USER-RESIZABLE ICONS

• US 20130305187A1
• Filed: 05/09/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Phillips, Joshua, Glein, Christopher A., Manlapaz, Rhon
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/36 by graphic or iconic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/04817 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 5/012 in floating-point computations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/30032 Movement instructions, e.g. MOVE, SHIFT, ROTATE, SHUFFLE

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer media for resizing icons displayed in a user interface are provided. Icons in a display can be resized by a user interacting with the icon itself. A user interaction with an icon can cause an icon resizing mode to be entered. Additional user interaction with the icon can then cause the icon to be resized. The display in which an icon is located can be rearranged as a result of the icon being resized.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of adjusting a display, the method comprising:

receiving a first user interaction with an icon having a first size;

entering an icon resizing mode in response to the first user interaction; and

resizing the icon to a second size in response to a second user interaction with the icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a user interaction comprises at least one of:

touch input, including stylus input;

mouse or other pointing device input, including clicking and hovering;

or other user-directed input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second user interactions are touch input on a touch screen of a mobile phone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein entering the icon resizing mode comprises presenting a resizing control integrated into the icon.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second user interaction with the icon is a user selection of the integrated resizing control.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the integrated resizing control is smaller than the icon.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interaction is a touch selection sustained for a duration in excess of a pre-determined threshold duration.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising while still in the icon resizing mode, resizing the icon to a third size in response to a third user interaction, wherein the third size is different from the first size and the second size.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining there is a collision between the resized icon and one or more additional icons in the display, wherein a collision is encroachment of one icon into the display space occupied by another icon; and

rearranging the display to resolve the collision.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein rearranging the display comprises at least one of:

moving one or more of the additional icons into an available display space; and

creating a new row in the display and moving one or more of the additional icons up or down.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second size is smaller than the first size and further comprising rearranging the display by removing at least one available display row or at least one available display space created by the resizing.

12. One or more computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, perform a method of adjusting a display, the method comprising:

receiving a user interaction with an icon having a first size;

presenting a resizing control integrated into the icon;

receiving a first user interaction with the integrated resizing control;

resizing the icon to a second size in response to the first user interaction with the integrated resizing control; and

rearranging the display as a result of the resizing.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the display has a predefined set of icon sizes in a size order, and where additional user interactions with the integrated resizing control received after the first received user interaction resize the icon to a size in the set according to the size order.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined set of icon sizes comprises three sizes.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the predefined set of icon sizes includes a size having a unit area, and wherein the other icon sizes in the set have areas that are approximately integer multiples of the unit area.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the user interactions are touch input on a touch screen of a mobile device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein when the icon is resized, additional icons or other items in the display are not resized.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

wherein rearranging the display comprises resolving a collision between the resized icon and one or more additional icons in the display by at least one of;

moving one or more of the additional icons into an available display space; and

creating a new row in the display and moving one or more of the additional icons up or down, wherein a collision is encroachment of one icon into the display space occupied by another icon.

19. A method of adjusting a display on a touchscreen device, the method comprising:

resizing an icon in the display from a first size to a second size in response to a user interaction with the icon;

if the second size is larger than the first size;

determining whether there is a collision between the resized icon and one or more additional icons in the display, a collision being an encroachment of the resized icon into the display space occupied by another icon;

upon determining there is a collision, rearranging the display by at least one of;

moving one or more of the additional icons into an available display space, and

creating a new row in the display and moving one or more of the additional icons up or down; and

if the second size is smaller than the first size;

determining whether the resizing created an available display row or an available display space; and

upon determining an available display row or an available display space was created, rearranging the display by removing at least one of the available display row or the available display space.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the icon comprises an integrated resizing control, and wherein the user interaction with the icon is a user selection of the resizing control.