Dynamically changing appearances for user interface elements during drag-and-drop operations

• US 9,690,447 B2
• Filed: 11/19/2012
• Issued: 06/27/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Jobs, Steve P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US13/681,385
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145325A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,681 Days
• Field of Search: 715846, 715763, 715861, 715825
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A user interface includes elements whose appearance dynamically changes in dependence upon functions associated with the elements. In the case of an icon that is the destination for a drag-and-drop operation, the image displayed for the icon changes in accordance with the object being dragged to it, to represent the task that will be performed as a result of the drag-and-drop operation. The appearance of other elements involved in drag-and-drop operations can also be varied, to reflect the task at hand. As a result, the user is provided with more intuitive feedback regarding the functions that will be performed by the computer as a result of a drag-and-drop operation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

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

displaying, on the display, a graphical user interface that includes a first selectable graphical element, a second selectable graphical element, and a target object, wherein;

the first selectable graphical element is associated with a first type of operation that is capable of being performed upon a first object through interaction of the first selectable graphical element with the target object;

the second selectable graphical element is associated with a second type of operation, different from the first type of operation, that is capable of being performed upon a second object through interaction of the second selectable graphical element with the target object; and

the target object has a first appearance;

while displaying, on the display, the graphical user interface that includes the first selectable graphical element, the second selectable graphical element, and the target object with the first appearance, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a user input selecting a respective selectable graphical element displayed in the graphical user interface; and

in response to detecting the user input;

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the first selectable graphical element, changing appearance of the target object from the first appearance to a second appearance that corresponds to the first type of operation that is capable of being performed upon the first object through interaction between the first selectable graphical element and the target object; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the second selectable graphical element, maintaining the appearance of the target object as the first appearance, wherein the first appearance corresponds to the second type of operation that is capable of being performed upon the second object through interaction between the second selectable graphical element and the target object.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing the first type of operation on the first object in response to detecting movement of the first selectable graphical element upon the target object in the graphical user interface.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first selectable graphical element and the target object are respective icons, and wherein the user input is a drag-and-drop operation enabling movement of the first selectable graphical element over the target object in the graphical user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the appearance of the target object includes changing the appearance of the target object from a first icon to a second icon, and wherein changing the appearance occurs in response to selection of the first selectable graphical element in the graphical user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the target object represents a destination to which the first object can be moved or copied.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of operation is used to perform an action for removal of the first object from a computer system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first type of operation is used to perform an action for storage of the first object in a computer system.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the second type of operation is unavailable for performance upon the first object.

8. A computing device, comprising:

a display device;

one or more input devices;

a processor; and

a memory configured for storing instructions for execution that when executed by the processor cause the computing device to;

generate, for display on the display device, a graphical user interface that includes a first selectable graphical element, a second selectable graphical element, and a target object, wherein;

the first selectable graphical element is associated with a first type of operation that is capable of being performed upon a first object through interaction of the first selectable graphical element with the target object;

the second selectable graphical element is associated with a second type of operation, different from the first type of operation, that is capable of being performed upon a second object through interaction of the second selectable graphical element with the target object; and

the target object has a first appearance;

while the graphical user interface that includes the first selectable graphical element, the second selectable graphical element, and the target object with the first appearance is displayed on the display device, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a user input selecting a respective selectable graphical element displayed in the graphical user interface; and

in response to detecting the user input;

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the first selectable graphical element, changing appearance of the target object from the first appearance to a second appearance that corresponds to the first type of operation that is capable of being performed upon the first object through interaction between the first selectable graphical element and the target object; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the second selectable graphical element, maintaining the appearance of the target object as the first appearance, wherein the first appearance corresponds to the second type of operation that is capable of being performed upon the second object through interaction between the second selectable graphical element and the target object.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the target object is associated with storage operations for electronic objects in the computing device, and wherein the first appearance and the second appearance designate different storage operations.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein the different storage operations include different destinations for the electronic objects.

11. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the first appearance and the second appearance are used to indicate respective file system destinations for file system operations initiated from interaction of the first selectable graphical element or the second selectable graphical element with the target object.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the user input selecting the respective selectable graphical element displayed in the graphical user interface results in a selection of the first object and a selection of a task associated with the first object.

22. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the second type of operation is unavailable for performance upon the first object.

13. A computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program operable in a computing device, the computer program comprising instructions for:

displaying, on a display, a graphical user interface that includes a first selectable graphical element, a second selectable graphical element, and a target object, wherein;

the first selectable graphical element is associated with a first type of operation that is capable of being performed upon a first object through interaction of the first selectable graphical element with the target object;

the second selectable graphical element is associated with a second type of operation, different from the first type of operation, that is capable of being performed upon a second object through interaction of the second selectable graphical element with the target object; and

the target object has a first appearance;

while displaying, on the display, the graphical user interface that includes the first selectable graphical element, the second selectable graphical element, and the target object with the first appearance, detecting, via one or more input devices, a user input selecting a respective selectable graphical element displayed in the graphical user interface; and

in response to detecting the user input;

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the first selectable graphical element, changing appearance of the target object from the first appearance to a second appearance that corresponds to the first type operation that is capable of being performed upon the first object through interaction between the first selectable graphical element and the target object; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective selectable graphical element is the second selectable graphical element, maintaining the appearance of the target object as the first appearance, wherein the first appearance corresponds to the second type of operation that is capable of being performed upon the second object through interaction between the second selectable graphical element and the target object.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions for:

performing the first type of operation upon the first object in response to detecting movement of the first selectable graphical element over the target object in the graphical user interface.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the movement of the first selectable graphical element over the target object is facilitated by a drag-and-drop operation in the graphical user interface to place the first selectable graphical element over the target object.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein changing the appearance of the target object from the first appearance to the second appearance is performed in response to movement of the selectable graphical element.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the appearance of the target object is changed to represent a destination to which the first object can be moved or copied.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the target object is associated with removal of a selected object from the computing device, wherein the appearance of the target object is changed to one of a first image or a second image, wherein the first image and the second image correspond to whether the selected object is a physical object or an electronic object associated with the computing device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first type of operation includes a storage operation in the computing device, wherein the appearance of the target object is changed to designate a particular storage operation with the first object.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the storage operation pertains to different respective destinations in the computing device.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the second type of operation is unavailable for performance upon the first object.