User interface with menu abstractions and content abstractions

• US RE46,818 E1
• Filed: 02/17/2016
• Issued: 05/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Brodersen, Rainer, Goldeen, Rachel Clare, Ma, Jeffrey, Pacurariu, Mihnea Calin, Seymour, Eric Taylor, Robbin, Jeffrey, Madden, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): BONSHOCK, DENNIS G
• Application Number:
  US15/046,416
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 715810, 715818, 715819, 715837
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

Media menu items are generated within a media interface environment. Media menu item abstractions are generated, one of the media menu item abstractions arranged in a foreground position, and one or more of the media menu item abstractions arranged in background positions in the media interface environment. Selection of a media menu items transitions to a corresponding content menu interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a media menu interface comprising a plurality of media menu items;

defining a plurality of media menu item positions in the media menu interface for the plurality of media menu items, each of the media menu item positions arranged along a one-dimensional path;

highlighting with a highlight indicator a media menu item for selection;

generating in the media menu interface a plurality of media menu item abstractions corresponding to the media menu items;

defining a foreground position and a plurality of one or more background positions in the media menu interface, each of the foreground position and one or more background positions arranged along a multidimensional path separate from the one-dimensional path and being a position to which the media menu item abstractions transition according to the highlighted media menu item, and wherein the media menu item abstractions are displayed in the positions along the multidimensional path concurrently with the media menu items being displayed in the media menu item positions along the one-dimensional path;

transitioning the media menu item abstractions into each of the one or more background positions and the foreground position so that a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item transitions into the foreground position and after the transition is displayed in the foreground position, and one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more media menu items that are not highlighted transition into the one or more background positions and after the transition are displayed in the one or more background positions, wherein a media menu item abstraction is displayed in each of the foreground position and one or more background positions after each transition, and a relative proximity of a media menu item to its corresponding media menu item abstraction changes in relation to a position of the highlight indicator relative to the menu item;

receiving a selection of a highlighted media menu item; and

transitioning a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected media menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path, wherein after the media menu item abstraction has been transitioned into the title position the media menu item abstraction is displayed only in the title position and the one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more media menu items that are not selected are not displayed;

wherein transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position includes transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position along a path defined by a beginning at the foreground position and a terminus at the title position.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising:

blurring one or more of the media menu item abstractions in the one or more background positions.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising:

generating a content menu in proximity to the title position, the content menu comprising content menu items based on the selected media menu item, and wherein each of the content menu items are displayed in the media menu item positions arranged along the one-dimensional path; and

concurrently displaying content abstractions with the content menu, the content abstractions displayed along another multidimensional path adjacent to the content menu items and corresponding to at least one of the content menu items.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein concurrently displaying content abstractions with the content menu comprises:

generating content abstractions;

defining the another multidimensional path having an ingress terminus and an egress terminus;

emerging the content abstractions into the another multidimensional path at the ingress terminus;

eliminating the content abstractions from the another multidimensional path at the egress terminus; and

generating depth transitions of the content abstractions through the another multidimensional path from the ingress terminus to the egress terminus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transitioning a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected media menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path further comprises transitioning the one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more media menu items that are not selected out of the media menu interface along the multidimensional path so that the one or more media menu items that are not selected are not displayed.

6. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions that are executable by a processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

generating a home interface environment;

generating a home menu within the home interface environment, the home menu comprising a plurality of home menu items;

defining a plurality of home menu item positions for the plurality of home menu items, each of the home menu item positions arranged along a one-dimensional path;

providing a highlight indicator to highlight one of the home menu items for selection;

generating in the home interface environment a plurality of home menu item abstractions corresponding to the home menu items;

defining a foreground position and a plurality of one or more background positions in the home interface environment, each of the foreground position and one or more background positions being a position to which the home menu item abstractions transition according to the highlighted home menu item, wherein the foreground position and the one or more background positions are arranged along a multidimensional path separate from the one-dimensional path, the multidimensional path extending from a terminus, and wherein the home menu item abstractions are displayed in the positions along the multidimensional path concurrently with the home menu items being displayed in the media menu item positions along the one-dimensional path;

transitioning the home menu item abstractions into each of the foreground position and the one or more background positions along the multidimensional path so that a home menu item abstraction corresponding to a highlighted home menu item transitions into the foreground position and is displayed in the foreground position after the transition, and each one or more home menu item abstraction abstractions corresponding to a one or more home menu item items that is are not highlighted transitions transition into a the one or more background position positions and is are displayed in that the one or more background position positions after the transition, wherein a home menu item abstraction is displayed in each of the foreground position and one or more background positions after each transition and a relative proximity of a home menu item to its corresponding home menu item abstraction changes in relation to a position of the highlight indicator relative to the home menu item;

receiving a selection of a home menu item; and

transitioning a home menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected home menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path, wherein after the home menu item abstraction has been transitioned into the title position the home menu item abstraction is displayed only in the title position and the one or more home menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more home menu items that are not selected are not displayed;

wherein transitioning the home menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position includes transitioning the home menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position along a path defined by a beginning at the foreground position and a terminus at the title position.

7. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, storing further instructions that are executable by the processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

blurring the home menu item abstractions in the one or more background positions.

8. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, storing further instructions that are executable by the processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

changing the highlight indicator from the highlighted home menu item to another home menu item;

transitioning a home menu item abstraction corresponding to the another home menu item from a background position to the foreground position when the home menu item abstractions transition into the foreground position and the one or more background positions in a first direction; and

emerging a home menu item abstraction corresponding to the another home menu item into the foreground position when the home menu item abstractions transition into the foreground position and the one or more background positions along the multidimensional path in a second direction.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein:

the home menu item abstractions comprise media icons.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, storing further instructions that are executable by the processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

generating a content menu in proximity to the title position, the content menu comprising content menu items based on the selected home menu item, and wherein each of the content menu items are displayed in the home menu item positions arranged along the one-dimensional path; and

concurrently displaying content abstractions with the content menu, the content abstractions displayed adjacent to the content menu items and corresponding to at least one of the content menu items.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein concurrently displaying content abstractions with the content menu comprises:

generating content abstractions related to a highlighted content menu item;

defining the another multidimensional path having an ingress terminus and an egress terminus;

emerging the content abstractions into the another multidimensional path at the ingress terminus;

eliminating the content abstractions from the another multidimensional path at the egress terminus; and

generating depth transitions of the content abstractions through the another multidimensional path from the ingress terminus to the egress terminus.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11, storing further instructions that are executable by the processing device, and upon such execution cause the processing device to perform operations comprising:

generating overlapping depth transitions of the content abstractions as the content abstractions transition through the another multidimensional path from the ingress terminus to the egress terminus.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein transitioning a home menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected home menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path further comprises transitioning the one or more home menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more home menu items that are not selected out of the home interface environment along the multidimensional path so that the one or more home menu items that are not selected are not displayed.

14. A computer device, comprising:

a data processing subsystem;

a memory storing instructions executable by the processing subsystem and upon such execution cause the processing subsystem to perform operations comprising;

generating, on a display device, a media menu interface comprising a plurality of media menu items;

defining a plurality of media menu item positions in the media menu interface for the plurality of media menu items, each of the media menu item positions arranged along a one-dimensional path;

highlighting, in the display device and with a highlight indicator, a media menu item for selection;

generating in the media menu interface a plurality of media menu item abstractions corresponding to the media menu items;

defining a foreground position and a plurality of one or more background positions in the media menu interface, each of the foreground position and one or more background positions arranged along a multidimensional path separate from the one-dimensional path and being a position to which the media menu item abstractions transition according to the highlighted media menu item, and wherein the media menu item abstractions are displayed in the positions along the multidimensional path concurrently with the media menu items being displayed in the media menu item positions along the one-dimensional path;

transitioning, in the display device, the media menu item abstractions into each of the one or more background positions and the foreground position so that a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item transitions into the foreground position and after the transition is displayed in the foreground position, and one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more media menu items that are not highlighted transition into the one or more background positions and after the transition are displayed in the one or more background positions, wherein a media menu item abstraction is displayed in each of the foreground position and one or more background positions after each transition, and a relative proximity of a media menu item to its corresponding media menu item abstraction changes in relation to a position of the highlight indicator relative to the menu item;

receiving a selection of a highlighted media menu item; and

transitioning, in the display device, a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected media menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path, wherein after the media menu item abstraction has been transitioned into the title position the media menu item abstraction is displayed only in the title position and the one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more media menu items that are not selected are not displayed;

wherein transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position includes transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position along a path defined by a beginning at the foreground position and a terminus at the title position.

15. A method, comprising:

highlighting with a highlight indicator a media menu item for selection from among a plurality of media menu items comprised in a media menu interface, the media menu items having predefined media menu item positions in the media menu interface, each of the predefined media menu item positions arranged along a one-dimensional path;

displaying, in a predefined foreground position and one or more predefined background positions arranged along a multidimensional path in the media menu interface separate from the one-dimensional path, a plurality of media menu item abstractions, wherein each of the predefined foreground position and the one or more predefined background positions is a position to which the media menu item abstractions transition according to the highlighted media menu item, and wherein the media menu item abstractions are displayed in the positions along the multidimensional path concurrently with the media menu items being displayed in the media menu item positions along the one-dimensional path;

transitioning the media menu item abstractions into each of the one or more background positions and the foreground position so that a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the highlighted media menu item transitions into the foreground position and after the transition is displayed in the foreground position, and one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to one or more media menu items that are not highlighted transition into the one or more background positions and after the transition are displayed in the one or more background positions, wherein a media menu item abstraction is displayed in each of the foreground position and one or more background positions after each transition, and a relative proximity of a media menu item to its corresponding media menu item abstraction changes in relation to a position of the highlight indicator relative to the menu item;

receiving a selection of a highlighted media menu item; and

transitioning a media menu item abstraction corresponding to the selected media menu item from the foreground position to a title position along the one-dimensional path, wherein after the media menu item abstraction has been transitioned into the title position the media menu item abstraction is displayed only in the title position and the one or more media menu item abstractions corresponding to the one or more media menu items that are not selected are not displayed;

wherein transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position includes transitioning the media menu item abstraction from the foreground position to the title position along a path defined by a beginning at the foreground position and a terminus at the title position.