Multi-dimensional object rearrangement

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11747956-B2
Application number	US-202117508894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 22, 2021
Priority date	Sep 2, 2014
Publication date	Sep 5, 2023
Grant date	Sep 5, 2023

Abstract

A method includes displaying a user interface including a plurality of application icons for launching application programs. The plurality of application icons include a first application icon displayed at a first size and a second application icon displayed at a second size, the first and second application icons arranged in a first arrangement. While displaying the user interface, detecting a set of one or more user inputs. In response to the set of one or more user inputs, rearranging the first and second application icons into a second arrangement, different than the first arrangement, where rearranging the first and second application icons includes displaying the first application icon at a third size, greater than the first size, and displaying the second application icon at a fourth size, greater than the second size.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a display device;
one or more processors; and
memory storing one or more programs configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, via the display device, a plurality of application icons for launching application programs, the plurality of application icons arranged in a first configuration, wherein the plurality of application icons occupy respective locations on a hexagonal grid in relation to an origin;
detecting an input that corresponds to a request to remove a first application icon from the hexagonal grid;
in response to the input:
removing the display of the first application icon;
determining a second configuration of the plurality of application icons without the first application icon; and
transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons from the first configuration to the second configuration, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a first location, moving a second application icon radially inward in a first direction while maintaining a location of a third application icon; and
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a second location, moving the third application icon radially inward in a second direction different from the first direction while maintaining a location of the second application.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 ,
wherein removing the display of the first application icon results in an unoccupied location on the hexagonal grid at the first location; and
wherein transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons includes moving a display of the second application icon from a third location to the unoccupied location, wherein the third location is diagonally adjacent to the first location with respect to the display.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the input includes a contact detected at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of application icons.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the instructions further include:
determining whether a duration of the contact exceeds a predetermined threshold;
wherein the electronic device is caused to operate in a user interface reconfiguration mode in response to detecting the input and in accordance with a determination that the duration of the contact exceeds the predetermined threshold.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions further include:
in response to detecting the input and in accordance with a determination that the duration of the contact does not exceed the predetermined threshold:
launching the application program corresponding to the application icon at the position of the contact.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first location is adjacent to the origin, and wherein the second location is adjacent to the origin.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons from the first configuration to the second configuration includes:
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a fourth location, moving a fourth application icon radially inward in a third direction while maintaining the location of the second application icon and maintaining the location of the third application icon, wherein the third direction is different from the first direction and the second direction, and wherein the fourth location is adjacent to the origin.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

9. A method, comprising:
at an electronic device with a display device:
displaying, via the display device, a plurality of application icons for launching application programs, the plurality of application icons arranged in a first configuration, wherein the plurality of application icons occupy respective locations on a hexagonal grid in relation to an origin;
detecting an input that corresponds to a request to remove a first application icon from the hexagonal grid;
in response to the input:
removing the display of the first application icon;
determining a second configuration of the plurality of application icons without the first application icon; and
transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons from the first configuration to the second configuration, wherein:
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a first location, moving a second application icon radially inward in a first direction while maintaining a location of a third application icon; and
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a second location, moving the third application icon radially inward in a second direction different from the first direction while maintaining a location of the second application.

10. The method of claim 9 ,
wherein removing the display of the first application icon results in an unoccupied location on the hexagonal grid at the first location; and
wherein transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons includes moving a display of the second application icon from a third location to the unoccupied location, wherein the third location is diagonally adjacent to the first location with respect to the display.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the input includes a contact detected at a position corresponding to one of the plurality of application icons.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
determining whether a duration of the contact exceeds a predetermined threshold;
wherein the electronic device is caused to operate in a user interface reconfiguration mode in response to detecting the input and in accordance with a determination that the duration of the contact exceeds the predetermined threshold.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
in response to detecting the input and in accordance with a determination that the duration of the contact does not exceed the predetermined threshold:
launching the application program corresponding to the application icon at the position of the contact.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first location is adjacent to the origin, and wherein the second location is adjacent to the origin.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein transitioning the display of the plurality of application icons from the first configuration to the second configuration includes:
in accordance with a determination that the first application icon is at a fourth location, moving a fourth application icon radially inward in a third direction while maintaining the location of the second application icon and maintaining the location of the third application icon, wherein the third direction is different from the first direction and the second direction, and wherein the fourth location is adjacent to the origin.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first direction is opposite the second direction.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device with a display device, the one or more programs including instructions for:
displaying, via the display device, a plurality of application icons for launching application programs, the plurality of application icons arranged in a first configuration, wherein the plurality of application icons occupy respective locations on a hexagonal grid in relation to an origin;

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kocienda Kenneth
• Karunamuni Chanaka G
• Butcher Gary Ian
• Chaudhri Imran
• Edwards Dylan Ross
• Guzman Aurelio
• Ive Jonathan P

Classifications

• G06F3/04817 Primary

  using icons (graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34) · CPC title

• G06F3/0482

  Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus · CPC title

• G06F3/0488

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

• G06F3/04842

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