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US 9,003,326 B2Granted
Indicating input focus by showing focus transitions
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Swingler, Thomas J. O'Brien
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A GUI conveys the location of input focus to a user by a dynamic focus indicator that displays the path followed by input focus during a transition from one GUI component to another. A focus indicator is displayed at a first location having input focus. In response to the location of input focus shifting from the first location to a second location, a path is indicated from the first location to the second location and the focus indicator is displayed at the second location. The location of input focus may shift due to an input from the user, a request from an application associated with the GUI, or a timing event. The path is indicated by presenting an animation routine in which the focus indicator appears to traverse the path.
Claims42
A method for indicating a location of an input focus within a graphical user interface, the method comprising:
- displaying a focus indicator at a first location within the graphical user interface, the first location having input focus, the focus indicator substantially surrounding the first location;
- responsive to the location of input focus shifting from the first location to a second location within the graphical user interface, indicating a path from the first location to the second location by presenting a first animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path and further comprising expanding the focus indicator during a first portion of the path and contracting the focus indicator during a second portion of the path wherein the focus indicator expands to an extent proportional to an on-screen distance between the first location and the second location;
- wherein presenting the first animation routine further comprises:
- accelerating the focus indicator during the first portion of the path;
- and decelerating the focus indicator during the second portion of the path;
- determining that the input focus has shifted, during the first animation routine, from the second location to a third location within the graphical user interface;
- responsive to the determination, indicating a path from an intermediate location to the third location, wherein indicating the path from the intermediate location to the third location further comprises interrupting the first animation routine and presenting a second animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path from the intermediate location to the third location;
- accelerating the expansion of the focus indicator in further response to the determination that the input focus has shifted during the first animation routine, indicating that multiple focus shifts have been initiated;
- and
- displaying the focus indicator at a static location.
7 more elements
A computer program product for indicating a location of an input focus within a graphical user interface, the computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and including program code for causing a processor to execute the steps of:
- displaying a focus indicator at a first location within the graphical user interface, the first location having input focus, the focus indicator substantially surrounding the first location;
- responsive to the location of input focus shifting from the first location to a second location within the graphical user interface, indicating a path from the first location to the second location by presenting a first animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path and further comprising expanding the focus indicator during a first portion of the path and contracting the focus indicator during a second portion of the path, wherein the focus indicator expands to an extent proportional to an on-screen distance between the first location and the second location;
- wherein presenting the first animation routine further comprises:
- accelerating the focus indicator during the first portion of the path;
- and decelerating the focus indicator during the second portion of the path;
- determining that the input focus has shifted, during the first animation routine, from the second location to a third location within the graphical user interface;
- responsive to the determination, indicating a path from an intermediate location to the third location, wherein indicating the path from the intermediate location to the third location further comprises interrupting the first animation routine and presenting a second animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path from the intermediate location to the third location;
- accelerating the expansion of the focus indicator in further response to the determination that the input focus has shifted during the first animation routine, indicating that multiple focus shifts have been initiated;
- and displaying the focus indicator at a static location.
6 more elements
A system for indicating a location of an input focus within a graphical user interface, the system comprising:
- first displaying means for displaying a focus indicator at a first location within the graphical user interface, the first location having input focus, the focus indicator substantially surrounding the first location;
- and
- second displaying means, coupled to the first displaying means, for:
- responsive to the location of input focus shifting from the first location to a second location within the graphical user interface, indicating a path from the first location to the second location by presenting a first animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path and further comprising expanding the focus indicator during a first portion of the path and contracting the focus indicator during a second portion of the path, wherein the focus indicator expands to an extent proportional to an on-screen distance between the first location and the second location;
- wherein presenting the first animation routine further comprises:
- accelerating the focus indicator during the first portion of the path;
- and decelerating the focus indicator during the second portion of the path;
- determining that the input focus has shifted, during the first animation routine, from the second location to a third location within the graphical user interface;
- responsive to the determination, indicating a path from an intermediate location to the third location, wherein indicating the path from the intermediate location to the third location further comprises interrupting the first animation routine and presenting a second animation routine in which the focus indicator traverses the path from the intermediate location to the third location;
- accelerating the expansion of the focus indicator in further response to the determination that the input focus has shifted during the first animation routine, indicating that multiple focus shifts have been initiated;
- and
- displaying the focus indicator at a static location.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.