Device, method, and graphical user interface for window manipulation and management

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10289292-B2
Application number	US-201715609695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	Jun 12, 2016
Publication date	May 14, 2019
Grant date	May 14, 2019

Abstract

An electronic device: displays a first window and a second window within a display area, the first window having a first edge parallel to a second edge of the second window; and detects an input moving the first edge toward the second edge. In response to detecting the input, the device: pairs the first edge to the second edge such that the first window stops moving before it overlaps the second window when the user input satisfies pairing criteria, the pairing criteria include a first pairing criterion that is met when the input corresponds to movement of the first edge toward the second edge that deviates from a predefined axis by less than an angular threshold value; and continues the movement of the first window based on the input so that the first window overlaps the second window when the user input does not satisfy the pairing criteria.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at a device with one or more processors, non-transitory memory, a display, and an input device:
displaying, on the display, a first window and a second window within a display area, the first window having a first edge parallel to a second edge of the second window;
detecting a first user input, via the input device, moving the first edge of the first window toward the second edge of the second window; and
in response to detecting the first user input:
in accordance with a determination that the first user input satisfies one or more pairing criteria, pairing the first edge of the first window to the second edge of the second window such that the first window stops moving in response to the first user input before it overlaps the second window, wherein the one or more pairing criteria include a first pairing criterion that is met when the first user input corresponds to movement of the first edge toward the second edge that deviates from a predefined axis by less than an angular threshold value; and
in accordance with a determination that the first user input does not satisfy the one or more pairing criteria, continuing the movement of the first window based on the first user input so that the first window at least partially overlaps the second window.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input corresponds to moving the first window within the display area by dragging the first window toward the second window.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user input corresponds to resizing the first window within the display area by dragging the first edge of the first window toward the second window.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a second pairing criterion of the one or more pairing criteria includes a velocity threshold value, and satisfying the second pairing criterion includes determining that that a velocity associated with the first user input breaches the velocity threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein a third pairing criterion of the one or more pairing criteria includes a distance threshold value, and satisfying the third pairing criterion includes determining that the input corresponds to movement of the first edge of the window in a respective direction to the edge of the second window without corresponding to more than a threshold amount of movement in the respective direction.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to detecting the first user input, and in accordance with a determination that the first user input satisfies one or more pairing criteria and that the first window is overlapping the second window, continuing the movement of the first window based on the first user input and displaying the first window at least partially overlapping the second window.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to detecting the first user input, and in accordance with a determination that the first user input satisfies one or more pairing criteria and that the second edge of the second window is occluded within the display area, continuing the movement of the first window based on the first user input and displaying the first window at least partially overlaps the second window.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first edge of the first window is paired with the second edge of the second window, detecting a second user input, via the input device, moving the first window away from the second window; and
in response to the second user input, unpairing the first edge of the first window from the second edge of the second window and moving the first window according to a movement vector associated with the second user input.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first edge of the first window is paired with the second edge of the second window, detecting a second component of the first user input moving the first window away from the second window; and
in response to the second component of the first user input and in accordance with a determination that a magnitude of the second component breaches a distance threshold, unpairing the first edge of the first window from the second edge of the second window and moving the first window according to a movement vector associated with the second component of the first user input.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first edge of the first window is paired with the second edge of the second window, detecting a second user input, via the input device, moving the first window toward the second edge of the second window; and
in response to detecting the second user input:
in accordance with a determination that the second user input satisfies one or more separation criteria, unpairing the first edge of the first window from the second edge of the second window and moving the first window over the second window according to a movement vector associated with the second user input; and
in accordance with a determination that the second user input does not satisfy the one or more separation criteria, maintaining the pairing between the first edge of the first window and the second edge of the second window and foregoing moving the first window over the second window.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein moving the first window over the second window according to the movement vector associated with the second user input includes:
in accordance with a determination that the second user input corresponds to moving a focus selector over the second window, displaying an animation such that moving the first window over the second window is discontinuous; and
in accordance with a determination that the second user input does not correspond to moving the focus selector over the second window, foregoing displaying the animation such that moving the first window over the second window is continuous.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first edge of the first window is paired with the second edge of the second window, detecting a second user input, via the input device, that corresponds to movement of the first edge relative to the second edge; and
in response to detecting the second user input:
in accordance with a determination that the second user input corresponds to movement of the first window such that the first edge of the first window moves over the second edge, delaying movement of the first window until the second user input has reached a movement threshold; and
in accordance with a determination that the second user input corresponds to movement of the first window such that the first edge of the first window moves away from the second edge, starting to move the first window before the second user input has reached the movement threshold.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
while the first edge of the first window is paired with the second edge of the second window, detecting a second user input, via the input device, moving the first window along the second edge of the second window; and
in response to detecting the second user input:
in accordance with a determination that the second user input satisfies one or more separation criteria, unpairing the first edge of the first window from the second edge of the second window and moving the first window according to a movement vector associated with the second user input; and
in accordance with a determination that the second user input does not satisfy any of the one or more separation criteria, maintaining the pairing between the first edge of the first window and the second edge of the second window and moving the first window para

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Dunn Corbin Robert
• Louch John O
• Van Vechten Kevin James
• Coffman Patrick Lee
• Stephens Troy N

Classifications

• G06F3/04845 Primary

  for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour · CPC title

• G06F3/0481 Primary

  based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance · CPC title

• G06F9/451

  Execution arrangements for user interfaces · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

  using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures · CPC title