User interface presentation of information in reconfigured or overlapping containers

• US 9,037,997 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2010
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US12/754,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20100287494A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/60 Shadow generation

Abstract

A graphical user interface provides a display of multiple items of information in a manner such that the user can comprehend the relationship of various items to one another over a wide span. To achieve this result, at least some information containers are allocated a reduced amount of area in which to be viewed by the user. At least one container continues to be displayed in full view, however. In one embodiment, the containers are displayed in an overlapping arrangement. In a column view, for instance, the column containing the object that was last clicked upon, and the column showing the contents of the selected object, can be displayed in full view. The other columns may be only partially visible, due to the overlapping arrangement. However, the user is presented with enough information to comprehend the relationship of objects at different levels. When the user moves a cursor over a container with a reduced viewing area, the display changes to show that container in full view.

Claims

1. A method for displaying information in a graphic user interface of a computer system, said method comprising:

causing the computer system to display a plurality of containers of information, wherein;

a first container of the plurality of containers of information is a content container and displayed in full view,

a second container of the plurality of containers of information is a focus container and displayed in full view, and

the remaining containers of information are displayed in a first overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the remaining containers of information are only partially visible due to the first overlapping arrangement;

causing the computer to detect an event that selects a third container from the remaining containers of information; and

causing the computer system to reposition the containers of information, excluding said content container, based on said detection, wherein said repositioning includes moving and displacing one or more of the unselected containers of information such that the third container of information is displayed in full view and the unselected containers of information, including said second container are displayed in a second overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the unselected containers of information are only partially visible due to the second overlapping arrangement and the content container remains visible in full view, and wherein said third container of information becomes the focus container in response to the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said containers are columns in a window.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said containers are windows.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said repositioning includes, displaying an animation of the unselected containers sliding to respective destination positions.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the unselected containers slide within a single dimension of movement.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein displaying the animation comprises:

determining the area occupied by said third container;

determining an area available for the unselected containers;

determining the respective destination positions for the unselected containers in the available area; and

moving said displaced containers to the respective destination positions.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said event is associated with a user input action to shift focus to said third container.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said user input action is movement of a cursor to a position over said third container.

9. The method of claim 8, including causing the computer system to inhibit said repositioning of the unselected containers until said cursor remains over said third container for a predetermined period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said event is generated by the computer system.

11. The method of claim 1, including causing the computer system to display shadows at overlapping portions of said unselected containers.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the widths of said shadows are proportional to the amount of overlap between containers.

13. A non-transient computer-readable medium having encoded thereon a graphic user interface for a computer system that, when executed by a processor, causes the computer system to:

display a plurality of containers, wherein;

a first container of the plurality of containers of information is a content container and displayed in full view;

a first container of the plurality of containers of information is a focus container and displayed in full view, and

the remaining containers of information are displayed in a first overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the remaining containers of information are only partially visible due to the first overlapping arrangement;

detect an event that selects a third container from the other containers in the stack; and

reposition the containers of information, excluding said content container, based on said detection, wherein said repositioning includes moving and displacing one or more of the unselected containers of information such that the third container of information is displayed in full-view and the unselected containers of information, including said second container, are displayed in a second overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the unselected containers of information are only partially visible due to the second overlapping arrangement and the content container remains visible in full view, and wherein said third container of information becomes the focus container in response to the event.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said containers are columns in a window.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said containers are windows.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the graphic user interface causes the computer system to display an animation of the unselected containers sliding to respective destination positions.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the unselected containers slide within a single dimension of movement.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the graphic user interface causes the computer system to:

determine the area occupied by said third container;

determine an area available for the unselected containers;

determine the respective destination positions for the unselected containers in the available area; and

move said displaced containers to the respective destination positions.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the graphic user interface causes the computer system to inhibit said repositioning of the unselected containers until said cursor remains over said third container for a predetermined period of time.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said event is associated with a user input action to shift focus to said third container.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 20, wherein said user input action is movement of a cursor to a position over said third container.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein said event is generated by the computer system.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the graphic user interface causes the computer system to display shadows at the overlapping portions of said unselected containers.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the widths of said shadows are proportional to an amount of overlap between containers.

25. A computer system, comprising:

a display device;

a processor; and

a memory device having program instructions for a graphic user interface stored thereon, said program instructions, when executed by the processor configuring the computer system to;

display a plurality of containers, wherein;

a first container of the plurality of containers of information is a content container and displayed in full view,

a second container of the plurality of containers of information is a focus container and displayed in full view, and

the remaining containers of information are displayed in a first overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the remaining containers of information are only partially visible due to the first overlapping arrangement;

detect an event that selects a third container from the other containers in the stack; and

reposition the containers of information, excluding said content container, based on said detection, wherein said repositioning includes moving and displacing one or more of the unselected containers of information such that the third container of information is displayed in full-view and the unselected containers of information, including said second container, are displayed in a second overlapping arrangement such that a plurality of the unselected containers of information are only partially visible due to the second overlapping arrangement and the content container remains visible in full view, and wherein said third container of information becomes the focus container in response to the event.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said containers are columns in a window.

27. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said containers are windows.

28. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said program instructions configure the computers system to display an animation of the unselected containers sliding to respective destination positions.

29. The computer system of claim 28, wherein the unselected containers slide within a single dimension of movement on the display.

30. The computer system of claim 28, wherein said program instructions configure the computer system to:

determine the area occupied by said third container;

determine an area available for the unselected containers;

determine the respective destination positions for the unselected containers in the available area; and

move said displaced containers to the respective destination positions.

31. The computer system of claim 30, wherein said program instructions configure the computer system to inhibit said repositioning of the unselected containers until said cursor remains over said third container for a predetermined period of time.

32. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said event is associated with a user input action to shift focus to said third container.

33. The computer system of claim 32, wherein said user input action is movement of a cursor to a position over said third container.

34. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said event is generated by the computer system.

35. The computer system of claim 25, wherein said program instructions configure the computer system to display shadows at overlapping portions of said unselected containers.

36. The computer system of claim 35, wherein the widths of said shadows are proportional to the amount of overlap between containers.