Intelligent scrolling

• US 7,479,971 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2006
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sullivan, John, Meier, John R., Mercer, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tung; Kee M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amini; Javid A
• Application Number:
  US11/648,348
• Publication Number:
  US 20070109326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 345/684, 345/157
• US Class Current: 345/684
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A method and apparatus for intelligent scrolling. In a computer system that has a user interface which allows for the movement of items from a first open window to a second open window or to a second region, such as a desktop, the present invention allows a user to select one or more items in the first window, move the selected item(s) to within a predetermined distance from an edge of the first window for a predetermined period of time and cause the viewable portion of the data and/or document within the first window to scroll in a corresponding direction.

Claims

1. A machine-readable storage medium having stored instructions to cause a machine to perform a machine-implemented method for controlling a display, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of an object displayed within a first region on said display;

receiving an input indicating a user positioning of said selected object at a predetermined scrolling area which is near an edge of the first region, wherein the predetermined scrolling area does not include selectable user inputs for scrolling said display in a first direction; and

scrolling in a first direction, in response to said input, displayed items within said first region,

wherein said first region is a directory, wherein the selected object is an item within the directory; and

determining that said selected object is no longer in said predetermined scrolling area; and

terminating said scrolling of said displayed items within said first region.

2. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said first region is within a hierarchy of regions.

3. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed while said selected object has been positioned in said predetermined scrolling area.

4. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 3, wherein said predetermined period of time is one-sixth of a second.

5. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said directory is within a hierarchical file system.

6. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said object includes text.

7. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said object is displayed within a list of items of said first region.

8. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein said list of items comprises items listed in a predetermined order.

9. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein said predetermined order is alphabetical.

10. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein a rate of scrolling of said displayed items within said first region is determined based on a location of said object within said predetermined scrolling area.

11. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of a data file, an executable code file, an icon, and a directory.

12. A machine-readable storage medium having stored instructions to cause a machine to perform a method controlling a display, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of an object displayed within a first region on said display;

receiving an input indicating a user positioning of said selected object at a predetermined scrolling area which is near an edge of the first region, wherein the predetermined scrolling area does not include selectable user inputs for scrolling said display;

and scrolling in a first direction, in response to said input, displayed items within said first region, wherein said first region is a list of items, wherein the selected object is an item in the list of items; and

determining that said selected object is no longer in said predetermined scrolling area; and

terminating said scrolling of said displayed items within said first region.

13. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said first region is within a hierarchy of regions.

14. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed while said selected object has been positioned in said predetermined scrolling area.

15. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein said predetermined period of time is one-sixth of a second.

16. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said list is within a directory a hierarchical file system.

17. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said object includes text.

18. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein a rate of scrolling of said displayed items within said first region is determined based on a location of said object within said predetermined scrolling area.

19. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of a data file, an executable code file, an icon, and a directory.

20. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein said list of items comprises items listed in a predetermined order.

21. The machine-readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein said predetermined order is alphabetical.

22. A computer-readable storage medium having stored instructions to cause a computer to perform a computer-implemented method for controlling a display, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of an object displayed within a first region on said display;

receiving an input indicating a user positioning of said selected object at a predetermined scrolling area which is near an edge of the first region, wherein the predetermined scrolling area does not include selectable user inputs for scrolling said display; and

scrolling in a first direction, in response to said input, displayed items within said first region,

wherein said first region is a directory, wherein the selected object is an item within the directory; and

determining that said selected object is no longer in said predetermined scrolling area; and

terminating said scrolling of said displayed items within said first region.

23. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said first region is within a hierarchy of regions.

24. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein the method further comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed while said selected object has been positioned in said predetermined scrolling area.

25. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 24, wherein said predetermined period of time is one-sixth of a second.

26. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said directory is within a hierarchical file system.

27. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said object includes text.

28. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said object is displayed within a list of items of said first region.

29. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein said list of items comprises items listed in a predetermined order.

30. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 29, wherein said predetermined order is alphabetical.

31. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein a rate of scrolling of said displayed items within said first region is determined based on a location of said object within said predetermined scrolling area.

32. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of a data file, an executable code file, an icon, and a directory.

33. A computer-readable storage medium having stored instructions to cause a computer to perform a method controlling a display, the method comprising:

receiving a user selection of an object displayed within a first region on said display;

receiving an input indicating a user positioning of said selected object at a predetermined scrolling area which is near an edge of the first region wherein the predetermined scrolling area does not include selectable user inputs for scrolling said display; and

scrolling in a first direction, in response to said input, displayed items within said first region,

wherein said first region is a list of items, wherein the selected object is an item in the list of items; and

determining that said selected object is no longer in said predetermined scrolling area; and

terminating said scrolling of said displayed items within said first region.

34. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein said first region is within a hierarchy of regions.

35. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the method further comprises determining that a predetermined period of time has elapsed while said selected object has been positioned in said predetermined scrolling area.

36. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 35, wherein said predetermined period of time is one-sixth of a second.

37. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein said list is within a directory a hierarchical file system.

38. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein said object includes text.

39. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein a rate of scrolling of said displayed items within said first region is determined based on a location of said object within said predetermined scrolling area.

40. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein said object is selected from the group consisting of a data file, an executable code file, an icon, and a directory.

41. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein said list of items comprises items listed in a predetermined order.

42. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 41, wherein said predetermined order is alphabetical.