Browsing and selecting content items based on user gestures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9891794-B2
Application number	US-201414262520-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2014
Priority date	Apr 25, 2014
Publication date	Feb 13, 2018
Grant date	Feb 13, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed toward systems and methods that provide users with efficient and effective user experiences when browsing, selecting, or inspecting content items. More specifically, systems and methods described herein provide users the ability to easily and effectively select multiple content items via a single touch gesture (e.g., swipe gesture). Additionally, systems and methods disclosed herein can allow users to select various content items in a selection interface, preview a content item, and return to the selection interface with the previous selections remaining in tact. Still further, systems and methods described herein allow users to transition between a content graphical user interface and a selection interface based on touch gestures with content items.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
providing a selection graphical user interface comprising content items arranged in a plurality of rows, wherein the content items are selectable and each comprise a selection state that is either selected or unselected;
detecting, by at least one processor, a direction of a touch gesture within the selection graphical user interface;
based on the detected direction being within a range of degrees from a first direction:
determining that the touch gesture is a multi-directional touch gesture that touches a first plurality of content items extending across a first row of the plurality of rows, moves to a second row of the plurality of rows, and touches a second plurality of content items extending across the second row, and
changing the selection state of the first plurality of content items and the second plurality of content items that the touch gesture touches; and

based on the detected direction being outside of the range of degrees from the first direction, scrolling the selection graphical user interface in a second direction.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein changing the selection state of the first plurality of content items and the second plurality of content items that the touch gesture touches comprises inverting the selection state of each of the first plurality of content items and the second plurality of content items that the touch gesture touches.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , further comprising updating a selection indicator of each of the first plurality of content items and the second plurality of content items with the changed selection state.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein detecting the direction of the touch gesture within the selection graphical user interface comprises detecting the direction of the touch gesture on a touch screen displaying the selection graphical user interface.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 , wherein the touch gesture comprises a swipe along the touch screen that touches each of the first plurality of content items and each of the second plurality of content items in the plurality of rows.

6. The method as recited in recited in claim 5 , wherein the swipe comprises an S-shaped swipe.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein changing the selection state of the first plurality of content items and the second plurality of content items that the touch gesture touches comprises causing the selection state of each of the first plurality of content items and each of the second plurality of content items that the touch gesture touches to match a selection state of a first content item affected by the multi-directional touch gesture.

8. A method comprising:
providing a selection graphical user interface comprising a plurality of content items, the plurality of content items each being selectable or un-selectable by a first type of user interaction;
detecting, by at least one processor, a second type of user interaction with a content item of the plurality of content items, wherein detecting the second type of user interaction further comprises determining a size of the second type of user interaction;
based upon detecting the second type of user interaction, replacing the selection graphical user interface with an enlarged view of the content item and proportionally sizing the content item based on the size of the second type of user interaction; and
transitioning, in response to detecting a release of the user interaction of the second type, from the enlarged view of the content item to the selection graphical user interface.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting the first type of user interaction with the content item; and
changing the content item from an un-selected state to a selected state in response to detecting the first type of user interaction with the content item.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the first type of user interaction comprises a tap; and
the second type of user interaction comprises a spread.

11. The method as recited in claim 10 , further comprising:
detecting a duration of the spread;
maintaining the enlarged view of the content item during the duration of the spread; and
transitioning from the enlarged view of the content item to the selection graphical user interface upon the duration of the spread ending.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein:
providing a selection graphical user interface comprises displaying the selection graphical user interface on a touch screen; and
the first type of user interaction and the second type of user interaction comprise touch gestures.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 , further comprising:
detecting a third type of user interaction within the selection graphical user interface that affects two or more content items; and
changing a selection state of each of the two or more content items affected by the detected third type of user interaction.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein the third type of user interaction comprises a swipe along a touch screen that touches each of the two or more content items.

15. The method as recited in claim 8 , wherein the content items comprise thumbnail images.

16. The method as recited in recited in claim 8 , wherein:
the first type of user interaction comprises a tap or a swipe; and
the second type of user interaction comprises a spread gesture.

17. A method comprising:
providing a content graphical user interface comprising a plurality of content items in a non-selectable state, wherein the plurality of content items are displayed in a variety of sizes;
detecting, by at least one processor, a user interaction with a content item of the plurality of content items;
determining the user interaction is a first type or a second type, wherein:
based on determining the user interaction is the first type, providing an enlarged view of the content item; and
based on determining the user interaction is the second type, transitioning from the content graphical user interface to a selection graphical user interface, wherein transitioning from the content graphical user interface to the selection graphical user interface comprises resizing each of the plurality of content items to a uniform size, and wherein the plurality of content items are in a selectable state and selectable or un-selectable by one or more user interactions in the selection graphical user interface.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising providing a pulse animation during the transition from the content graphical user interface to the selection graphical user interface.

19. The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein:
the first type of user interaction comprises a tap; and
the second type of user interaction comprises a press and hold.

20. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprising providing a first or a second selection indicator in connection with each content item in the selection graphical user interface, wherein the first selection indicator identifies that an associated content item is in a selected state and the second selection indicator identifies that an associated content item is in an un-selected state.

21. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a computer device to:
provide a selection graphical user interface compris

Assignees

• Dropbox Inc

Inventors

• Senderek Jan
• Wagner Daniel Tobias
• Fink Leonard

Classifications

• G06F3/04883

  for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text · CPC title

• G06F3/04842 Primary

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

• G06F3/04845

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