Dynamically changing appearances for user interface elements during drag-and-drop operations

• US 7,607,102 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Jobs, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Luu; Sy D
• Application Number:
  US10/100,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20030184587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,772 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769, 715/835, 715/765, 715/770, 715/810, 715821-823, 715/825, 715/837, 715/839, 715/846, 715/856, 715859-861
• US Class Current: 715/769
• 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

Abstract

A user interface includes elements whose appearance dynamically changes in dependence upon functions associated with the elements. In the case of an icon that is the destination for a drag-and-drop operation, the image displayed for the icon changes in accordance with the object being dragged to it, to represent the task that will be performed as a result of the drag-and-drop operation. The appearance of other elements involved in drag-and-drop operations can also be varied, to reflect the task at hand. As a result, the user is provided with more intuitive feedback regarding the functions that will be performed by the computer as a result of a drag-and-drop operation.

Claims

1. A method for representing actions to be performed on objects in a computer system as a result of drag-and-drop operations within a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of:

classifying objects in said computer system into at least a first type and a second type corresponding to respective first and second actions that can be performed on said objects;

displaying at least one icon associated with a classified object;

detecting that an icon associated with a classified object has been selected, and determining which type of object is associated with the selected icon;

providing a destination icon that is associated with both of said first and second actions;

assigning first and second images to said destination icon that respectively correspond to said first and second actions; and

displaying said destination icon with said first image or said second image in accordance with the type of object determined to be associated with the selected icon.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination icon is associated with actions pertaining to the removal of an object from the computer system, and said first and second images correspond to whether an object being removed is a physical object.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said destination icon is associated with the storage of an object, and said first and second images designate different storage operations.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said different storage operations pertain to different destinations for the objects being stored.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second images pertain to different destinations for objects being acted upon.

6. A method for representing actions to be performed on objects in a computer system as a result of drag-and-drop operations within a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of:

classifying objects in said computer system into at least a first type and a second type corresponding to respective first and second actions that can be performed on said objects;

detecting that a classified object has been selected, and determining which type of object has been selected;

assigning first and second images to an element of the graphical user interface that respectively correspond to said first and second actions; and

displaying said element with said first image or said second image in accordance with the type of object determined to have been selected.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said element is an icon that represents a destination to which the selected object can be dragged.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said destination icon is associated with actions pertaining to the removal of a selected object from the computer system, and said first and second images correspond to whether a selected object is a physical object.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein said destination icon is associated with the storage of an object, and said first and second images designate different storage operations.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said different storage operations pertain to different destinations for the objects being stored.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said first and second images pertain to different destinations for objects being acted upon.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said element is an icon associated with the selected object.

13. A method for representing objects involved in drag-and-drop operations within a graphical user interface of a computer system, comprising the steps of:

classifying objects in said computer system into at least a first type and a second type;

detecting that a classified object has been selected, and determining which type of object has been selected;

assigning first and second images to an element of the graphical user interface that respectively correspond to said first and second object types; and

displaying said element with said first image or said second image in accordance with the type of object determined to have been selected.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said element is an icon that represents a destination to which the selected object can be dragged.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein said destination icon is associated with the removal of a selected object from the computer system, and said first and second images correspond to whether the selected object is a physical object.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said destination icon is associated with the storage of an object, and said first and second images designate different storage operations.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein said different storage operations pertain to different destinations for the objects being stored.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein said first and second images pertain to different respective destinations for a selected object.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein said element is an icon associated with the selected object.

20. A computer-readable medium containing a program which executes the following steps:

detecting that an icon displayed on a graphical user interface of a computer system has been selected, and determining whether an object associated with the selected icon is of a first type or a second type; and

displaying a destination icon, that is associated with first and second actions that can be performed on selected objects, with either one of a first image or a second image that respectively correspond to said first and second actions, in accordance with the type of object determined to be associated with the selected icon.

21. A computer-readable medium containing a program which executes the following steps:

detecting that an object in a computer system has been selected, and determining whether the selected object is of a first type or a second type; and

displaying an element of a graphical user interface in said computer system with a first image or a second image, that respectively correspond to said first and second object types, in accordance with the type of object determined to have been selected.

22. A graphical user interface for a computer system, comprising:

a memory storing information that identifies objects in said computer system as being one of at least a first type and a second type, and first and second images for an element of the graphical user interface that respectively correspond to said first and second object types;

means for detecting that an object has been selected, and for determining which type of object has been selected; and

a display system that causes said element to be displayed with said first image or said second image in accordance with the type of object determined to have been selected.

23. The user interface of claim 22 wherein said element is an icon that represents a destination to which the selected object can be dragged.

24. The user interface of claim 23 wherein said destination icon is associated with the removal of a selected object from the computer system, and said first and second images correspond to whether the selected object is a physical object.

25. The user interface of claim 23 wherein said destination icon is associated with the storage of an object, and said first and second images designate different storage operations.

26. The user interface of claim 25 wherein said different storage operations pertain to different destinations for the objects being stored.

27. The user interface of claim 22 wherein said first and second images pertain to different respective destinations for a selected object.

28. The user interface of claim 22 wherein said element is an icon associated with the selected object.