Portable electronic device configured to present contact images

• US 9,489,106 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US12/395,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,811 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 715201-700, 455 412-557
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/904 Browsing; Visualisation therefor for navigating the web G06F16/954; browsing optimisation for the web G06F16/957
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Methods and systems are disclosed for navigating or browsing through images, such as contact images, on electronic devices, such as portable electronic device having a touch screen display. In one embodiment, users of electronic devices are able to browse through contact images to locate a particular contact within a plurality of contacts available (e.g., stored) on the electronic devices.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

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

displaying, on the display, representations of a plurality of contacts, including a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, wherein;

the first contact is currently selected;

a plurality of other contacts are currently unselected; and

a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

while displaying the representations of the plurality of contacts with the first contact being currently selected, detecting, with the one or more input devices, a contact selection input;

in response to detecting the contact selection input;

transitioning the first contact from being selected to being unselected; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, wherein a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

receiving an activation input;

in response to receiving an activation input, displaying one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, wherein the one or more options include a first option and a second option;

while displaying the one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, detecting selection of a respective option; and

in response to detecting selection of the respective option;

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the first option, initiating a communication with the currently selected contact using a first communication mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the second option, initiating a communication with the currently selected contact using a second communication mode that is different from the first communication mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the representations of the other contacts are arranged in sequence relative to a representation of the first contact;

the other contacts include a second contact and a third contact; and

a representation of the second contact is to the right of a representation of the third contact; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes;

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a first direction, transitioning the second contact from being unselected to being selected; and

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, transitioning the third contact from being unselected to being selected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a primary location is designated for displaying the representation of the currently selected contact;

transitioning the first contact from being selected to being unselected includes ceasing to display the representation of the first contact at the primary location; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes displaying the representation of the respective other contact at the primary location.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

the contacts are arranged in an order;

there are a two or more other contacts between the first contact and the respective other contact in the order; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, includes sequentially transitioning representations of the two or more other contacts through the primary location before the representation of the respective other contact is displayed in the primary location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact selection input is a rotational input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more input devices include a mechanically rotating input device, and the contact selection input includes rotation of the mechanically rotating input device.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more input devices include a touch-sensitive surface, and the contact selection input includes movement in an arc around the touch-sensitive surface.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

one or more input devices;

one or more processors;

memory; and

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

displaying, on the display, representations of a plurality of contacts, including a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, wherein;

the first contact is currently selected;

a plurality of other contacts are currently unselected; and

a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

while displaying the representations of the plurality of contacts with the first contact being currently selected, detecting, with the one or more input devices, a contact selection input; and

in response to detecting the contact selection input;

transitioning the first contact from being selected to being unselected; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, wherein a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

receiving an activation input;

in response to receiving an activation input, displaying one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, wherein the one or more options include a first option and a second option;

while displaying the one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, detecting selection of a respective option; and

in response to detecting selection of the respective option;

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the first option, initiating a communication with the currently selected contact using a first communication mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the second option, initiating a communication with the currently selected contact using a second communication mode that is different from the first communication mode.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the representations of the other contacts are arranged in sequence relative to a representation of the first contact;

the other contacts include a second contact and a third contact; and

a representation of the second contact is to the right of a representation of the third contact; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes;

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a first direction, transitioning the second contact from being unselected to being selected; and

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, transitioning the third contact from being unselected to being selected.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

a primary location is designated for displaying the representation of the currently selected contact;

transitioning the first contact from being selected to being unselected includes ceasing to display the representation of the first contact at the primary location; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes displaying the representation of the respective other contact at the primary location.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the contacts are arranged in an order;

there are a two or more other contacts between the first contact and the respective other contact in the order; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, includes sequentially transitioning representations of the two or more other contacts through the primary location before the representation of the respective other contact is displayed in the primary location.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein the contact selection input is a rotational input.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the one or more input devices include a mechanically rotating input device, and the contact selection input includes rotation of the mechanically rotating input device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the one or more input devices include a touch-sensitive surface, and the contact selection input includes movement in an arc around the touch-sensitive surface.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display and one or more input devices, cause the device to:

display, on the display, representations of a plurality of contacts, including a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact, wherein;

the first contact is currently selected;

a plurality of other contacts are currently unselected; and

a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

while displaying the representations of the plurality of contacts with the first contact being currently selected, detect, with the one or more input devices, a contact selection input; and

in response to detecting the contact selection input;

transition the first contact from being selected to being unselected; and

transition a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, wherein a representation of the currently selected contact is larger, in at least one dimension, than representations of the currently unselected contacts;

receive an activation input;

in response to receiving an activation input, display one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, wherein the one or more options include a first option and a second option;

while displaying the one or more options for initiating a communication operation with the currently selected contact, detect selection of a respective option; and

in response to detecting selection of the respective option;

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the first option, initiate a communication with the currently selected contact using a first communication mode; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective option is the second option, initiate a communication with the currently selected contact using a second communication mode that is different from the first communication mode.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

the representations of the other contacts are arranged in sequence relative to a representation of the first contact;

the other contacts include a second contact and a third contact; and

a representation of the second contact is to the right of a representation of the third contact; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes;

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a first direction, transition the second contact from being unselected to being selected; and

in accordance with a determination that the contact selection input is in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, transition the third contact from being unselected to being selected.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein:

a primary location is designated for displaying the representation of the currently selected contact;

transitioning the first contact from being selected to being unselected includes ceasing to display the representation of the first contact at the primary location; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected includes displaying the representation of the respective other contact at the primary location.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the contacts are arranged in an order;

there are a two or more other contacts between the first contact and the respective other contact in the order; and

transitioning a respective other contact from being unselected to being selected, includes sequentially transitioning representations of the two or more other contacts through the primary location before the representation of the respective other contact is displayed in the primary location.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the contact selection input is a rotational input.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more input devices include a mechanically rotating input device, and the contact selection input includes rotation of the mechanically rotating input device.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the one or more input devices include a touch-sensitive surface, and the contact selection input includes movement in an arc around the touch-sensitive surface.