Device, method, and graphical user interface for manipulating user interface objects

• US 8,456,431 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Victor, B. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Agustin, Peter Vincent
• Application Number:
  US12/567,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

Abstract

A computing device with a touch screen display simultaneously displays on the touch screen display at least one destination object and at least a subset of a plurality of arrays of user interface objects; detects a first input by a user on the touch screen display; in response, vertically scrolls the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display; detects a second input by the user on a single array in the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display; and, in response, horizontally scrolls user interface objects in the single array.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing device with a touch screen display;

simultaneously displaying on the touch screen display;

at least one destination object, and

at least a subset of a plurality of arrays of user interface objects;

detecting a first input by a user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the first input by the user on the touch screen display, vertically scrolling the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display;

detecting a second input by the user on a single array in the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display; and

,

in response to detecting the second input by the user on the single array, horizontally scrolling user interface objects in the single array.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a respective representative user interface object adjacent to a respective array for at least some arrays in the plurality of arrays.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a respective representative user interface object toggle icon for a respective array in the plurality of arrays, wherein the representative user interface object toggle icon is operable to toggle display of the respective representative user interface object on and off.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein a representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective representative user interface object when the respective representative user interface object is displayed and the representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective array when the respective representative user interface object is not displayed.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

displaying a respective array name icon adjacent to the respective representative user interface object toggle icon.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a list of array name icons that correspond to the plurality of arrays adjacent to the displayed subset of the plurality of arrays.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, displaying an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

detecting a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, scrolling the plurality of arrays to an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying respective representative user interface objects for respective arrays, wherein the respective representative user interface objects are aligned to a common vertical edge on the touch screen display;

displaying a first portion of the single array adjacent to a representative user interface object for the single array;

detecting an input by the user on the single array;

detecting a movement of the input by the user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the movement, horizontally scrolling the single array on the touch screen display in a first direction to display a second portion of the single array, wherein the second portion is different from the first portion;

in response to an edge of the single array being reached while horizontally scrolling the single array in the first direction while the input by the user is still detected on the touch screen display;

displaying horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in the first direction, and,

displaying horizontal movement of the single array in the first direction; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display, displaying horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in a second direction that is opposite the first direction until the representative user interface object for the single array aligns with the common vertical edge.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a depinching finger gesture on a first array in the plurality of arrays; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array in the plurality of arrays, enlarging user interface objects in the first array without enlarging user interface objects in arrays other than the first array.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged up to a predetermined maximum size.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged by the same amount.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying a first representative user interface object adjacent to the first array; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array, enlarging the first representative user interface object.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first representative user interface object and the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged simultaneously.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a first input by the user on a first user interface object in a first array on the touch screen display;

while continuing to detect the first input by the user;

detecting movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to an area associated with a second array on the touch screen display; and

moving the first user interface object in accordance with the movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to the area associated with the second array on the touch screen display;

detecting lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array, associating the first user interface object with the second array and displaying the first user interface object in the second array.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting activation of a respective array name icon that corresponds to a respective array in the plurality of arrays;

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, displaying an animation of user interface objects in the respective array moving into a respective representative user interface object for the respective array;

detecting movement of an input by the user from the array name icon to a destination object or an area associated with a destination object;

moving the respective representative user interface object in accordance with the movement of the input by the user across the touch screen display to the destination object or the area associated with a destination object;

detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with a destination object; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with the destination object, performing an action on the user interface objects in the respective array, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the action is performed on all of the user interface objects in the respective array.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, displaying residual images of user interface objects in the respective array.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting activation of a menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the menu category icon, displaying a plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in a menu category that corresponds to the menu category icon.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein displaying the plurality of representative user interface objects includes overlaying the plurality of representative user interface objects on user interface objects displayed on the touch screen display immediately prior to detecting activation of the menu category icon.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

detecting an input by the user on a first representative user interface object in the plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in the menu category that corresponds to the activated menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting the input by the user on the first representative user interface object;

ceasing to display the plurality of representative user interface objects, and

displaying an array of user interface objects that corresponds to the first representative user interface object.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a third input by the user on a destination object;

while continuing to detect the third input by the user on the destination object, detecting a fourth input by the user on an array name icon; and

,

in response to detecting the fourth input by the user on the array name icon, performing an action on all user interface objects in an array that corresponds to the array name icon, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

23. A computing 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;

simultaneously displaying on the touch screen display;

at least one destination object, and

at least a subset of a plurality of arrays of user interface objects;

detecting a first input by a user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the first input by the user on the touch screen display, vertically scrolling the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display;

detecting a second input by the user on a single array in the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display; and

,

in response to detecting the second input by the user on the single array, horizontally scrolling user interface objects in the single array.

24. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

displaying a respective representative user interface object adjacent to a respective array for at least some arrays in the plurality of arrays.

25. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

displaying a respective representative user interface object toggle icon for a respective array in the plurality of arrays, wherein the representative user interface object toggle icon is operable to toggle display of the respective representative user interface object on and off.

26. The device of claim 25, wherein a representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective representative user interface object when the respective representative user interface object is displayed and the representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective array when the respective representative user interface object is not displayed.

27. The device of claim 25, including instructions for:

displaying a respective array name icon adjacent to the respective representative user interface object toggle icon.

28. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

displaying a list of array name icons that correspond to the plurality of arrays adjacent to the displayed subset of the plurality of arrays.

29. The device of claim 28, including instructions for:

detecting a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, displaying an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

30. The device of claim 28, including instructions for:

detecting a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, scrolling the plurality of arrays to an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

31. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

displaying respective representative user interface objects for respective arrays, wherein the respective representative user interface objects are aligned to a common vertical edge on the touch screen display;

displaying a first portion of the single array adjacent to a representative user interface object for the single array;

detecting an input by the user on the single array;

detecting a movement of the input by the user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the movement, horizontally scrolling the single array on the touch screen display in a first direction to display a second portion of the single array, wherein the second portion is different from the first portion;

in response to an edge of the single array being reached while horizontally scrolling the single array in the first direction while the input by the user is still detected on the touch screen display;

displaying horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in the first direction, and,

displaying horizontal movement of the single array in the first direction; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display, displaying horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in a second direction that is opposite the first direction until the representative user interface object for the single array aligns with the common vertical edge.

32. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

detecting a depinching finger gesture on a first array in the plurality of arrays; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array in the plurality of arrays, enlarging user interface objects in the first array without enlarging user interface objects in arrays other than the first array.

33. The device of claim 32, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged up to a predetermined maximum size.

34. The device of claim 32, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged by the same amount.

35. The device of claim 32, including instructions for:

displaying a first representative user interface object adjacent to the first array; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array, enlarging the first representative user interface object.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the first representative user interface object and the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged simultaneously.

37. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

detecting a first input by the user on a first user interface object in a first array on the touch screen display;

while continuing to detect the first input by the user;

detecting movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to an area associated with a second array on the touch screen display; and

moving the first user interface object in accordance with the movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to the area associated with the second array on the touch screen display;

detecting lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array, associating the first user interface object with the second array and displaying the first user interface object in the second array.

38. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

detecting activation of a respective array name icon that corresponds to a respective array in the plurality of arrays;

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, displaying an animation of user interface objects in the respective array moving into a respective representative user interface object for the respective array;

detecting movement of an input by the user from the array name icon to a destination object or an area associated with a destination object;

moving the respective representative user interface object in accordance with the movement of the input by the user across the touch screen display to the destination object or the area associated with a destination object;

detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with a destination object; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with the destination object, performing an action on the user interface objects in the respective array, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

39. The device of claim 38, wherein the action is performed on all of the user interface objects in the respective array.

40. The device of claim 38, including instructions for:

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, displaying residual images of user interface objects in the respective array.

41. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

detecting activation of a menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the menu category icon, displaying a plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in a menu category that corresponds to the menu category icon.

42. The device of claim 41, including instructions for overlaying the plurality of representative user interface objects on user interface objects displayed on the touch screen display immediately prior to detecting activation of the menu category icon.

43. The device of claim 41, including instructions for:

detecting an input by the user on a first representative user interface object in the plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in the menu category that corresponds to the activated menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting the input by the user on the first representative user interface object;

ceasing to display the plurality of representative user interface objects, and

displaying an array of user interface objects that corresponds to the first representative user interface object.

44. The device of claim 23, including instructions for:

detecting a third input by the user on a destination object;

while continuing to detect the third input by the user on the destination object, detecting a fourth input by the user on an array name icon; and

,

in response to detecting the fourth input by the user on the array name icon, performing an action on all user interface objects in an array that corresponds to the array name icon, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

45. A computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a computing device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

simultaneously display on the touch screen display;

at least one destination object, and

at least a subset of a plurality of arrays of user interface objects;

detect a first input by a user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the first input by the user on the touch screen display, vertically scroll the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display;

detect a second input by the user on a single array in the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display; and

,

in response to detecting the second input by the user on the single array, horizontally scroll user interface objects in the single array.

46. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display a respective representative user interface object adjacent to a respective array for at least some arrays in the plurality of arrays.

47. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display a respective representative user interface object toggle icon for a respective array in the plurality of arrays, wherein the representative user interface object toggle icon is operable to toggle display of the respective representative user interface object on and off.

48. The storage medium of claim 47, wherein a representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective representative user interface object when the respective representative user interface object is displayed and the representative user interface object toggle icon is displayed adjacent to a respective array when the respective representative user interface object is not displayed.

49. The storage medium of claim 47, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display a respective array name icon adjacent to the respective representative user interface object toggle icon.

50. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display a list of array name icons that correspond to the plurality of arrays adjacent to the displayed subset of the plurality of arrays.

51. The storage medium of claim 50, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, display an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

52. The storage medium of claim 50, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect a third input by the user on a respective array name icon in the list of array name icons; and

,

in response to detecting the third input by the user on the respective array name icon in the list of array name icons, scroll the plurality of arrays to an array corresponding to the respective array name icon.

53. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display respective representative user interface objects for respective arrays, wherein the respective representative user interface objects are aligned to a common vertical edge on the touch screen display;

display a first portion of the single array adjacent to a representative user interface object for the single array;

detect an input by the user on the single array;

detect a movement of the input by the user on the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the movement, horizontally scroll the single array on the touch screen display in a first direction to display a second portion of the single array, wherein the second portion is different from the first portion;

in response to an edge of the single array being reached while horizontally scrolling the single array in the first direction while the input by the user is still detected on the touch screen display;

display horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in the first direction, and,

display horizontal movement of the single array in the first direction; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display, display horizontal movement of the representative user interface object for the single array in a second direction that is opposite the first direction until the representative user interface object for the single array aligns with the common vertical edge.

54. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect a depinching finger gesture on a first array in the plurality of arrays; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array in the plurality of arrays, enlarge user interface objects in the first array without enlarging user interface objects in arrays other than the first array.

55. The storage medium of claim 54, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged up to a predetermined maximum size.

56. The storage medium of claim 54, wherein the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged by the same amount.

57. The storage medium of claim 54, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

display a first representative user interface object adjacent to the first array; and

,

in response to detecting the depinching finger gesture on the first array, enlarge the first representative user interface object.

58. The storage medium of claim 57, wherein the first representative user interface object and the user interface objects in the first array are enlarged simultaneously.

59. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect a first input by the user on a first user interface object in a first array on the touch screen display;

while continuing to detect the first input by the user;

detect movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to an area associated with a second array on the touch screen display; and

move the first user interface object in accordance with the movement of the first input by the user across the touch screen display to the area associated with the second array on the touch screen display;

detect lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the first input by the user from the area associated with the second array, associate the first user interface object with the second array and display the first user interface object in the second array.

60. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect activation of a respective array name icon that corresponds to a respective array in the plurality of arrays;

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, display an animation of user interface objects in the respective array moving into a respective representative user interface object for the respective array;

detect movement of an input by the user from the array name icon to a destination object or an area associated with a destination object;

move the respective representative user interface object in accordance with the movement of the input by the user across the touch screen display to the destination object or the area associated with a destination object;

detect lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with a destination object; and

,

in response to detecting lift off of the input by the user from the touch screen display at the destination object or at the area associated with the destination object, perform an action on the user interface objects in the respective array, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

61. The storage medium of claim 60, wherein the action is performed on all of the user interface objects in the respective array.

62. The storage medium of claim 60, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

in response to detecting activation of the respective array name icon that corresponds to the respective array, display residual images of user interface objects in the respective array.

63. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect activation of a menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the menu category icon, display a plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in a menu category that corresponds to the menu category icon.

64. The storage medium of claim 63, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to overlay the plurality of representative user interface objects on user interface objects displayed on the touch screen display immediately prior to detecting activation of the menu category icon.

65. The storage medium of claim 63, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect an input by the user on a first representative user interface object in the plurality of representative user interface objects for respective arrays in the menu category that corresponds to the activated menu category icon; and

,

in response to detecting the input by the user on the first representative user interface object;

cease to display the plurality of representative user interface objects, and

display an array of user interface objects that corresponds to the first representative user interface object.

66. The storage medium of claim 45, including instructions, which when executed by the computing device, cause the device to:

detect a third input by the user on a destination object;

while continuing to detect the third input by the user on the destination object, detect a fourth input by the user on an array name icon; and

,

in response to detecting the fourth input by the user on the array name icon, perform an action on all user interface objects in an array that corresponds to the array name icon, wherein the action is associated with the destination object.

67. A graphical user interface on a computing device with a touch screen display, the graphical user interface comprising:

at least one destination object, and

at least a subset of a plurality of arrays of user interface objects;

wherein;

a first input by a user on the touch screen display is detected;

in response to detecting the first input by the user on the touch screen display, the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display is vertically scrolled;

a second input by the user on a single array in the plurality of arrays on the touch screen display is detected; and

,

in response to detecting the second input by the user on the single array, user interface objects in the single array are horizontally scrolled.