Apple patents touch screen that rearranges icons when you drag them to an edge
This patent describes a method for reorganizing the user interface on a touch screen device. When a user drags an icon to the edge of a specific area, the system hides the other icons in that group and creates a new, dedicated space for the moved icon.
In the filing’s own words
In one aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method at a computing device with a touch screen display includes: displaying a first set of a first plurality of icons in a first area of the touch screen display, wherein the first plurality of icons includes a plurality of sets of icons that are separately displayed in the first area of the touch screen display; displaying a second plurality of icons in a second area on the touch screen display, wherein the second area is different from the first area; detecting a first finger gesture on the touch screen display; in response to detecting the first finger gesture, initiating a user interface reconfiguration process, and varying positions of one or more icons in the first set of the first plurality of icons about respective average positions.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A computing device, comprising: a display device; one or more input devices; 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 first set of icons in a first region, wherein the first set of icons includes a respective icon; while displaying the first set of icons, detecting, via the one or more input devices, a first gesture directed to the respective icon that includes movement of the respective icon to an edge of the first region; and in response to detecting the first gesture: ceasing display of the first set of icons in the first region; and displaying, at a location corresponding to the first region, a respective user interface region that does not include other icons, wherein the respective icon is added to the respective user interface region.
Facts
- Company
- Apple (Apple Inc.)
- Official title
- Portable multifunction device with interface reconfiguration mode
- Patent number
- US12761784B2
- Application number
- 18222317
- Filed
- Jul 14, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 13, 2026
- Inventors
- 3
- Claims
- 26
Classified under
G06F 3/04883 Physics & computingG06F 3/017 Physics & computingG06F 3/048 Physics & computingG06F 3/0481 Physics & computingG06F 3/04817 Physics & computingG06F 3/0482 Physics & computingMore from Apple in AI & software
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.