Color labeling in a graphical user interface

• US 9,606,698 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran
• Primary Examiner(s): WIENER, ERIC A
• Application Number:
  US12/969,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,295 Days
• Field of Search: 715763-768, 715/775, 715/777, 715/783, 715/794, 715/802, 715/803, 715/807, 715/810, 715/817, 715/821, 715/823, 715/846, 715853-861, 715/974
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A method for providing visual cues to a user of a graphical user interface (GUI) for a computer system is disclosed. The visual cues indicate a relationship with an icon having text and/or image elements. In some embodiments, the method receives a color for labeling an icon that has a text-element and an image-element. The method applies the color to a background-region of the text-element of the icon without applying the color to the image-element. In some embodiments, the method does not affect the font of the text. In some embodiments, the method receives a selection of an icon. The icon has a background-region that has a first color. The method changes the first color of the background-region to a second color but retains the first color in a section of the background-region. In some of these embodiments, the method outlines the section of the background-region with a third color.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

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

displaying, on the display, a plurality of selectable items, the plurality of selectable items including a respective selectable item that includes;

a representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item, a text description of the respective selectable item, and a label section that includes a representation of a label adjacent to the text description, the representation of the label having a respective color, wherein the representation of content, the label and the text description are all non-overlapping;

while displaying the plurality of selectable items, detecting selection, via the one or more input devices, of the respective selectable item; and

in response to detecting selection of the respective selectable item;

changing an appearance of the respective selectable item, on the display, to indicate that the respective selectable item has been selected, wherein changing the appearance of the respective selectable item includes changing a background color of a background region of the respective selectable item while maintaining the display of the representation of content and the label section with the respective color over the background region.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selectable items are row items in a list.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the label section.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the label is one of a plurality of labels that are configured to be assigned to content and different labels have different corresponding visual representations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the appearance of the respective selectable item includes changing the background color of the respective selectable item while maintaining the display of the label section with the respective color at a position adjacent to the representation of content.

7. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program for execution by at least one processing unit of a device having one or more input devices, the computer program comprising instructions for:

displaying, on a display of the device, a plurality of selectable items, the plurality of selectable items including a respective selectable item that includes;

a representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item, a text description of the respective selectable item, and a label section that includes a representation of a label adjacent to the text description, the representation of the label having a respective color, wherein the representation of content, the label and the text description are all non-overlapping;

while displaying the plurality of selectable items, detecting selection, via the one or more input devices, of the respective selectable item; and

in response to detecting selection of the respective selectable item;

changing an appearance of the respective selectable item, on the display, to indicate that the respective selectable item has been selected, wherein changing the appearance of the respective selectable item includes changing a background color of a background region of the respective selectable item while maintaining the display of the representation of content and the label section with the respective color over the background region.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the plurality of selectable items are row items in a list.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the label section.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the label is one of a plurality of labels that are configured to be assigned to content and different labels have different corresponding visual representations.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein changing the appearance of the respective selectable item includes changing the background color of the respective selectable item while maintaining the display of the label section with the respective color at a position adjacent to the representation of content.

13. A system comprising:

a processor;

a display;

one or more input devices;

a storage device coupled to the processor and configurable for storing instructions, wherein the instructions configure the processor to;

display, on the display, a plurality of selectable items, the plurality of selectable items including a respective selectable item that includes;

a representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item, a text description of the respective selectable item, and a label section that includes a representation of a label adjacent to the text description, the representation of the label having a respective color, wherein the representation of content, the label and the text description are all non-overlapping;

while the plurality of selectable items are displayed on the display, detect a selection, via the one or more input devices, of the respective selectable item; and

in response to detecting the selection of the respective selectable item;

change an appearance of the respective selectable item, on the display, to indicate that the respective selectable item has been selected, wherein changing the appearance of a background region of the respective selectable item includes changing a background color of the respective selectable item while maintaining the display of the representation of content and the label section with the respective color over the background region.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of selectable items are row items in a list.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the label section.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the changed background color of the respective selectable item surrounds the representation of content corresponding to the respective selectable item.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the label is one of a plurality of labels that are configured to be assigned to content and different labels have different corresponding visual representations.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the change of the appearance of the respective selectable item includes a change of the background color of the respective selectable item while the display of the label section is maintained with the respective color at a position adjacent to the representation of content.