Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Managing Folders

• US 20110252372A1
• Filed: 09/22/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran
• Granted Patent: US 10,025,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/835
• 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 3/0486 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 3/04886 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 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/15 Conference systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A multifunction device displays a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display. In response to detecting the first input, the device moves a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects. In response to detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, the device creates a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

Claims

1. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

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 a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display;

detecting a first input;

in response to detecting the first input, moving a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

in response to detecting that the first input meets the predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, creating a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria includes detecting termination of the first input while the first object is proximate to the second object

3. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

in response to detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria of the first input while the first object is proximate to the second object, ceasing to display the first object and the second object.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input is a gesture that is detected on a touch-sensitive surface.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the selectable user interface objects are action icons.

6. The device of claim 1, including instructions for, in response to detecting an input that corresponds to selection of a respective selectable user interface object, activating an application that is associated with the respective selectable user interface object.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the multifunction device is in a user interface reconfiguration mode when the first input is detected.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein creating the folder includes displaying a folder icon that is representative of the folder.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the folder icon is displayed at a location on the display that was previously occupied by the second selectable object.

10. The device of claim 8, wherein displaying the folder icon includes displaying an animation of the second selectable object changing (e.g., morphing) into the folder icon.

11. The device of claim 1, including instructions for, after creating the folder:

detecting a second input that corresponds to a request to move a respective selectable user interface object of the first object and the second object out of the folder; and

when the second input is detected before the creation of the folder has been confirmed, deleting the folder and redisplaying the first object and the second object; and

when the second input is detected after the creation of the folder has been confirmed, displaying the respective object outside of the folder while continuing to display the folder.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the creation of the folder is confirmed when the multifunction device detects an input that corresponds to a request to perform an action selected from the set consisting of:

opening the folder, closing the folder, moving the folder, renaming the folder, adding an additional selectable user interface object to the folder, entering a user interface reconfiguration mode, leaving a user interface reconfiguration mode.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the first object is the respective object that is moved out of the folder and deleting the folder and redisplaying the first object and the second object includes:

displaying the first object at a location on the display that is determined based on the second input; and

displaying the second object at a location on the display that was previously occupied by a folder icon of the folder.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein displaying the second object includes displaying an animation of the folder icon changing into the second object.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the selectable user interface objects include one or more action icons and one or more folder icons, and the one or more programs include instructions for:

detecting a second input; and

in response to detecting the second input;

when the second input corresponds to a request to select a respective action icon, activating an application associated with the respective action icon; and

when the second input corresponds to a request to select the folder icon, displaying a folder view that includes contents of the folder associated with the folder icon.

16. The device of claim 1, including instructions for, after creating the folder, automatically displaying a folder view that includes contents of the folder.

17. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

after creating the folder, displaying a folder view that includes contents of the folder and displaying an object removal region;

while displaying the folder view, detecting a second input that corresponds to a request to move a respective selectable user interface object into the object removal region; and

in response to detecting the second input, removing the respective selectable user interface object from the folder.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein:

prior to detecting the first input, the plurality of user interface objects are displayed in a first arrangement on the display;

when the second input corresponds to a request to move the respective selectable user interface object into the object removal region and termination of the second input is detected the one or more programs include instructions for;

ceasing to display the folder view; and

displaying the respective selectable user interface object at a predetermined location in the first arrangement.

19. The device of claim 17, wherein:

prior to detecting the first input, the plurality of user interface objects are displayed in a first arrangement on the display;

when the multifunction device continues to detect the second input at a location that corresponds to the object removal region for more than a predetermined amount of time the one or more programs include instructions for;

ceasing to display the folder view;

detecting termination of the second input at a respective location within the first arrangement; and

in response to detecting termination of the second input, displaying the respective selectable user interface object at the respective location in the first arrangement.

20. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

prior to detecting the first input, displaying the plurality of user interface objects in a first arrangement on the display, and

after creating the folder, displaying a folder view on the display, wherein displaying the folder view includes displaying the first object and the second object within the folder view.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein displaying the folder view includes displaying a folder icon and a representation of at least a portion of the first arrangement, so as to indicate a location of the folder icon within the first arrangement.

22. A method comprising:

at a multifunction device with a display;

displaying a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display;

detecting a first input;

in response to detecting the first input, moving a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

in response to detecting that the first input meets the predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, creating a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

23. A graphical user interface on a multifunction device with a display, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

a plurality of selectable user interface objects;

wherein;

a first input is detected;

in response to detecting the first input, a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects is moved across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

it is detected that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

in response to detecting that the first input the meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, a folder is created that contains the first object and the second object.

24. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a display, cause the device to:

display a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display;

detect a first input;

in response to detecting the first input, move a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

detect that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

in response to detecting that the first input meets the predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, create a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

25. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

means for displaying a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display;

means for detecting a first input;

means, responsive to detecting the first input, for moving a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

means for detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

means, responsive to detecting that the first input meets the predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, for creating a folder that contains the first object and the second object.

26. An information processing apparatus for use in a multifunction device with a display, comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of selectable user interface objects on the display;

means for detecting a first input;

means, responsive to detecting the first input, for moving a first object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects across the display to a location on the display that is proximate to a second object in the plurality of selectable user interface objects;

means for detecting that the first input meets predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object; and

,

means, responsive to detecting that the first input meets the predefined folder-creation criteria while the first object is proximate to the second object, for creating a folder that contains the first object and the second object.