Fanning user interface controls for a media editing application

• US 9,189,876 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ubillos, Randy, Roberts, Samuel M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chung, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/629,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20130239056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 715/833
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/00 Network data management

Abstract

Some embodiments provide a method of presenting several user interface (UI) controls for editing images. Upon receiving a selection of an image to edit, the method displays the image in a display area for displaying edits to the image. At a first location, the method receives input to activate a UI tool includes the several UI tools. In response to the input, the method displays, at a second location, a fanning animation that fans the several UI controls from a fanned closed layout to a fanned open layout.

Claims

1. A method of presenting a plurality of user interface (UI) controls for editing images, the method comprising:

upon receiving a selection of an image to edit, displaying the image in a display area for displaying edits to the image;

at a first location, receiving an input to activate a UI tool comprising the plurality of UI controls; and

in response to the input, displaying, at a second location, a fanning animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout to gradually reveal the plurality of UI controls, wherein at least one UI control comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the fanning animation comprises displaying the fanning animation overlapping the display area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first location and the second location are different locations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is a first input and the fanning animation is a first fanning animation, the method further comprising, in response to a second input, displaying, at the second location, a second fanning animation that retracts the plurality of UI controls from the fan-open layout to the fan-closed layout.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the second input comprises a selection of one of the plurality of UI controls.

6. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for editing an image, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

receiving input to display a plurality of user interface (UI) controls for editing the image;

determining whether the GUI is in a particular viewing orientation;

upon determining that the GUI is in the particular viewing orientation, displaying a fanning out animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout to gradually reveal the plurality of UI controls at a first location in the GUI; and

upon determining that the GUI is not in the particular viewing orientation, displaying the fanning-out animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout at a second different location in the GUI in order to optimize space in the GUI, wherein at least one UI control comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region.

7. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the particular viewing orientation is a landscape orientation.

8. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for determining that the GUI is not in the particular viewing orientation comprises a set of instructions for determining that the GUI is in a portrait orientation.

9. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the fanning out animation at the first location in the GUI comprises a set of instructions for displaying the plurality of UI controls starting at a third location in the GUI and moving to the first location in the GUI while spreading the plurality of UI controls in order to optimize space in the GUI.

10. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 6, wherein the set of instructions for determining whether the GUI is in the particular viewing orientation comprises a set of instructions for determining whether the GUI is limited for fanning out the plurality of UI controls at the first location.

11. A method of editing an image with user interface (UI) controls, the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of UI controls for editing the image in a fan-open layout, wherein the plurality of UI controls are presented as a plurality of selectable fan-slices in the fan-open layout, at least one of the UI controls comprising a slider control having a sliding region and a slider in a corresponding fan-slice;

upon receiving a selection of a UI control in the plurality of UI controls, presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image by rotationally retracting and gradually concealing other UI controls in the plurality of UI controls about an axial point to an overlapping fan-closed layout;

receiving a slider adjustment from the slider control of the selected UI control; and

modifying the image based on the received slider adjustment.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image comprises displaying only the selected UI control.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image comprises displaying a set of the plurality of UI controls that includes the selected UI control.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the slider adjustment received from the UI control is based on a slider movement along the sliding region of the slider control.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising, upon receiving the selection of a UI control, displaying an animation that transitions from displaying the plurality of UI controls in the fan-open layout to displaying the presentation of the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image.

16. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing an application which when executed by at least one processing unit edits images, the application comprising a graphical user interface (GUI), the GUI comprising:

a display area for displaying an image;

a user interface (UI) tool comprising a plurality of selectable user interface (UI) controls for modifying the image; and

a selectable UI item for activating the UI tool, wherein a selection of the UI item causes the GUI to display an animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of selectable UI items about a fixed location from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout to gradually reveal the plurality of UI items, wherein at least one UI item comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region.

17. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, wherein the GUI displays the animation by displaying the plurality of UI controls fanning open at a same speed.

18. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 17, wherein the GUI displays the plurality of UI controls fanning open at the same speed by starting to fan different UI controls at different intervals.

19. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a graphical user interface (GUI) for editing an image, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

in response to input to display a plurality of user interface (UI) controls, displaying the plurality of UI controls in a fan-open layout by rotationally spreading and gradually revealing the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout, wherein at least one UI item comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region;

upon receiving a selection of a UI control in the plurality of UI controls, determining whether the GUI is in a first viewing mode;

when the GUI is determined to be in the first viewing mode, displaying an animation that transitions from displaying the fan-open layout of the plurality of UI controls to displaying only the selected UI control; and

when the GUI is determined not to be in the first view mode, displaying at least two UI controls in the plurality of UI controls in a fan-closed layout, the at least two UI controls comprising the selected UI control.

20. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first viewing mode is a portrait-viewing mode.

21. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 19, the program further comprising a set of instructions for receiving, when the GUI is not in the first viewing mode and the plurality of UI controls are in the fan-closed layout, a selection of another UI control in the displayed UI controls in the fan-closed layout.

22. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a plurality of user interface (UI) controls for editing an image, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

upon receiving a selection of an image to edit, displaying the image in a display area for displaying edits to the image;

at a first location, receiving an input to activate a UI tool comprising the plurality of UI controls; and

in response to the input, displaying, at a second location, a fanning animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout to gradually reveal the plurality of UI controls, wherein at least one UI item comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region.

23. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 22, wherein the set of instructions for displaying the fanning animation comprises a set of instructions for displaying the fanning animation overlapping the display area.

24. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 22, wherein the first location and the second location are different locations in the display area.

25. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 22, wherein the input is a first input and the fanning animation is a first fanning animation, the program further comprising a set of instructions for, in response to a second input, displaying, at the second location, a second fanning animation that retracts the plurality of UI controls from the fan-open layout to the fan-closed layout.

26. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 25, wherein the second input comprises a selection of one of the plurality of UI controls.

27. A method for providing a graphical user interface (GUI) for an image editing application, the method comprising:

receiving input to display a plurality of user interface (UI) controls for editing the image;

determining whether the GUI is in a particular viewing orientation;

upon determining that the GUI is in the particular viewing orientation, displaying a fanning out animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout at a first location in the GUI; and

upon determining that the GUI is not in the particular viewing orientation, displaying the fanning out animation that rotationally spreads the plurality of UI controls about an axial point from an overlapping fan-closed layout to a fan-open layout to gradually reveal the plurality of UI controls at a second different location in the GUI in order to optimize space in the GUI, wherein at least one UI item comprises a sliding region and a slider for moving along the sliding region.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the particular viewing orientation is a landscape orientation.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the GUI is determined not to be in the particular viewing orientation when the GUI is in a portrait orientation.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein determining whether the GUI is in the particular viewing orientation comprises determining whether the GUI is limiting the fanning out of the plurality of UI controls at the first location.

31. A non-transitory machine readable medium storing a program which when executed by at least one processing unit provides a plurality of user interface (UI) controls for editing an image, the program comprising sets of instructions for:

displaying the plurality of UI controls in a fan-open layout, wherein the plurality of UI controls are presented as a plurality of selectable fan-slices in the fan-open layout, at least one of the UI controls comprising a slider control having a sliding region and a slider in a corresponding fan-slice;

upon receiving a selection of a UI control in the plurality of UI controls, presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image by rotationally retracting and gradually concealing other UI controls in the plurality of UI controls about an axial point to an overlapping fan-closed layout;

receiving a slider adjustment from the slider control of the selected UI control; and

modifying the image based on the received slider adjustment.

32. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image comprises a set of instructions for displaying only the selected UI control.

33. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of instructions for presenting the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image comprises a set of instructions for displaying a set of the plurality of UI controls that includes the selected UI control.

34. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 31, wherein the set of instructions for receiving the slider adjustment from the slider control of the selected UI control comprises a set of instruction for receiving a slider movement along the sliding region of the slider control.

35. The non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 31, the program further comprising a set of instructions for, upon receiving the selection of a UI control, displaying an animation that transitions from displaying the plurality of UI controls in the fan-open layout to displaying the presentation of the selected UI control as the only UI control for use to edit the image.