Single-handed approach for navigation of application tiles using panning and zooming

• US 9,411,505 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2011
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: SanGiovanni, John, Robbins, Daniel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wong, William
• Application Number:
  US13/341,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20120174025A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 715/783, 715/799, 715/778
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/80 2D [Two Dimensional] animation, e.g. using sprites

Abstract

Unique interactive systems and methods that facilitate single-handed navigation and interaction with applications within a display space on any type of mobile computing device are provided. Embodiments include or employ scalable application tiles corresponding to applications, whereby the application tiles can provide or indicate the current state of the corresponding application. State information provided in each tile can vary as well depending on the current size of the tile. Tiles can be arranged into a plurality of zones such that a user can view one zone at a time and obtain context and information from the application tiles in that zone rather than working with all tiles and all zones simultaneously. The view of the display space can be of the world or all application tiles, zone, or application. Panning and zooming among the zones, application tiles and/or views can also be performed.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a wearable computing device with a touch screen display and a plurality of applications;

displaying a first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications besides the first application;

detecting activation of a zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the zoom control, displaying an animation that transitions from displaying the first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications, to displaying a first group of application tiles, wherein;

the plurality of applications has a corresponding plurality of application tiles;

each application tile in the plurality of application tiles corresponds to a single application in the plurality of applications;

application tiles in the plurality of application tiles are arranged in a two-dimensional array;

the first group of application tiles is a subset of the plurality of application tiles;

activation of a respective application tile in the plurality of application tiles causes an application that corresponds to the respective application tile to be displayed on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications; and

at least one application tile in the plurality of application tiles displays an indication of a current state of a corresponding application;

while displaying the first group of application tiles, detecting a single finger drag across the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the single finger drag across the touch screen display while displaying the first group of application tiles, panning to display a second group of application tiles in the plurality of application tiles, distinct from the first group of application tiles;

detecting activation of a second zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the second zoom control, displaying all of the plurality of application tiles in the two-dimensional array including a center-most cluster of application tiles at a center of the two-dimensional array;

while displaying all of the plurality of application tiles, detecting activation of a button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array, displaying the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array, wherein;

displaying the center-most cluster of application tiles displays less than all of the plurality of application tiles, and

multiple application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles are user configurable.

2. The method of claim 1, including:

displaying the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array when the two-dimensional array is initially displayed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles correspond to frequently used applications.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes a map application, an email application, a calendar application, and/or a phone application.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes frequently used applications.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein display of the at least one application tile flashes when there is a change in the current state of the corresponding application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when a corresponding store is having a sale.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when the wearable computing device is in a vicinity of a corresponding store.

9. A wearable computing device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

programs, including a plurality of applications, wherein the programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the programs including instructions to;

display a first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications besides the first application;

detect activation of a zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the zoom control, display an animation that transitions from displaying the first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications, to displaying a first group of application tiles, wherein;

the plurality of applications has a corresponding plurality of application tiles;

each application tile in the plurality of application tiles corresponds to a single application in the plurality of applications;

application tiles in the plurality of application tiles are arranged in a two-dimensional array;

the first group of application tiles is a subset of the plurality of application tiles;

activation of a respective application tile in the plurality of application tiles causes an application that corresponds to the respective application tile to be displayed on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications; and

at least one application tile in the plurality of application tiles displays an indication of a current state of a corresponding application;

while displaying the first group of application tiles, detect a single finger drag across the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the single finger drag across the touch screen display while displaying the first group of application tiles, pan to display a second group of application tiles in the plurality of application tiles, distinct from the first group of application tiles;

detect activation of a second zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the second zoom control, display all of the plurality of application tiles in the two-dimensional array including a center-most cluster of application tiles at a center of the two-dimensional array;

while displaying all of the plurality of application tiles, detect activation of a button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array, display the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array, wherein;

displaying the center-most cluster of application tiles displays less than all of the plurality of application tiles, and

multiple application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles are user configurable.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the device includes instructions to:

display the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array when the two-dimensional array is initially displayed.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles correspond to frequently used applications.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes a map application, an email application, a calendar application, and/or a phone application.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes frequently used applications.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein display of the at least one application tile flashes when there is a change in the current state of the corresponding application.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when a corresponding store is having a sale.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when the wearable computing device is in a vicinity of a corresponding store.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing programs, including a plurality of applications, the programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a wearable computing device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

display a first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications besides the first application;

detect activation of a zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the zoom control, display an animation that transitions from displaying the first application in the plurality of applications on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications, to displaying a first group of application tiles, wherein;

the plurality of applications has a corresponding plurality of application tiles;

each application tile in the plurality of application tiles corresponds to a single application in the plurality of applications;

application tiles in the plurality of application tiles are arranged in a two-dimensional array;

the first group of application tiles is a subset of the plurality of application tiles;

activation of a respective application tile in the plurality of application tiles causes an application that corresponds to the respective application tile to be displayed on the display, without displaying any other applications in the plurality of applications; and

at least one application tile in the plurality of application tiles displays an indication of a current state of a corresponding application;

while displaying the first group of application tiles, detect a single finger drag across the touch screen display;

in response to detecting the single finger drag across the touch screen display while displaying the first group of application tiles, pan to display a second group of application tiles in the plurality of application tiles, distinct from the first group of application tiles;

detect activation of a second zoom control;

in response to detecting activation of the second zoom control, display all of the plurality of application tiles in the two-dimensional array including a center-most cluster of application tiles at a center of the two-dimensional array;

while displaying all of the plurality of application tiles, detect activation of a button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array; and

,

in response to detecting activation of the button configured to display the center-most cluster in the two-dimensional array, display the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array, wherein;

displaying the center-most cluster of application tiles displays less than all of the plurality of application tiles, and

multiple application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles are user configurable.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the computer readable storage medium includes instructions, which when executed by the wearable computing device with the touch screen display, cause the device to:

display the center-most cluster of application tiles in the two-dimensional array when the two-dimensional array is initially displayed.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein application tiles in the center-most cluster of application tiles correspond to frequently used applications.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes a map application, an email application, a calendar application, and/or a phone application.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the center-most cluster of application tiles includes frequently used applications.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein display of the at least one application tile flashes when there is a change in the current state of the corresponding application.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when a corresponding store is having a sale.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of application tiles includes a store application tile that visually changes to indicate when the wearable computing device is in a vicinity of a corresponding store.