Device, method, and computer readable medium for maintaining a selection order in a displayed thumbnail stack of user interface elements acted upon via gestured operations

• US 8,621,391 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leffert, Akiva Dov, Rapp, Peter William
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARGA, WILSON V
• Application Number:
  US12/639,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,476 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/704, 715/716, 715/810, 715/835, 715838-839, 715863-864, 715/837, 715/823, 345/163, 345/168, 345/173, 345/179, 345473-475
• US Class Current: 715/823
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Computing devices and methods for managing user interface content and user interface elements are disclosed. In one embodiment, after a plurality of user interface elements is selected from an ordered list, wherein a selection order is maintained for the selected plurality of user interface elements: a user gesture to perform an operation on the plurality of user interface elements is detected, and in response, a stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponding to the selected plurality of user interface elements is displayed, wherein a display order of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponds to the selection order of the selected plurality of user interface elements.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing device with a display and one or more user input devices adapted to detect user gestures;

displaying on the display a plurality of user interface elements in an ordered list;

detecting one or more user interface element selection gestures, the detected user interface element selection gestures corresponding to the selection of two or more user interface elements in the plurality of user interface elements in the ordered list;

while detecting the one or more user interface element selection gestures, maintaining an order of selection for the selected user interface elements;

after detecting the one or more user interface element selection gestures, detecting a user operation gesture, the detected user operation gesture corresponding to a first portion of a user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements; and

in response to detecting the user operation gesture corresponding to the first portion of the user-initiated operation, displaying a stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponding to the selected user interface elements, wherein a stacked display order of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponds to the order of selection for the selected user interface elements, wherein displaying the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails includes displaying an operation indicia in conjunction with the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails, and wherein the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails comprise overlapping images of the selected user interface elements according to the order of selection of the selected user interface elements;

detecting a second portion of the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements, wherein the selected user interface elements from the ordered list have respective pre-selection locations on the display;

in response to detecting the second portion of the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements;

updating the display of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails in accordance with the second portion of the user-initiated operation;

performing the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements; and

displaying residual images of the selected user interface elements at respective

pre-selection locations of the selected user interface elements; and

after performing the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements, terminating display of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails;

wherein;

the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected on a touch sensitive display;

the first portion of the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected as a first user input;

the second portion of the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected as a second user input;

the second portion of the user operation gesture is detected while continuing to detect the first user input; and

,

the first and second user inputs are detected at different locations on the touch sensitive display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails includes a first temporarily displayed thumbnail that depicts an image corresponding to a respective selected user interface element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a portable multifunction device with a touch sensitive display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more user input devices comprises a mouse, a keyboard, a stylus, a touch sensitive surface, or a touch sensitive display, or any combination thereof.

5. A computing device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

one or more user input devices adapted to detect user gestures;

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 to;

at the computing device;

display on the display a plurality of user interface elements in an ordered list;

detect one or more user interface element selection gestures, the detected user-interface element selection gestures corresponding to the selection of two or more user interface elements in the plurality of user interface elements in the ordered list;

while detecting the one or more user interface element selection gestures, maintain an order of selection for the selected user interface elements;

after detecting the one or more user interface element selection gestures, detect a user operation gesture, the detected user operation gesture corresponding to a first portion of a user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements; and

in response to detecting the user operation gesture corresponding to the first portion of the user-initiated operation, display a stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponding to the selected user interface elements, wherein a stacked display order of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails corresponds to the selection order for the selected user interface elements, wherein displaying the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails includes displaying an operation indicia in conjunction with the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails, and wherein the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails comprise overlapping images of the selected user interface elements according to the order of selection of the selected user interface elements;

detect a second portion of the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements, wherein the selected user interface elements from the ordered list have respective pre-selection locations on the display;

in response to detecting the second portion of the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements;

updating the display of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails in accordance with the second portion of the user-initiated operation;

performing the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements; and

displaying residual images of the selected user interface elements at respective pre-selection locations of the selected user interface elements; and

after performing the user-initiated operation on the selected user interface elements, terminating display of the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails;

wherein;

the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected on a touch sensitive display;

the first portion of the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected as a first user input;

the second portion of the user operation gesture corresponding to the user-initiated operation is detected as a second user input;

the second portion of the user operation gesture is detected while continuing to detect the first user input; and

,

the first and second user inputs are detected at different locations on the touch sensitive display.

6. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the stack of temporarily displayed thumbnails includes a first temporarily displayed thumbnail that depicts an image corresponding to a respective selected user interface element.

7. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the computing device is a portable multifunction device with a touch sensitive display.

8. The computing device of claim 5, wherein the one or more user input devices comprises a mouse, a keyboard, a stylus, a touch sensitive surface, or a touch sensitive display, or any combination thereof.

9. A method, comprising:

displaying on a touch sensitive display of an electronic device a plurality of user interface elements presented in an ordered list;

detecting a user selection gesture corresponding to a selection of one or more user interface elements of the plurality of user interface elements;

detecting a first user operation gesture corresponding to a drag of the selected one or more user interface elements;

after the first user operation gesture has been detected to have been initiated, detecting a second user operation gesture corresponding to a selection of one of a plurality of operation icons to perform an operation on the one or more user interface elements, wherein the second user operation gesture is detected substantially during ongoing detection of the first user operation gesture, and wherein the first user operation gesture and the second user operation gesture are detected at different locations on the touch sensitive display; and

displaying a stack of thumbnails representing the selected one or more user interface elements during the drag of the selected user interface elements, wherein the stack of thumbnails comprises overlapping images of the selected one or more user interface elements stacked according to an order of selection of the selected one or more user interface elements, wherein displaying the stack of thumbnails comprises displaying an image of the operation icon together with the stack of thumbnails upon detection of the second user operation gesture.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising performing the operation on the selected user interface elements upon detection of the second user operation gesture, wherein performing the operation comprises performing a cut operation, a copy operation, a paste operation, a deletion operation, or any combination thereof.