Drag and drop techniques for discovering related content

• US 9,244,603 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nook Digital, LLC (f/k/a Barnesandnoble.com LLC) (Bahwan CyberTek Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Nook Digital, LLC (f/k/a Barnesandnoble.com LLC) (Bahwan CyberTek Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Huang, Chen-Je, Tecarro, Jaireh, Saperstein, Shaun
• Primary Examiner(s): ALVESTEFFER, STEPHEN D
• Application Number:
  US13/923,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20140380214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/903 Querying for retrieval from the web G06F16/953
• 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

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for providing a drag and drop discovery mode in electronic touch sensitive devices. In response to a user dragging and dropping a content icon into a search box, the content discovery mode may perform a search for content similar to that deposited into the search box. The search box may increase in size or change appearance while receiving the content icon. The results of such a search may be displayed to the user with a content discovery animation that shows similar content icons emerging from the search box and populating the device screen. The animation may be accompanied by sound effects. The newly discovered content may be randomly scattered over a portion of the screen, or they may be bundled into groups based on similar characteristics, and each group may be accompanied by a header notifying the user of the characteristics of the group.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a touch screen display for displaying content to a user and allowing user input; and

a user interface including a drag and drop discovery mode configured to activate in response to a user depositing a first piece of content into a search box, wherein the drag and drop discovery mode is further configured to display a content discovery animation showing a plurality of similar contents emerging from the search box, and wherein the content discovery animation is further configured to show the similar contents decelerating and coming to rest scattered over at least a portion of touch screen display.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein at least some of the scattered similar contents are organized into a group.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the similar contents comprises content sharing at least one identifiable characteristic with the first piece of content.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the at least one identifiable characteristic is user-configurable.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the content discovery animation is further configured to show the similar contents coming to rest into groups based on one or more of the at least one identifiable characteristic.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein the content discovery animation is further configured to show a header identifying the at least one identifiable characteristic of each group.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the search box is accessible by a drag and drop touch screen gesture.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the search box visually increases in size while the first piece of content is being deposited into the search box.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the content discovery animation is accompanied by at least one sound effect.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein all content other than the similar contents shown on the touch screen display has a diminished appearance.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the device is an eReader device or a tablet computer or a smartphone.

12. A mobile computing system, comprising:

a processor and a display for displaying content to a user and a touch sensitive surface for allowing user input; and

a user interface executable on the processor and including a drag and drop discovery mode, wherein in response to a user depositing a first piece of content into a search box, the drag and drop discovery mode is configured to display a plurality of similar contents emerging from the search box, and wherein the similar contents comprises content sharing at least one identifiable characteristic with the first piece of content, and wherein the drag and drop discovery mode is further configured to display the similar contents decelerating and coming to rest scattered over at least a portion of the display.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the scattered similar contents are organized into two or more labeled groups.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the at least one identifiable characteristic is user-configurable.

15. A non-transitory computer program product comprising a plurality of instructions encoded thereon that when executed by one or more processors facilitate operation of an electronic device according a process, the process comprising:

receive a first piece of content in a search box;

search a database for similar content, wherein the similar content shares at least one identifiable characteristic with the first piece of content; and

present for display a content discovery animation that depicts similar content flowing from the search box and continuing to glide over at least a portion of display area before finally coming to rest within the display area.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the search box is configured to receive the first piece of content via a drag and drop based action.

17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the search box is configured to visually increase in size for at least part of the time when receiving the first piece of content.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein after flowing from the search box, the similar content at least one of bounces off each other and virtual edges of the electronic device before coming to rest.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the content discovery animation is further configured to show the similar content decelerating before coming to rest at random locations with the display area.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein all displayed content other than the similar content has a diminished appearance, and the first piece of content is distinguished in appearance from other displayed content while the similar content is displayed.

21. A computing system comprising the computer program product of claim 15.