the area, the determined elevation value and the elevation offset values; and

displaying the first graphical user interface element and the shadow.