Method and apparatus for adjusting a user interface to reduce obscuration

• US 9,081,498 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Thorsander, Simon Martin, Johansson, Per ke Daniel, Andersson Reimer, Nils Roger, Lessing, Robert Simon, Arbsj, Jonas Ove, Boman, Charles Anton Nilsson, Eldessouki, Ahmed ElSaeed Mohamed Gad, Drn, Andreas Pal
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US13/550,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20130227470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 715/790, 715/798, 715/786, 715/815, 715/840
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0481 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 3/04883 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 computer-implemented method comprising, at an electronic device having a display and means for receiving user input, said method comprises: displaying on the display, while maintaining at least a portion of the graphical user interface on the display, a menu containing one or more functions selectable by the user; and further comprising, altering at least a portion of the graphical user interface on the display so as to reduce the obscuration of the graphical user interface by the menu.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile device having a display and an input receiver, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of selectable items associated with an application in a display;

detecting a press positioned on a portion of the display presenting a selectable item from the plurality of selectable items;

selecting the selectable item from the plurality of selectable items in response to detecting the press on the selectable item;

detecting a hold on the portion of the display presenting the selected selectable item;

in response to detecting the hold;

displaying at least a portion of the selectable items in a first display area of the display; and

displaying a primary menu in a second display area of the display adjacent the first display area, the menu containing one or more function items associated with the selected selectable item, the first display area being greater than second display area, and wherein the primary menu presented in the second display area overlaps at least a portion of the selectable items presented in the first display area; and

detecting an expansion input and in response;

expanding the primary menu; and

moving the selectable items in response to the expanding primary menu such that at least the selected item is presented in the first display area and the primary menu presented in the second display area does not obscure the selected item presented in the first display area;

maintaining a size of the selected item in the first display area constant as the selectable items are moved in response to the expanding primary menu.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selectable items comprises translating the selectable items in a direction in which the primary menu expands.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the selectable items comprises rearranging the selectable items such that the selected item is presented in the first display area.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising, in response to detecting a discontinuation or release of the hold, pinning the primary menu to the second display area such that the primary menu is continued to be presented after discontinuation or release of the hold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the selectable items in a grid configuration prior to detecting the selection of the selectable item.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein expanding the primary menu causes the second display area to be greater than the first display area.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a selection of a function item from the primary menu and, in response to detecting the selection of the function item from the primary menu, presenting a second menu having a plurality of operations associated with the selected function item of the primary menu.

8. A method of claim 7, wherein presenting the second menu comprises displaying the second menu in the second display area in which the primary menu was presented prior to selection of the function item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the press comprises detecting a first press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a first duration that is less than a predetermined threshold and detecting the hold comprises detecting a second press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a second duration that is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

10. A mobile device comprising:

an input receiver;

a display;

one or more processors; and

memory comprising instructions which when executed by one or more of the processors cause the mobile device to;

display a plurality of selectable items associated with an application in a display;

detect a press positioned on a portion of the display presenting a selectable item from the plurality of selectable items;

select the selectable item from the plurality of selectable items in response to detecting the press on the selectable item;

detect a hold on the portion of the display presenting the selected selectable item;

in response to detecting the hold;

display at least a portion of the selectable items in a first display area of the display; and

display a primary menu in a second display area of the display adjacent the first display area, the menu containing one or more function items associated with the selected selectable item, the first display area being greater than second display area, and wherein the primary menu presented in the second display area overlaps at least a portion of the selectable items presented in the first display area; and

detect an expansion input and in response;

expand the primary menu;

move the selectable items in response to the expanding primary menu such that at least the selected item is presented in the first display area and the primary menu presented in the second display area does not obscure the selected item presented in the first display area; and

maintain a size of the selected item remains constant as the selectable items are moved in response to the expanding primary menu.

11. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the selectable items translate in a direction in which the primary menu expands when the selectable items move.

12. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the selectable items are rearranged to present the selected item is presented in the first display area.

13. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the primary menu is pinned to the second display area in response to detecting a discontinuation or release of the hold such that the primary menu is continued to be presented after discontinuation or release of the hold.

14. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein a swipe having an origin at the primary menu comprises an expanding input.

15. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the selectable items are presented in a grid configuration prior to detecting the selection of the selectable item.

16. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the second display area is greater than the first display area when the primary menu is expanded.

17. The mobile device of claim 10, further comprising a second menu, the second menu being presented in response to detecting a selection of a function item from the primary menu, the second menu having a plurality of operations associated with the selected function item of the primary menu, the second menu being displayed in the second display area in which the primary menu was presented prior to selection of the function item.

18. The mobile device of claim 10, wherein the press comprises a first press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a first duration that is less than a predetermined threshold.

19. The mobile device of claim 18, wherein the hold comprises a second press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a second duration that is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions which when executed by one or more of processors of a portable electronic device having a display and an input receiver cause the portable electronic device to:

display a plurality of selectable items associated with an application in a display;

detect a press positioned on a portion of the display presenting a selectable item from the plurality of selectable items;

select the selectable item from the plurality of selectable items in response to detecting the press on the selectable item;

detect a hold on the portion of the display presenting the selected selectable item;

in response to detecting the hold;

display at least a portion of the selectable items in a first display area of the display; and

display a primary menu in a second display area of the display adjacent the first display area, the menu containing one or more function items associated with the selected selectable item, the first display area being greater than second display area, and wherein the primary menu presented in the second display area overlaps at least a portion of the selectable items presented in the first display area; and

detect an expansion input and in response;

expand the primary menu;

move the selectable items in response to the expanding primary menu such that at least the selected item is presented in the first display area and the primary menu presented in the second display area does not obscure the selected item presented in the first display area; and

maintain a size of the selected selectable item constant as the selectable items are moved in response to the expanding primary menu.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 20 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the portable electronic device to translate the selectable items in a direction in which the primary menu expands, or cause the portable electronic device to rearrange the selectable items such that the selected item is presented in the first display area.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 20 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the portable electronic device to detect a discontinuation or release of the hold and, in response, pin the primary menu to the second display area such that the primary menu is continued to be presented after discontinuation or release of the hold.

23. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 20 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the portable electronic device to detect a selection of a function item from the primary menu, and present a second menu having a plurality of operations associated with the selected function item of the primary menu in the second display area in which the primary menu was presented prior to selection of the function item.

24. The non-transitory computer-readable medium as defined in claim 20 comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the portable electronic device to detect a first press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a first duration that is less than a predetermined threshold when detecting the press, and cause the portable electronic device a second press on the portion of the display presenting the selectable item of the application for a second duration that is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold when detecting the hold.