METHODS, APPARATUSES AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCTS FOR MANAGING DIFFERENT VISUAL VARIANTS OF OBJECTS VIA USER INTERFACES

• US 20140344735A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Wei, Yan, Qifeng, Zhou, Feng, Cheng, Qian
• Application Number:
  US14/365,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20140344735A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An apparatus for providing a user-friendly and reliable manner for managing different visual variants of objects via a user interface may include a processor and memory storing executable computer program code that cause the apparatus to at least perform operations including positioning a generated merging area, including one or more items of visible indicia corresponding to shortcuts to respective applications at a first area of a screen of a user interface. The computer program code may further cause the apparatus to change an item of visual indicia associated with an application to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to detecting movement of the item of visual indicia from a second area of the user interface to a location of an item of visible indicia of the merging area. Corresponding methods and computer program products are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

positioning a generated merging area, comprising one or more items of visible indicia corresponding to shortcuts to respective applications, at a first area of a screen of a user interface; and

changing, via a processor, an item of visual indicia associated with an application to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to detecting movement of the item of visual indicia from a second area of the user interface to a location of an item of visible indicia of the merging area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

linking the transformed item of visible indicia to the application.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

replacing the item of visible indicia of the merging area with the transformed item of visible indicia at the location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the item of visual indicia comprises a different type of visible data than a type of visible data of the transformed item of visible indicia.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

changing the replaced item of visible indicia to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to moving the replaced item of visible indicia to the second area.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

linking a corresponding application associated with the replaced item of visible indicia to the transformed item of visible indicia.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

enabling display of the transformed item of visual indicia which depicts one or more functions performed based in part in response to execution of the corresponding application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

arranging the merging area in a plurality of screens of the user interface to maintain continuity of the merging area in the screen and the plurality of screens.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the item of visual indicia comprises a widget and the transformed item of visible indicia comprises an icon.

10. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following;

position a generated merging area, comprising one or more items of visible indicia corresponding to shortcuts to respective applications, at a first area of a screen of a user interface; and

change an item of visual indicia associated with an application to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to detecting movement of the item of visual indicia from a second area of the user interface to a location of an item of visible indicia of the merging area.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

link the transformed item of visible indicia to the application.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

replace the item of visible indicia of the merging area with the transformed item of visible indicia at the location.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item of visual indicia comprises a different type of visible data than a type of visible data of the transformed item of visible indicia.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

change the replaced item of visible indicia to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to moving the replaced item of visible indicia to the second area.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

link a corresponding application associated with the replaced item of visible indicia to the transformed item of visible indicia.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

enable display of the transformed item of visual indicia which depicts one or more functions performed based in part in response to execution of the corresponding application.

17. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to:

arrange the merging area in a plurality of screens of the user interface to maintain continuity of the merging area in the screen and the plurality of screens.

18. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the item of visual indicia comprises a widget and the transformed item of visible indicia comprises an icon.

19. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising:

program code instructions configured to position a generated merging area, comprising one or more items of visible indicia corresponding to shortcuts to respective applications, at a first area of a screen of a user interface; and

program code instructions configured to change an item of visual indicia associated with an application to a transformed item of visible indicia in response to detecting movement of the item of visual indicia from a second area of the user interface to a location of an item of visible indicia of the merging area.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to link the transformed item of visible indicia to the application.

21. The computer program product of claim 19, further comprising:

program code instructions configured to replace the item of visible indicia of the merging area with the transformed item of visible indicia at the location.