Three dimensional icon stacks

• US 8,762,885 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Hwang, Sok Y., Stallings, Heath
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOWENBERGER, AARON J
• Application Number:
  US12/335,108
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153844A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,017 Days
• Field of Search: 715/836, 715/837, 715/835, 715/838, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method performed by a user device includes displaying a graphical user interface (GUI) on a touch screen, where the GUI includes a stack having a plurality of items. Each of the plurality of items is at least partially exposed to permit selection by a user, and each of the plurality of items includes content or provides access to content. The method further includes detecting an area of the touch screen that is touched by an instrument, and determining whether the touched area corresponds to an area of the stack or an area of one of the plurality of items. The method also includes determining a gesture corresponding to the touched area, performing an operation, corresponding to the gesture, on the stack or on the one of the plurality of items, and displaying, on the touch screen, content associated with the operation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

causing, by at least one processor, a user device to display, on a display device, a graphical user interface (GUI),

the GUI including a stack with a plurality of items,

the plurality of items being ordered in the stack based on at least one of;

an alphabetical ordering, or

a user-specified ordering,

each of the plurality of items being at least partially exposed to permit selection by a user,

the plurality of items being associated with a plurality of different content types, and

each of the plurality of items graphically indicating an associated one of the plurality of the different content types;

detecting, by at least one processor, an input, by the user, with respect to the display device;

identifying, by at least one processor and based on the detected input, a gesture,

determining, by at least one processor, whether the gesture corresponds to one of;

a single-point gesture associated with a first area associated with the stack,

a first gesture associated with a second area that includes an image of a person that is associated with one of the plurality of items,

a multipoint gesture associated with the first area associated with the stack, or

a second gesture associated with the second area,

the second gesture being different from the first gesture; and

selectively performing, by at least one processor, one of a first operation, a second operation, a third operation, or a fourth operation that are different,

the first operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the single-point gesture associated with the first area associated with the stack,

the second operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the first gesture associated with the second area,

the second operation including;

providing access to contact information associated with the image of the person,

the third operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the multipoint gesture associated with the first area associated with the stack, and

the fourth operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the second gesture associated with the second area,

the fourth operation including;

providing access to a group of messages associated with the image of the person, and

providing another stack with another plurality of items based on a time-based ordering,

the other plurality of items graphically representing the group of messages.

2. The method of claim 1, where the stack comprises a first stack, the other stack comprises a second stack, and the input comprises a first input, the method further comprising:

detecting a second input; and

providing content associated with the one of the first operation, the second operation, the third operation, or the fourth operation in third stack included in the GUI,

the first stack being ordered based on a first criteria,

the first criteria including the at least one of the alphabetical ordering or the user-specified ordering, and

the third stack being ordered based on a second criteria that differs from the first criteria.

3. The method of claim 1, where the plurality of different content types includes at least one of:

multimedia content,

address book content,

message log content, or

weather content.

4. The method of claim 1, where the display device includes a touch screen, and

where detecting the input includes:

detecting a contact with the touch screen.

5. The method of claim 1, where selectively performing the first operation, the second operation, the third operation, or the fourth operation includes at least one of:

selecting the stack,

selecting one or more of the plurality of items,

selecting content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

accessing the content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

adjusting the content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

moving the stack from a first displayed portion of the display device to a second displayed portion of the display device,

adding one or more additional items to the stack,

removing the one or more of the plurality of items from the stack,

viewing a plurality of available operations associated with the stack,

selecting one of the plurality of available operations associated with the stack,

manipulating an ordering of the plurality of items within the stack, or

adjusting a displayed appearance of the plurality of items in the stack.

17. The method of claim 4, where determining whether the gesture corresponds to the one of the single-point gesture associated with the first area associated with the stack, the first gesture associated with the second area, the multipoint gesture associated with the first area associated with the stack, or the second gesture associated with the second area includes:

determining whether the gesture corresponds to one or more of;

a single tap on the touch screen,

two or more taps on the touch screen,

a single stroke on the touch screen,

two or more strokes on the touch screen,

a single sliding motion on the touch screen, or

two or more sliding motions on the touch screen.

6. A user device comprising:

a memory to store a plurality of instructions; and

a processor to execute the plurality of instructions stored in the memory to;

cause a display to present a graphical user interface (GUI),

the GUI including a stack with a plurality of items that are partially exposed to permit selection,

the plurality of items being ordered in the stack based on at least one of;

 

an alphabetical ordering, or

 

a user-specified ordering,

the plurality of items being associated with a plurality of different content types, and

each of the plurality of items graphically indicating an associated one of the plurality of the different content types,

detect an input by a user of the user device,

identify, based on the detected input, a gesture,

determine whether the gesture corresponds to one of;

a single-point gesture associated with a displayed first area that is associated with the stack,

a first gesture associated with a displayed second area that includes an image of a person that is associated with one of the plurality of items,

a multipoint gesture associated with the displayed first area that is associated with the stack, or

a second gesture associated with the displayed second area,

the second gesture being different from the first gesture,

selectively perform one of a first operation, a second operation, a third operation, or a fourth operation that differ,

the processor performing the first operation when the gesture corresponds to the single-point gesture associated with the displayed first area associated with the stack,

the processor performing the second operation when the gesture corresponds to the first gesture associated with the displayed second area,

 

the processor, when performing the second operation, being to;

 

provide access to contact information associated with the image of the person,

 

the processor performing the third operation when the gesture corresponds to the multipoint gesture associated with the displayed first area associated with the stack, and

 

the processor performing the fourth operation when the gesture corresponds to the second gesture associated with the displayed second area,

 

the processor, when performing the fourth operation, being to;

 

provide access to a group of messages associated with the image of the person, and

 

provide another stack with another plurality of items based on a time-based ordering,

 

the other plurality of times graphically representing the group of messages.

7. The user device of claim 6, where the user device includes at least one of:

a computational device,

a communication device,

a navigational device, or

an entertainment device.

8. The user device of claim 6, where each of the plurality of items is associated with content that includes at least one of:

messages received by the user device,

weather content,

content associated with one or more contacts associated with the user,

music content,

one or more photos, or

one or more videos.

9. The user device of claim 6, where, when causing the display to present the GUI, the processor is to:

cause the display to present the plurality of items ordered according to a first granularity of time, and

where, when performing the fourth operation, the processor is to;

cause the display to present the other stack in which the other plurality of items are ordered according to a second granularity of time,

the first granularity of time being different from the second granularity of time.

10. The user device of claim 6, where the processor, when selectively performing the first operation, the second operation, the third operation, or the fourth operation, is to at least one of:

select the stack,

select one or more of the plurality of items,

select content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

access content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

adjust the content associated with the one or more of the plurality of items,

move the stack from a first portion of the display to a second displayed portion of the display,

add one or more additional items to the stack,

remove the one or more of the plurality of items from the stack,

view a plurality of available operations associated with the stack,

select one of the plurality of available operations associated with the stack,

manipulate an ordering of the plurality of items in the stack, or

adjust a displayed appearance of the plurality of items or the stack.

11. The user device of claim 6, where, when the processor is selectively performing the first operation, the second operation, the third operation, or the fourth operation, the processor is to:

provide, when the gesture corresponds to a multipoint gesture associated with the image of the person, access to an address book associated with the user.

12. The user device of claim 6, where, when causing the display to present the GUI, the processor is to:

cause the display to present the plurality of items in an order within the stack, the order being configurable by the user.

18. The user device of claim 6, where the display includes a touch screen, and

where the processor, when detecting the input, is to:

detect a contact with the touch screen.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, the instructions comprising:

one or more instructions which, when executed by a user device, cause the user device to display a graphical user interface (GUI) on a display device,

the GUI including a stack,

the stack including a plurality of items that are partially exposed to permit selection,

the plurality of items being ordered in the stack based on at least one of;

 

an alphabetical ordering, or

 

a user-specified ordering,

the plurality of items being associated with a plurality of different content types, and

each of the plurality of items graphically indicating an associated one of the plurality of the different content types;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the user device, cause the user device to detect an input;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the user device, cause the user device to identify, based on the detected input, a gesture;

one or more instructions which, when executed by the user device, cause the user device to determine whether the gesture corresponds to one of;

a single-point gesture associated with a displayed first area that is associated with the stack,

a first gesture associated with a displayed second area that includes an image of a person that is associated with one of the plurality of items,

a multipoint gesture associated with the displayed first area that is associated with the stack, or

a second gesture associated with the displayed second area,

the second gesture being different from the first gesture; and

one or more instructions which, when executed by the user device, cause the user device to selectively perform one of a first operation, a second operation, a third operation, or a fourth operation that are different,

the first operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the single-point gesture associated with the displayed first area associated with the stack,

the second operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the first gesture associated with the displayed second area,

the one or more instructions to perform the second operation including;

one or more instructions to provide access to contact information associated with the image of the person,

the third operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the multipoint gesture associated with the displayed first area associated with the stack, and

the fourth operation being performed when the gesture corresponds to the second gesture associated with the displayed second area,

the one or more instructions to perform the fourth operation including;

one or more instructions to provide access to a group of messages associated with the image of the person, and

one or more instructions to provide another stack with another plurality of items based on a time-based ordering,

the other plurality of items graphically representing the group of messages.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the plurality of items are associated with content that includes at least one of:

multimedia content,

address book content,

message log content, or

weather content.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the display device includes a touch screen, and

where the one or more instructions to detect the input include:

one or more instructions which, when executed by the user device, cause the user device to detect a contact with the touch screen.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, where the user device includes a wireless communication device.