TOUCH SCREEN FOLDER CONTROL

• US 20130239059A1
• Filed: 07/27/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Acer, Inc.
• Inventors: Lin, Chih-Hsiang, Lin, Shao-Chieh, Feng, Chia-Hui, Tsai, Ching-Sheng, Chen, Ting-Pang, Liu, Yi-Hsun
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Techniques are provided for manipulating folder and file icons on a screen of an electronic device. A folder icon representing a folder is displayed on a screen, in a first mode, at a first location on the screen. The folder may contain a plurality of individual files and the folder icon is configured to indicate the plurality of individual files. An activation event is detected comprising a movement from the first location on the screen to a second location on the screen. In response to detecting the activation event, the folder icon is displayed on the screen along with icons representing the individual files on the screen. The screen may display the icons of the individual files as fanning out from the folder icon and/or may display the icons of the individual files entirely outside of the folder icon.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying on a screen, in a first mode, a folder icon at a first location on the screen, the folder icon being indicative of a folder containing a plurality of individual files;

detecting an activation event comprising movement from the first location on the screen to a second location on the screen; and

in response to detecting the activation event, displaying on the screen the folder icon along with icons representing the individual files on the screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the folder icon along with the icons representing the individual files comprises displaying, in a fan-out mode, the folder icon along with the icons of the individual files such that the icons of the individual files are fanned out from the folder icon across the screen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the folder icon along with the icons representing the individual files comprises displaying, in an expanded mode, the folder icon along with the icons of the individual files such that the icons of the individual files are displayed entirely outside of the folder icon.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the folder icon in the first mode comprises displaying a plurality of other folder icons in the first mode.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the screen is a touch screen and wherein detecting comprises detecting a touch on the touch screen.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising calculating a shrink value based on the movement.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein calculating the shrink value comprises calculating the shrink value based on at least one of a distance, speed and time of the movement from the first location on the screen to the second location on the screen.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising adjusting appearance of the icons of the individual files based on the shrink value such that for selected shrink values, the icons of the individual files appear larger and occupy greater area on the screen when compared to other shrink values.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of individual files comprise one or more of:

picture files, audio files, video files and document files.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the folder icon at the first location comprises displaying the folder icon in a shrink mode.

11. One or more computer-readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed, are operable to:

display on a screen, in a first mode, a folder icon at a first location on the screen, the folder icon being indicative of a folder containing a plurality of individual files;

detect an activation event comprising movement from the first location on the screen to a second location on the screen; and

display on the screen the folder icon along with icons representing the individual files on the screen in response to detecting the activation event.

12. The computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to display the folder icon along with the icons representing the individual files comprise displaying, in a fan-out mode, the folder icon along with icons of the individual files such that icons of the individual files are fanned out from the folder icon across the screen.

13. The computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to display the folder icon along with the icons representing the individual files comprise displaying in an expanded mode, the folder icon along with icons of the individual files such that the icons of the individual files are displayed entirely outside of the folder icon.

14. The computer readable storage media of claim 11, further comprising instructions operable to calculate a shrink value based on the movement.

15. The computer readable storage media of claim 14, wherein the instructions operable to calculate comprise instructions operable to calculate the shrink value based on at least one of distance, speed and time of the movement from the first location on the screen to the second location on the screen.

16. The computer readable storage media of claim 14, further comprising instructions operable to adjust the appearance of the icons of the individual files based on the shrink value such that for selected shrink values, the icons of the individual files appear larger and occupy greater area on the screen when compared to other shrink values.

17. The computer readable storage media of claim 11, wherein the instructions operable to display the folder icon at the first location comprise instructions operable to display the folder icon in a shrink mode.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

an interface unit;

a screen; and

a processor coupled to the interface unit and the screen and configured to;

display on a screen, in a first mode, a folder icon at a first location on the screen, the folder icon being indicative of a folder containing a plurality of individual files;

detect an activation event comprising movement from the first location on the screen to a second location on the screen; and

display on the screen the folder icon along with icons representing the individual files on the screen in response to detecting the activation event

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to display, in a fan-out mode, the folder icon along with icons of the individual files such that icons of the individual files are fanned out from the folder icon across the screen.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to display, in an expanded mode, the folder icon along with icons of the individual files such that the icons of the individual files are displayed entirely outside of the folder icon.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a shrink value based on the movement, wherein the shrink value is calculated based on at least one of a distance, speed and time of the movement from the first location on the screen to the second location on the screen.