Dynamic graphical interface shadows

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10691286-B2
Application number	US-201615136749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2016
Priority date	Nov 29, 2011
Publication date	Jun 23, 2020
Grant date	Jun 23, 2020

Abstract

Dynamic window and cursor shadows are described. In some implementations, graphical user interface display objects can be configured with elevation offset information to give the display objects a three-dimensional surface that can have pixels of varying height. In some implementations, shadows that are rendered upon display objects configured with pixel elevation offset information can be adjusted to reflect the three-dimensional surface of the objects thereby better approximating real-life shadows. In some implementations, shadows can be dynamically rendered in real-time and adjusted according to the elevations of display objects onto which they are cast.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
at an electronic device that is in communication with a display and one or more input devices:
concurrently displaying a plurality of user interface objects on the display, wherein:
the plurality of user interface objects includes a first user interface object and a second user interface object;
the first user interface object has a first elevation in the user interface;
the second user interface object has a second elevation, different from the first elevation, in the user interface;
the first user interface object is associated with first elevation offset information that specifies an elevation offset for a first portion of the first user interface object and an elevation offset for a second portion of the first user interface object that is different from the elevation offset for the first portion of the first user interface object; and
the second user interface object is associated with second elevation offset information, different from the first elevation offset information, that specifies an elevation offset for a first portion of the second user interface object and an elevation offset for a second portion of the second user interface object that is different from the elevation offset for the first portion of the second user interface object;

while concurrently displaying the plurality of user interface objects, detecting an input corresponding to movement across the first user interface object and across the second user interface object; and
in response to detecting the input:
while the input is at a location that corresponds to the first user interface object, displaying, on the first user interface object a visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object, wherein a visual representation of elevation of at least a portion of the visual indication changes as the movement progresses across the first user interface object based on one or more elements that extend out of a plane of the first user interface object as defined based on the first offset information; and
while the input is at a location that corresponds to the second user interface object, displaying, on the second user interface object a visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the second user interface object, wherein a visual representation of elevation of at least a portion of the visual indication changes as the movement progresses across the second user interface object based on one or more elements that extend out of a plane of the second user interface object as defined based on the second offset information.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a selection input while the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object; and
in response to the selection input, changing the visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first element of the one or more elements that extend out of the plane of the first user interface object corresponds to the first portion of the first user interface object and extends out of the plane of the first user interface object defined by the elevation offset for the first portion of the first user interface object.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein displaying the visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object comprises displaying a shadow on the display corresponding to the first user interface object.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein displaying the visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object further comprises changing an opacity of the shadow associated with the first user interface object as the movement progresses based on the first offset information.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein displaying the visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object further comprises changing a blur radius of the shadow associated with the first user interface object as the movement progresses based on the first offset information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface object comprises a first contoured surface and wherein the second user interface object comprises a second contoured surface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the first user interface object includes a flat region with a first elevation value, and the second portion of the second user interface object includes a flat region with a second elevation value, different from the first elevation value.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of user interface objects includes icons organized into an array on the display.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
at an electronic device that is in communication with a display and one or more input devices:
concurrently displaying a plurality of user interface objects on the display, wherein:
the plurality of user interface objects includes a first user interface object and a second user interface object;
the first user interface object has a first elevation in the user interface;
the second user interface object has a second elevation, different from the first elevation, in the user interface;
the first user interface object is associated with first elevation offset information that specifies an elevation offset for a first portion of the first user interface object and an elevation offset for a second portion of the first user interface object that is different from the elevation offset for the first portion of the first user interface object; and
the second user interface object is associated with second elevation offset information, different from the first elevation offset information, that specifies an elevation offset for a first portion of the second user interface object and an elevation offset for a second portion of the second user interface object that is different from the elevation offset for the first portion of the second user interface object;

while concurrently displaying the plurality of user interface objects, detecting an input corresponding to movement across the first user interface object and across the second user interface object; and
in response to detecting the input:
while the input is at a location that corresponds to the first user interface object, displaying, on the first user interface object a visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the first user interface object, wherein a visual representation of elevation of at least a portion of the visual indication changes as the movement progresses across the first user interface object based on one or more elements that extend out of a plane of the first user interface object as defined based on the first offset information; and
while the input is at a location that corresponds to the second user interface object, displaying, on the second user interface object a visual indication that the input is at the location that corresponds to the second user interface object, wherein a visual representation of elevation of at least a portion of the visual indication changes as the movement progresses across the second user interface object based on one or more elements that extend out of a plane of the second user interface object as defined based on the second offset information.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable mediu

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• King Nicholas V
• Kerr Duncan Robert

Classifications

• G06T15/60 Primary

  Shadow generation · CPC title

• G06F2203/04802

  3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user · CPC title

• G06F3/04842

  Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

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

• G06F2203/04809

  Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard · CPC title