METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RESTRICTING USER OPERATIONS WHEN APPLIED TO CARDS OR WINDOWS

• US 20140298221A1
• Filed: 12/21/2011
• Published: 10/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Locket IP LLC (IP Edge LLC)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Rudman, Kenneth Alan, Nadzakov, Vasil, Yoon, Andrew, Yeh, Roger, Badawiyeh, Basil, Pinvidic, Genevieve Marie, Forte, Dana Shawn, Diep, Dan Han, Ahmed, Samir M., Shartzer, Lee Douglas, Bishop, John Frederick, Tran, Hao Chi, Lee, Peter S., Walker, Mark Leroy, Pettigrew, David, Pickesrsgill, Jason Douglas, Gudorf, Gregory, Booth, James Earl
• Granted Patent: US 9,836,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs

Abstract

A user interface that displays a number of cards or windows is described where a user can move the cards in a horizontal direction freely. When a card resides in a locked zone, as defined by a user, the card will be able to be manipulated in a vertical direction, while cards that reside in a regular zone will not be able to be moved vertically. In addition, only cards that are in the locked zone can be subjected to a user action such as cutting content from the card, pasting content to the card, enlarging the contents of the card, or shrinking the contents of the card.

Claims

1. A method for displaying a user interface comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of cards for a display area;

allowing cards from the plurality of cards that reside in a locked zone to be moved in a vertical direction;

restricting cards from the plurality of cards that reside in a regular zone from being moved in a vertical direction; and

allowing all of the cards from the plurality of cards that reside in the display area to be moved in a horizontal direction.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of subjecting only the cards in the locked zone to a user action.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user action is at least one of:

cutting the cards'"'"' content, pasting content to the cards, enlarging the contents of the cards, and shrinking the contents of the cards.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising an additional step of determining which card from the plurality of cards reside in a locked zone, wherein the determining step includes at least one of:

determining whether the card completely resides in a locked zone, where part of the card resides in the locked zone, determining whether 50% of a card resides in the locked zone, and determining whether a predetermined amount of the card resides in the locked zone.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of:

allowing a card from the plurality of cards that previously resided in a regular zone, after being moved in a horizontal direction after a user command, which now occupies the locked zone to be moved in a vertical direction, while restricting a card from the plurality of cards that previously occupied the locked zone which now resides in the regular zone from being moved in a horizontal direction, after being moved horizontally after the same user command.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the locked zone is specified in response to a user command.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the locked zone occupies at least two areas in the display area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the regular zone occupies at least two areas in the display area.

9. A device for displaying a user interface comprising:

a means for generating a plurality of cards for a display area;

a means for allowing cards from the plurality of cards that reside in a locked zone to be moved in a vertical direction;

a means for restricting cards from the plurality of cards that reside in a regular zone from being moved in a vertical direction; and

a means for allowing all of the cards from the plurality of cards that reside in the display area to be moved in a horizontal direction.

10. A method for displaying a user interface comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of cards for a display area;

allowing cards from the plurality of cards that reside in a locked zone to be subjected to a user action; and

allowing all of the cards from the plurality of cards that reside in the display area to be moved in a horizontal direction.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user action is at least one of:

cutting the cards'"'"' content, pasting content to the cards, enlarging the contents of the cards, and shrinking the contents of the cards.

12. The method of claim 10 comprising an additional step of determining which card from the plurality of cards reside in a locked zone, wherein the determining step includes at least one of:

determining whether the card completely resides in a locked zone, where part of the card resides in the locked zone, determining whether 50% of a card resides in the locked zone, and determining whether a predetermined amount of the card resides in the locked zone.

13. The method of claim 10 comprising the additional steps of:

allowing a card from the plurality of cards that previously resided in a regular zone, after being moved in a horizontal direction after a user command, which now occupies the locked zone to be moved in a vertical direction, while restricting a card from the plurality of cards that previously occupied the locked zone which now resides in the regular zone from being moved in a horizontal direction, after being moved horizontally after the same user command.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the locked zone is specified in response to a user command.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the locked zone occupies at least two areas in the display area.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the regular zone occupies at least two areas in the display area.