Device and method for resizing user interface content while maintaining an aspect ratio via snapping a perimeter to a gridline

• US 8,381,125 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 02/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Leffert, Akiva Dov, Rapp, Peter William, Weeldreyer, Christopher, Capela, Jay Christopher, Marr, Jason Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): VARGA, WILSON V
• Application Number:
  US12/639,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20110145759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 715/780, 715/863, 715/800, 345/651, 345/662, 345/665, 345/660, 345669-671
• US Class Current: 715/800
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Heuristics for resizing displayed objects within an electronic document are disclosed. The heuristics include resizing displayed objects to predefined ratios, resizing displayed objects by predefined increments, relating resizing of displayed objects to a global reference grid, and resizing a plurality of displayed objects aligned to an axis.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a computing device with a display and one or more user input devices adapted to detect user gestures;

displaying on the display a user interface including at least one user interface element, wherein;

the user interface element is configured to be resized within the user interface in response to user gestures detected with the one or more user input devices,

the user interface element has an aspect ratio, and

the user interface element is displayed on the display in conjunction with a plurality of gridlines, which include a plurality of x-axis gridlines and a plurality of y-axis gridlines;

detecting a user gesture performed with one or more of the one or more user input devices, the user gesture corresponding to a gesture to resize the user interface element;

in response to detecting the user gesture, resizing the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, wherein the detected user gesture has a directional path that intersects at least some of the plurality of gridlines;

while resizing the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, maintaining the aspect ratio of the user interface element, wherein maintaining the aspect ratio of the user interface element includes;

when the directional path intersects more x-axis gridlines than y-axis gridlines, snapping a perimeter of the user interface element to respective x-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective x-axis gridline is less than a predefined distance threshold, and,

when the directional path intersects more y-axis gridlines than x-axis gridlines, snapping a perimeter of the user interface element to respective y-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective y-axis gridline is less than the predefined distance threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when the directional path intersects the same number of x-axis gridlines and y-axis gridlines, and when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective gridline is less than the predefined distance threshold, snapping the perimeter of the user interface element to respective gridlines selected from the group consisting of respective x-axis gridlines, respective y-axis gridlines, and respective x-axis and y-axis gridlines.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the detected user gesture includes a point of contact corresponding to a first resize handle of the two or more resize handles, and

a second resize handle of the two or more resize handles corresponds to a second location of the user interface element that is opposite the first resize handle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein respective x-axis gridlines snapped to are separated by a quantized distance multiple, and a y-axis size adjustment to the user interface element is derived to maintain the aspect ratio of the user interface element.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein respective y-axis gridlines snapped to are separated by a quantized distance multiple, and an x-axis size adjustment to the user interface element is derived to maintain the aspect ratio of the user interface element.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising while detecting the user gesture, displaying an affordance in conjunction with the user interface element being resized, wherein the affordance is configured to display at least a current size of the user interface element.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising while detecting the user gesture, displaying an affordance in conjunction with the user interface element being resized, wherein the affordance is configured to display at least a current aspect ratio user interface element.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one user interface element is displayed on an electronic canvas.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element is rotated to an oblique angle on the electronic canvas before detecting the user gesture.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the display and at least one of the one or more user input devices comprise a touch-screen display.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface element includes at least a first resize handle and a second resize handle, wherein the first and second resize handles are positioned on opposite sides of the user interface element during the detected user gesture.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of gridlines is visibly displayed.

13. A computing device, comprising:

a display;

one or more processors;

one or more user input devices adapted to detect user gestures;

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 a user interface including at least one user interface element, wherein;

the user interface element is configured to be resized within the user interface in response to user gestures detected with the one or more user input devices,

the user interface element has an aspect ratio, and

the user interface element is displayed on the display in conjunction with a plurality of gridlines, which include a plurality of x-axis gridlines and a plurality of y-axis gridlines;

detecting a user gesture performed with one or more of the one or more user input devices, the user gesture corresponding to a gesture to resize the user interface element;

in response to detecting the user gesture, resizing the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, wherein the detected user gesture has a directional path that intersects at least some of the plurality of gridlines;

while resizing the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, maintaining the aspect ratio of the user interface element, wherein maintaining the aspect ratio of the user interface element includes;

when the directional path intersects more x-axis gridlines than y-axis gridlines, snapping a perimeter of the user interface element to respective x-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective x-axis gridline is less than a predefined distance threshold, and,

when the directional path intersects more y-axis gridlines than x-axis gridlines, snapping a perimeter of the user interface element to respective y-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective y-axis gridline is less than the predefined distance threshold.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computing device with a display and one or more user input devices adapted to detect user gestures, cause the device to:

display on the display a user interface including at least one user interface element, wherein;

the user interface element is configured to be resized within the user interface in response to user gestures detected with the one or more user input devices,

the user interface element has an aspect ratio, and

the user interface element is displayed on the display in conjunction with a plurality of gridlines, which include a plurality of x-axis gridlines and a plurality of y-axis gridlines;

detect a user gesture performed with one or more of the one or more user input devices, the user gesture corresponding to a gesture to resize the user interface element;

in response to detecting the user gesture, resize the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, wherein the detected user gesture has a directional path that intersects at least some of the plurality of gridlines;

while resizing the user interface element in accordance with the detected user gesture, maintain the aspect ratio of the user interface element, wherein maintaining the aspect ratio of the user interface element includes;

when the directional path intersects more x-axis gridlines than y-axis gridlines, snap a perimeter of the user interface element to respective x-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective x-axis gridline is less than a predefined distance threshold, and,

when the directional path intersects more y-axis gridlines than x-axis gridlines, snap a perimeter of the user interface element to respective y-axis gridlines when a respective distance between the perimeter of the user interface element and a respective y-axis gridline is less than the predefined distance threshold.