Swiping functions for messaging applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9898162-B2
Application number	US-201414292262-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 20, 2018
Grant date	Feb 20, 2018

Abstract

This application relates to performing organizational tasks using a variety of physical operations in a message application. The physical operations can include swiping actions performed by the user of the message application. By performing certain types of swipes on a user interface of the message application, the user can more readily organize messages stored by the message application. The types of swipes can include full swipes, which can execute one or more functions on a message, and partial swipes, which can open up a menu that includes multiple buttons for executing various operations on the message being swiped. Additionally, the direction of the swipe can also determine the functions and operations to be performed on the message being swiped.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for enabling a user to manage messages within a user interface of a message application, the method comprising:
detecting a swipe gesture on a message icon among a list of message icons, wherein each message icon is associated with at least one corresponding message;
in accordance with a first determination that an end point of the swipe gesture is between a first threshold and a second threshold:
displaying a first affordance and a second affordance within the user interface, wherein;
the first affordance is a user-configurable affordance associated with a first message action selected from at least one message action, and when the first affordance is activated, the first message action is performed on the at least one corresponding message, and
the second affordance is a non-user-configurable affordance that is associated with a second message action to be performed on the at least one corresponding message when the end point of the swipe gesture exceeds the second threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in accordance with a second determination that the end point of the swipe gesture exceeds the second threshold, performing the second message action on the at least one corresponding message.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
causing, during the swipe gesture, a status image to be displayed adjacent to an end portion of the message icon, before and after the end portion of the message icon moves past the first threshold and the second threshold.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move past the first threshold and the second threshold, and then between the first threshold and the second threshold, the method further comprises:
causing a function status image to be displayed, and
causing the first affordance and the second affordance to be displayed.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first message action involves: marking the at least one corresponding message as unread, moving the at least one corresponding message to a trash folder, marking the at least one corresponding message as important, moving the at least one corresponding message to a different folder, copying the at least one corresponding message to a different folder, and forwarding the at least one corresponding message to a recipient.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the end point of the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move toward the first threshold without passing the first threshold, the method further comprises:
determining whether the swipe gesture is being performed in a first direction or a second direction;
when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the first direction:
causing the user interface to display a first swipe status;

when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the second direction:
causing the user interface to display a second swipe status.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein, when the end point of the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move toward the first threshold without passing the first threshold, the method further comprises:
determining whether the swipe gesture is being performed in a first direction or a second direction;
designating the first threshold to be on a first side of the second threshold when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the first direction;
otherwise, designating the first threshold to be on a second side of the second threshold when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the second direction.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that, when executed by a processor included in a computing device, cause the computing device to enable a user to manage messages within a user interface of a message application, by carrying out steps that include:
detecting a swipe gesture on a message icon among a list of message icons, wherein each message icon is associated with at least one corresponding message;
in accordance with a first determination that an end point of the swipe gesture is between a first threshold and a second threshold:
displaying a first affordance and a second affordance within the user interface, wherein:
the first affordance is a user-configurable affordance associated with a first message action selected from at least one message action, and when the first affordance is activated, the first message action is performed on the at least one corresponding message, and
the second affordance is a non-user-configurable affordance that is associated with a second message action to be performed on the at least one corresponding message when the end point of the swipe gesture exceeds the second threshold.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the steps further include:
in accordance with a second determination that the end point of the swipe gesture exceeds the second threshold, performing the second message action on the at least one corresponding message.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the steps further include:
causing, during the swipe gesture, a status image to be displayed adjacent to an end portion of the message icon, before and after the end portion of the message icon moves past the first threshold and the second threshold.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein, when the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move past the first threshold and the second threshold, and then between the first threshold and the second threshold, the steps further include:
causing a function status image to be displayed, and
causing the first affordance and the second affordance to be displayed.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the first message action involves: marking the at least one corresponding message as unread, moving the at least one corresponding message to a trash folder, marking the at least one corresponding message as important, moving the at least one corresponding message to a different folder, copying the at least one corresponding message to a different folder, and forwarding the at least one corresponding message to a recipient.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein, when the end point of the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move toward the first threshold without passing the first threshold, the steps further include:
determining whether the swipe gesture is being performed in a first direction or a second direction;
when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the first direction:
causing the user interface to display a first swipe status;

when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the second direction:
causing the user interface to display a second swipe status.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein, when the end point of the swipe gesture causes an end portion of the message icon to move toward the first threshold without passing the first threshold, the steps further include:
determining whether the swipe gesture is being performed in a first direction or a second direction;
designating the first threshold to be on a first side of the second threshold when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the first direction;
otherwise, designating the first threshold to be on a second side of the second threshold when the user is performing the swipe gesture in the second direction.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Jisrawi Mohammed N
• Baray Cristobal
• Lemay Stephen O
• Jon Tiffany S
• Karunamuni Chanaka G
• Yang Lawrence Y

Classifications

• G06F3/04817 Primary

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

• G06F3/04847

  Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials · CPC title

• H04L51/22

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G06F3/0482 Primary

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

• H04L51/14

  Electricity · mapped topic