Methods and apparatuses for operating a data processing system

• US 9,552,141 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Lindsay, Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Theriault, Steven B
• Application Number:
  US14/096,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20140223357A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/0484 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 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses for operating data processing systems. One exemplary method of operating a data processing system which includes a display device includes receiving an input from a user, the input specifying an object to be represented in a user configurable portion of a window which is displayable on a display device, and displaying the window with the user configurable portion wherein the user configurable portion is present in an open interface window or a save interface window. Other methods are also described, and data processing systems are also described.

Claims

1. A method for operating a data processing system having a display device, the method comprising:

at the data processing system having the display device;

configuring a user configurable side bar portion in a file management system user interface, the configuring including;

displaying the file management system user interface on the display device, wherein;

the file management system user interface includes a window having the user configurable side bar portion and a content display portion,

the user configurable side bar portion includes representations of multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from a user, and

a displayed arrangement of the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the multiple folders in a file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

while displaying the window having the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion on the display device;

receiving a first input from the user, wherein;

 

the first input specifies an object to be represented in the user configurable side bar portion of the window,

 

the object is a first folder containing one or more first items, and

 

the user configurable side bar portion does not include a representation of the first folder before the first input is received from the user; and

in response to receiving the first input, placing the representation of the first folder in the user configurable side bar portion, wherein;

 

the representation of the first folder is concurrently displayed in the user configurable side bar portion with the representations of the multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from the user, and

 

a displayed arrangement of the representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the first folder and the multiple folders in the file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

after configuring the user configurable side bar portion in the file management system user interface, receiving an instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file;

in response to receiving the instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file, displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion, wherein;

the user configurable side bar portion is present in an open interface window or a save interface window or a print interface window, and

the user configurable side bar portion includes the representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in an expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window,

the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes a mode switching affordance, and

the method includes;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receiving a second user input from the user, wherein the second user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the second user input, displaying a compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes the mode switching affordance.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display a pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display the pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion without concurrently displaying the content display portion.

5. The method of claim 2, including:

while displaying the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, receiving a third user input from the user, wherein the third user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the third user input, redisplaying the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in a save interface window.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in a print interface window.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the representations of the multiple folders includes a representation of a second folder,

the second folder contains one or more second items,

the content display portion displays representations of the one or more first items of the first folder; and

the method includes;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receiving a fourth input from the user, wherein the fourth input selects one of the first items from the content display portion of the window and drags the selected first item over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window; and

while the selected first item is held over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window, displaying representations of the one or more second items of the second folder in the content display portion of the window in lieu of the representations of the one or more first items of the first folder.

8. 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 device, cause the electronic device to:

configure a user configurable side bar portion in a file management system user interface, the configuring including;

displaying the file management system user interface on the display device, wherein;

the file management system user interface includes a window having the user configurable side bar portion and a content display portion,

the user configurable side bar portion includes representations of multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from a user, and

a displayed arrangement of the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the multiple folders in a file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

while displaying the window having the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion on the display device;

receiving a first input from the user, wherein;

the first input specifies an object to be represented in the user configurable side bar portion of the window,

the object is a first folder containing one or more first items, and

the user configurable side bar portion does not include a representation of the first folder before the first input is received from the user; and

in response to receiving the first input, placing the representation of the first folder in the user configurable side bar portion, wherein;

the representation of the first folder is concurrently displayed in the user configurable side bar portion with the representations of the multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from the user, and

a displayed arrangement of the representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the first folder and the multiple folders in the file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

after configuring the user configurable side bar portion in the file management system user interface, receive an instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file;

in response to receiving the instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file, display the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion, wherein;

the user configurable side bar portion is present in an open interface window or a save interface window or a print interface window, and

the user configurable side bar portion includes representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in an expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window,

the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes a mode switching affordance, and

the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receive a second user input from the user, wherein the second user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the second user input, display a compact version of the of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes the mode switching affordance.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display a pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display the pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion without concurrently displaying the content display portion.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

while displaying the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, receive a third user input from the user, wherein the third user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the third user input, redisplay the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in a save interface window.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in a print interface window.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein:

the representations of the multiple folders includes a representation of a second folder,

the second folder contains one or more second items, and

the content display portion displays representations of the one or more first items of the first folder; and

the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receive a fourth input from the user, wherein the fourth input selects one of the first items from the content display portion of the window and drags the selected first item over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window; and

while the selected first item is held over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window, displaying representations of the one or more second items of the second folder in the content display portion of the window in lieu of the representations of the one or more first items of the first folder.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a display device;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to;

configure a user configurable side bar portion in a file management system user interface, the configuring including;

displaying the file management system user interface on the display device, wherein;

the file management system user interface includes a window having the user configurable side bar portion and a content display portion,

the user configurable side bar portion includes representations of multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from a user, and

a displayed arrangement of the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the multiple folders in a file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

while displaying the window having the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion on the display device;

receiving a first input from the user, wherein;

 

the first input specifies an object to be represented in the user configurable side bar portion of the window,

 

the object is a first folder containing one or more first items, and

 

the user configurable side bar portion does not include a representation of the first folder before the first input is received from the user; and

in response to receiving the first input, placing the representation of the first folder in the user configurable side bar portion, wherein;

 

the representation of the first folder is concurrently displayed in the user configurable side bar portion with the representations of the multiple folders that have been placed in the user configurable side bar portion in response to separate prior inputs from the user, and

 

a displayed arrangement of the representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders in the user configurable side bar portion is independent of an arrangement of the first folder and the multiple folders in the file system hierarchy at the data processing system;

after configuring the user configurable side bar portion in the file management system user interface, receive an instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file;

in response to receiving the instruction for opening a file, saving a file, or printing a file, display the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion, wherein;

the user configurable side bar portion is present in an open interface window or a save interface window or a print interface window, and

the user configurable side bar portion includes representation of the first folder and the representations of the multiple folders.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in an expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window,

the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes a mode switching affordance, and

the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receive a second user input from the user, wherein the second user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the second user input, display a compact version of the of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window includes the mode switching affordance.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display a pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window is configured to display the pull down menu that corresponds to the user configurable side bar portion without concurrently displaying the content display portion.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the processors to:

while displaying the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window, receive a third user input from the user, wherein the third user input selects the mode switching affordance displayed in the compact version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window; and

in response to receiving the third user input, redisplay the expanded version of the open interface window, save interface window, or print interface window.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the user configurable side bar portion is displayed in a print interface window.

23. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the representations of the multiple folders includes a representation of a second folder,

the second folder contains one or more second items, and

the content display portion displays representations of the one or more first items of the first folder; and

the programs further include instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to;

while displaying the window with the user configurable side bar portion and the content display portion;

receive a fourth input from the user, wherein the fourth input selects one of the first items from the content display portion of the window and drags the selected first item over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window; and

while the selected first item is held over the representation of the second folder in the user configurable side bar portion of the window, displaying representations of the one or more second items of the second folder in the content display portion of the window in lieu of the representations of the one or more first items of the first folder.