Email client for a portable multifunction device

• US 8,253,695 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ganatra, Nitin K., Novick, Gregory, Lemay, Stephen O., Christie, Greg, Forstall, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): CERULLO, LILIANA P
• Application Number:
  US11/850,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20080094369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-184, 715700-866, 715243-245, 710 1- 74, 178 1801- 1907
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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 computer-implemented method for providing email at a portable communications device with a touch screen display is disclosed. A first portion of a list of entries with information about corresponding electronic messages is displayed in a first area of the touch screen display. A first portion of an electronic message that corresponds to an entry in the list of entries is displayed in a second area of the touch screen display that is separate from the first area. In response to a first gesture by a user in the first area of the touch screen display, the list of entries is scrolled to display a second portion of the list of entries. In response to a second gesture by the user in the second area of the touch screen display, the electronic message is moved in two dimensions to display a second portion of the electronic message.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a portable communications device with a touch screen display;

in a first area of the touch screen display, displaying a first portion of a list of entries,

wherein a respective entry displays subject information for a corresponding electronic message;

detecting a first gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the first gesture;

creating a preview area in a second area of the touch screen display that is separate from the first area,

displaying a first portion of an electronic message that corresponds to an entry in the list of entries in the preview area,

maintaining display of at least a portion of the list of entries, and

ceasing to display subject information for entries in the list of entries;

in response to detecting a second gesture by a user in the first area of the touch screen display, scrolling the list of entries to display a second portion of the list of entries; and

in response to detecting a third gesture by the user, the third gesture including simultaneous movement of the user'"'"'s finger in two dimensions, in the second area of the touch screen display, simultaneously moving the electronic message in two dimensions to display a second portion of the electronic message in accordance with the movement of the user'"'"'s finger.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second gesture is a swipe by the user'"'"'s finger in a substantially vertical direction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic message displayed in the second area is displayed in response to a fourth gesture by the user on an entry in the list of entries.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the fourth gesture is a tap by the user'"'"'s finger on the entry corresponding to the electronic message displayed in the second area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the third gesture is a two-dimensional motion of the user'"'"'s finger in the second area of the touch screen display that results in a corresponding two-dimensional motion of the electronic message.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the two-dimensional motion of the user'"'"'s finger is a diagonal motion that results in a corresponding diagonal motion of the electronic message.

7. The method of claim 1, including simultaneously adjusting the size of the first area and the size of the second area with a fifth gesture on the touch screen display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fifth gesture is a dragging motion by the user'"'"'s finger on a separator between the first area and the second area that moves the separator.

9. The method of claim 8, including, responding to a predefined instance of the fifth gesture by ceasing to display the second area and increasing, for each entry in the list of entries, the information displayed in the first area about the corresponding electronic message.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the increase in displayed information is the addition of message subject information to each displayed entry in the list of entries.

11. The method of claim 1, including:

in response to detecting a gesture;

ending display of the second area, and

displaying in the first area, for each entry in the list of entries, increased information about the corresponding electronic message, wherein the increased information is the addition of message subject information about the corresponding electronic message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second area is a preview pane.

13. The method of claim 1, including detecting the second gesture in any portion of the first area of the touch screen display.

14. The method of claim 1, including detecting the second gesture in the first area of the touch screen display, wherein the second gesture has a horizontal component within the first area and the detecting is independent of the horizontal component of the gesture within the first area.

15. The method of claim 1, including detecting the third gesture in any portion of the second area of the touch screen display.

16. A graphical user interface on a portable communications device with a touch screen display, comprising:

a first area of the touch screen display that displays a first portion of a list of entries, wherein a respective entry displays subject information for a corresponding electronic message; and

wherein, in response to detecting a first gesture;

a preview area is created in a second area of the touch screen display that is separate from the first area,

a first portion of an electronic message is displayed that corresponds to an entry in the list of entries in the preview area,

display of at least a portion of the list of entries is maintained, and

display of subject information for entries in the list entries is ceased;

wherein, in response to detecting a second gesture by a user in the first area of the touch screen display, the list of entries is scrolled to display a second portion of the list of entries; and

wherein, in response to detecting a third gesture by the user, the third gesture including simultaneous movement of the user'"'"'s finger in two dimension, in the second area of the touch screen display, the electronic message simultaneously moves in two dimensions to display a second portion of the electronic message in accordance with the movement of the user'"'"'s finger.

17. A portable communications device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, in a first area of the touch screen display, a first portion of a list of entries, wherein a respective entry displays subject information for a corresponding electronic message;

detecting a first gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the first gesture;

creating a preview area in a second area of the touch screen display that is separate from the first area,

displaying a first portion of an electronic message that corresponds to an entry in the list of entries in the preview area,

maintaining display of at least a portion of the list of entries, and

ceasing to display subject information for entries in the list of entries;

scrolling the list of entries, in response to detecting a second gesture by a user in the first area of the touch screen display, to display a second portion of the list of entries; and

simultaneously moving the electronic message in two dimensions, in response to detecting a third gesture by the user, the third gesture including simultaneous movement of the user'"'"'s finger in two dimensions, in the second area of the touch screen display, to display a second portion of the electronic message in accordance with the movement of the user'"'"'s finger.

19. The device of claim 17, the one or more programs further including instructions for displaying the electronic message displayed in the second area in response to a fourth gesture by the user on an entry in the list of entries.

20. The device of claim 17, the one or more programs further including instructions for simultaneously adjusting the size of the first area and the size of the second area with a fifth gesture on the touch screen display.

21. The device of claim 17, the one or more programs further including instructions for detecting the second gesture in the first area of the touch screen display, wherein the second gesture has a horizontal component within the first area and the detecting is independent of the horizontal component of the gesture within the first area.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the portable electronic device to:

display, in a first area of the touch screen display, a first portion of a list of entries, wherein a respective entry displays subject information for a corresponding electronic message;

detect a first gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the first gesture;

create a preview area in a second area of the touch screen display that is separate from the first area,

display a first portion of an electronic message that corresponds to an entry in the list of entries in the preview area,

maintain display of at least a portion of the list of entries, and

cease to display subject information for entries in the list of entries;

scroll the list of entries, in response to detecting a second gesture by a user in the first area of the touch screen display, to display a second portion of the list of entries; and

simultaneously move the electronic message in two dimensions, in response to detecting a third gesture by the user, the third gesture including simultaneous movement of the user'"'"'s finger in two dimensions, in the second area of the touch screen display, to display a second portion of the electronic message in accordance with the movement of the user'"'"'s finger.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the electronic message displayed in the second area is displayed in response to a fourth gesture by the user on an entry in the list of entries.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the one or more programs further including instructions which cause the device to simultaneously adjust the size of the first area and the size of the second area with a fifth gesture on the touch screen display.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the one or more programs further including instructions which cause the device to detect the second gesture in the first area of the touch screen display, wherein the second gesture has a horizontal component within the first area and the detecting is independent of the horizontal component of the gesture within the first area.