Graphical user interface for computers having variable size icons

• US 8,429,562 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2006
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Gourdol, Arnaud, Lindsay, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nunez, Jordany
• Application Number:
  US11/635,689
• Publication Number:
  US 20070079255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,328 Days
• Field of Search: 715/837, 715/846, 715/765
• US Class Current: 715/837
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A computer user interface is provided which allows a user to adjust the size of icons based upon a user'"'"'s preference or based upon a characteristic of the objects that the icons represent. When the icon sizing is performed according to a user preference, a relative sizing scheme or an arbitrary icon sizing scheme can be employed to variably size icons. Providing the ability to size icons in such a manner allows users to represent a user'"'"'s categorization of object importance, for example.

Claims

1. A method for displaying icons that respectively represent file system objects that can contain one or more items, said method comprising the following steps:

providing a plurality of different sizing functions that are selectable by a user, each of the different sizing functions applicable to a plurality of user selected icons, and at least one of which is based on a number of items contained in the file system objects;

receiving a user'"'"'s designation of a sizing function, from the plurality of different sizing functions;

determining whether the received user'"'"'s designation indicates a sizing function that is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects;

if the user designated sizing function is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects, determining, by a processor, the number of items that are respectively contained in a plurality of said file system objects, each of said plurality of file system objects corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of said user selected icons;

assigning, by the processor, relative display sizes to said plurality of user selected icons, said relative display sizes being assigned based upon the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects, such that the sizes assigned are representative of the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects that the plurality of user selected icons represent; and

displaying on a display device said plurality of user selected icons at their respective assigned display sizes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said file system objects comprise folders.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user selected icons are a subset of the displayed icons.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the subset of the displayed icons consists of icons within a window.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user selected icons are identified by a selection received from a user-input device.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user selected icons are identified by the processor based on respective characteristics of the file system objects.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user selected icons are identified by the processor based on respective attributes of the icons.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the sizes assigned to the plurality of user selected icons increases in proportion to the respective number of items contained in the corresponding file system objects.

3. A method for displaying icons that respectively represent file system objects that contain one or more items, comprising the following steps:

receiving a user selected subset of icons;

providing a plurality of different sizing functions that are selectable by the user, each of the different sizing functions applicable to the user-selected subset icons, and at least one of which is based on a number of items contained in the file system objects;

receiving a user'"'"'s designation of a sizing function, from the plurality of different sizing functions;

determining whether the received user'"'"'s designation indicates a sizing func on that is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects;

if the user designated sizing function is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects, determining, by a processor, the number of items that are respectively contained in each of the file system objects respectively represented by the user selected subset icons;

assigning, by the processor, relative display sizes to said user selected subset of icons, said relative display sizes being assigned based upon the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects corresponding to the user selected subset of icons, such that the sizes assigned are representative of the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects that the user selected subset of icons represent;

displaying on a display device the user selected subset of icons at their respective assigned display sizes; and

displaying on the display device icons that are not included in the user selected subset of icons at a default display size.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said file system objects comprise folders.

5. A computer-readable storage device containing a program that causes a computer to perform the following operations:

providing a plurality of different sizing functions that are selectable by a user, each of the different sizing functions applicable to a plurality of user selected icons, and at least one of which is based on a number of items contained in the file system objects;

receiving a user'"'"'s designation of a sizing function, from the plurality of different sizing functions;

determining whether the received user'"'"'s designation indicates a sizing function that is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects;

if the user designated sizing function is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects, determining the number of items that are respectively contained in file system objects that can contain one or more items, each of said file system objects corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of user selected icons;

assigning relative display sizes to said plurality of user selected icons, said relative display sizes being assigned based upon the number of items respectively contained in said file system objects, such that the sizes assigned are representative of the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects that the plurality of user selected icons represent; and

displaying on a display device said plurality of user selected icons at their respective assigned display sizes.

6. The computer-readable storage device of claim 5, wherein said file system objects comprise folders.

7. A computer-readable storage device containing a program that causes a computer to perform the following operations:

receiving a user selected subset of icons;

providing a plurality of different sizing functions that are selectable by the user, each of the different sizing functions applicable to the user-selected subset of icons, and at least one of which is based on a number of items contained in the file system objects;

receiving a user'"'"'s designation of a sizing function, from the plurality of different sizing functions;

determining whether the received user'"'"'s designation indicates a sizing function that is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects;

if the user-designated sizing function is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects,

determining the number of items that are respectively contained in each of the file system objects respectively represented by the user selected subset of icons;

assigning relative display sizes to said user selected subset of icons, said relative display sizes being assigned based upon the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects corresponding to the user selected subset of icons, such that the sizes assigned for an icon are representative of the number of items respectively contained in the file system objects the user selected icons represent;

displaying on a display device the user selected subset of icons at their respective assigned display sizes; and

displaying on the display device icons that are not included in the selected subset at a default display size.

8. The computer-readable storage device of claim 7, wherein said file system objects comprise folders.

9. A computer system, comprising:

a display device; and

a graphical user interface that displays, on said display device, icons representative of file system objects that can contain one or more items, and that operates to

provide a plurality of different sizing functions that are selectable by a user,

each of the different sizing functions applicable to the icons, and at least one of which is based on a number of items contained in the file system objects;

receive a user'"'"'s designation of a sizing function, from the plurality of different sizing functions;

determine whether the received user'"'"'s designation indicates a sizing function that is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects;

if the user designated sizing function is based on the number of items contained in the file system objects,

determine the number of items that are respectively contained in a plurality of said file system objects, each of the plurality of file system object corresponding to a respective one of an identified-plurality of icons,

assign relative display sizes to said identified plurality of icons, said relative display sizes being assigned based upon the number of items respectively contained in said file system objects, and

display on the display device said identified plurality of icons at their respective assigned display sizes.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein said graphical user interface is responsive to the selection of a subset of said icons to display the selected icons at their assigned display sizes, and to display non-selected icons at a default size.

17. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the identified plurality of icons are a subset of the icons.

18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the subset of icons consists of icons within a window.

19. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of icons are identified by a selection received from a user-input device.

20. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of icons are identified by the processor based on respective characteristics of the file system objects.

21. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of icons are identified by the processor based on respective attributes of the icons.

22. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the sizes assigned to the identified plurality of icons increases in proportion to the respective number of items contained in the corresponding file system objects.