Management of user interface elements in a display environment

• US 9,417,888 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Louch, John O., Peyton, Eric Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Amy M
• Application Number:
  US12/767,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20100211886A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,304 Days
• Field of Search: 715/714, 715/731, 715/736, 715741-743, 715/745, 715/763, 715/764, 715/802, 715/810, 715/859, 715/769, 715/788, 715789-800, 715/748, 715/749, 715/815
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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: 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions

Abstract

A widget manager facilitates management of widgets in a dashboard layer. Management functions can include enablement, preview, importation, exportation, organization, installation, deletion, acquisition, etc.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at a device with a display and one or more input devices;

before a respective widget has been added to a display environment, displaying, on the display, the display environment, wherein the display environment includes one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment;

during a single user input operation;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first portion of the single user input operation that includes selection of a representation of the respective widget for addition to the display environment, wherein the representation of the respective widget has a first size that is smaller than a size of the respective widget;

while displaying, on the display, the display environment that includes the one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment, detecting a second portion of the single user input operation that includes movement in the display environment;

in conjunction with detecting the second portion of the single user input operation, displaying, concurrently with the display environment, an enlarged representation of the respective widget that has a second size that is larger than the first size to indicate the actual size of the widget before it is added to the display environment; and

after displaying the enlarged representation of the respective widget concurrently with the display environment, detecting an end of the single user input operation that indicates a selected location for the respective widget in the display environment; and

in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation that indicates the selected location for the respective widget in the display environment, adding the respective widget at the selected location in the display environment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more other widgets are displayed at installed locations in the display environment during the single user input operation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein during the single user input operation movement in the display environment after selection of the representation of the respective widget is performed without performing other inputs that interact with content displayed in the enlarged representation of the respective widget.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation, an installation process for installing the respective widget is invoked.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the installation process comprises:

displaying an installation window that includes one or more interactive features that allow the user to install the respective widget or cancel the installation process.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation, a preview process for previewing the respective widget is invoked.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the preview process comprises:

displaying a presentation window for previewing the respective widget prior to adding the respective widget to the display environment.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation, an installation process for installing the respective widget is invoked.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the installation process comprises:

displaying an installation window that includes one or more interactive features that allow the user to install the respective widget or cancel the installation process.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

before a respective widget has been added to a display environment, displaying, on a display, the display environment, wherein the display environment includes one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment;

detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first portion of a single user input operation that includes selection of a representation of the respective widget for addition to the display environment, wherein the representation of the respective widget has a first size that is smaller than a size of the respective widget;

while displaying, on the display, the display environment that includes the one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment, detecting a second portion of the single user input operation that includes movement in the display environment;

in conjunction with detecting the second portion of the single user input operation, displaying, concurrently with the display environment, an enlarged representation of the respective widget that has a second size that is larger than the first size to indicate the actual size of the widget before it is added to the display environment; and

after displaying the enlarged representation of the respective widget concurrently with the display environment, detecting an end of the single user input operation that indicates a selected location for the respective widget in the display environment; and

in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation that indicates the selected location for the respective widget in the display environment, adding the respective widget at the selected location in the display environment.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the one or more other widgets are displayed at installed locations in the display environment during the single user input operation.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein during the single user input operation movement in the display environment after selection of the representation of the respective widget is performed without performing other inputs that interact with content displayed in the enlarged representation of the respective widget.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation a preview process for previewing the respective widget is invoked.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the preview process comprises:

displaying a presentation window for previewing the respective widget prior to adding the respective widget to the display environment.

15. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

displaying, on a display, a display environment, wherein the display environment includes one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment;

detecting, via one or more input devices, a first portion of a single user input operation that includes selection of a representation of a respective widget for addition to the display environment, wherein the representation of the respective widget has a first size that is smaller than a size of the respective widget;

while displaying, on the display, the display environment that includes the one or more widgets that have been added to the display environment, detecting a second portion of the single user input operation that includes movement in the display environment;

in conjunction with detecting the second portion of the single user input operation, displaying, concurrently with the display environment, an enlarged representation of the respective widget that has a second size that is larger than the first size to indicate the actual size of the widget before it is added to the display environment; and

after displaying the enlarged representation of the respective widget concurrently with the display environment, detecting an end of the single user input operation that indicates a selected location for the respective widget in the display environment; and

in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation that indicates the selected location for the respective widget in the display environment, adding the respective widget at the selected location in the display environment.

16. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the one or more other widgets are displayed at installed locations in the display environment during the single user input operation.

17. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein during the single user input operation movement in the display environment after selection of the representation of the respective widget is performed without performing other inputs that interact with content displayed in the enlarged representation of the respective widget.

18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation, an installation process for installing the respective widget is invoked.

19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the installation process comprises:

displaying an installation window that includes one or more interactive features that allow the user to install the respective widget or cancel the installation process.

20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein in response to detecting the end of the single user input operation, a preview process for previewing the respective widget is invoked.