Portable electronic device with interface reconfiguration mode

• US 7,509,588 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Issued: 03/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Christie, Greg, Ording, Bas, Lemay, Stephen O., Van Os, Marcel, Forstall, Scott, Anzures, Freddy Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Hong; Stephen S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Johnson; Grant D
• Application Number:
  US11/459,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20070157089A1
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173, 715/764, 715/810, 715/835, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable electronic device displays a plurality of icons (e.g., graphical objects) in a region in a touch-sensitive display; detects a predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguration process; and varies positions of one or more icons in the plurality of icons in response to detecting the predefined user action. The varying includes varying the positions of the one or more icons about respective average positions.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a first plurality of icons in a first region in a touch-sensitive display;

detecting a first predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguration process; and

varying positions of multiple icons of the first plurality of icons in response to detecting the first predefined user action, wherein the varying includes varying the positions of each icon of the multiple icons about a respective average position distinct from the respective average positions of other icons of the multiple icons, and wherein each respective icon oscillates in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of the respective icon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying includes animating the multiple icons to simulate floating of the multiple icons on a surface corresponding to a surface of the touch-sensitive display.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the varying position of a respective icon in the multiple icons corresponds to an equation of motion in a plane substantially coincident with the touch-sensitive display, the equation of motion having a coefficient of friction less than a threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the equation of motion for the respective icon has a non-zero initial velocity.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the equation of motion for the respective icon has a restoring force about the respective average position of the respective icon such that the position of the respective icon oscillates in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of the respective icon.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the equation of motion for the respective icon includes a non-zero angular velocity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the respective icon rotates about the respective average position of the respective icon while maintaining a fixed orientation with respect to the touch-sensitive display.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising

detecting a user making a point of contact with the touch-sensitive display at a first position corresponding to a first icon in the multiple icons and detecting movement of the point of contact to a second position on the touch-sensitive display;

and

responding to detecting the point of contact and detecting movement of the point of contact by displaying movement of the first icon to the second position on the touch-sensitive display and displaying the first icon at the second position.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising fixing a position of the first icon at the second position in response to detecting a second predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for terminating the predefined user interface reconfiguring process.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising moving a second icon in the multiple icons from a respective initial position to a respective new position when the second position of the first icon at least partially overlaps with the respective initial position of the second icon.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising

detecting a user making a first point of contact with the touch-sensitive display at a first position corresponding to a first icon in the multiple icons and detecting movement of the first point of contact to a second position in a second region on the touch-sensitive display;

and

responding to detecting the first point of contact and detecting movement of the first point of contact by displaying movement of the first icon to the second position of the touch-sensitive display and displaying the first icon at the second position.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising

detecting a user making a second point of contact with the touch-sensitive display at a third position corresponding to a second icon in a second plurality of icons in the second region on the touch-sensitive display and detecting movement of the second point of contact to a fourth position in the first region on the touch-sensitive display;

and

responding to detecting the second point of contact and detecting movement of the second point of contact by displaying movement of the second icon to the fourth position of the touch-sensitive display and displaying the second icon at the fourth position.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising fixing a position of the first icon at the second position and a position of the second icon at the fourth position in response to detecting a second predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for terminating the predefined user interface reconfiguration process.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving a third icon in the second plurality of icons from a respective initial position to a respective new position when the new position of the first icon at least partially overlaps with the respective initial position of the third icon.

15. A portable wireless electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

a program, wherein the program is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including;

instructions for displaying a first plurality of icons in a first region on a touch-sensitive display;

instructions for detecting a first predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguring process; and

instructions for varying positions of multiple icons of the first plurality of icons in response to detecting the first predefined user action, wherein the varying includes varying the positions of each icon of the multiple icons about a respective average position distinct from the respective average positions of other icons of the multiple icons, and wherein each respective icon oscillates in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of the respective icon.

16. A portable wireless electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

means for displaying a first plurality of icons in a first region on a touch-sensitive display;

means for detecting a first predefined user action, with respect to the touch-sensitive display, for initiating a predefined user interface reconfiguring process; and

means for varying positions of multiple icons of the first plurality of icons in response to detecting the first predefined user action, wherein the varying includes varying the positions of each icon of the multiple icons about a respective average position distinct from the respective average positions of other icons of the multiple icons, and wherein each respective icon oscillates in a region substantially centered on the respective average position of the respective icon.