Abstract:
A computer system and method to browse and to move files of a first folder in a horizontal reviewing mode, files of a second folder a first vertical reviewing mode and files of a third folder in a second vertical reviewing mode in the touch display of a portable device is described. The method provides a three dimensional cube rotation scene including a portion of one of second files during the transition in said touch screen. The computer system has a folder selection mode during the switching from the horizontal reviewing mode to the first vertical reviewing mode. The computer system further has a category reviewing mode which enables a user to review folders in each category, wherein each category is presented in different layers of a category tree.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not Applicable 
       STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The application relates to an interface to review, browse and manage files on a mobile device. More particularly, the invention relates to an interface applying gestures together with a cube structure on a mobile device. 
         [0005]    In the early development of mobile device such as Palm PDA, a stylus is a necessary input device. The operation of the touch screen of the early mobile device requires a stylus—a narrow elongated pen to accurately navigate the menu or to perform functions. Thereafter an interface for a touch screen mobile device is therefore designed based on such stylus usage experience. The old usage experience encountering the new input technology does not explore all benefits of such new technology. Therefore a new interface design is needed. 
         [0006]    In new mobile device such as iPhone, a circuitry to sense a finger&#39;s touches is widely employed. One of most important finger action when compared with the stylus operation is finger swiping. One common application of swiping gesture is to change pages in the home screen. Another common application is to review photos. Users swipe horizontally to review photos sequentially in the album. 
         [0007]    In this invention, gestures for touch based interface are disclosed to improve files, data, and pages reviewing ability and to facilitate files, data and pages management including but not limited to files, data and pages classification and files, data and pages storage arrangement. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with one embodiment, a computer system comprises a touch display; one or more processors; memory; and a program, wherein the program is stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the program including instructions for performing an interface on the touch display to browse and to move files of a first folder in a horizontal reviewing mode, files of a second folder a first vertical reviewing mode and files of a third folder in a second vertical reviewing mode. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a single row photo browsing (Prior Art). 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a multi rows photo browsing (Prior Art). 
           [0011]      FIG. 3   a  shows a reviewing system employing a cube structure 
           [0012]      FIG. 3   b  shows the visible area  12  in the horizontal reviewing mode 
           [0013]      FIG. 4   a  shows a rotation in a 3D illustration to reveal the photo  102  in the first vertical reviewing mode 
           [0014]      FIG. 4   b  shows a predefined rotation gesture 
           [0015]      FIG. 4   b - 1  shows a level of finger movement in a touch screen 
           [0016]      FIG. 4   c  shows the photo  102  in the first vertical reviewing mode 
           [0017]      FIG. 4   d  shows a reviewing system employing a cube structure 
           [0018]      FIG. 4   e  shows a pull out menu  46   
           [0019]      FIG. 5  shows a queue in the first vertical reviewing mode 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows a relocation of one photo 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  shows a relocation of one photo 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  shows a page-flip to enter a content reviewing mode 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  shows a page-flip to enter a content reviewing mode 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  shows a page-flip to enter a content reviewing mode 
           [0025]      FIG. 11   a  shows in one embodiment a phone in the horizontal reviewing mode 
           [0026]      FIG. 11   b  shows in one embodiment a phone physically rotating 
           [0027]      FIG. 11   c  shows in one embodiment a phone entering the first vertical reviewing mode 
           [0028]      FIG. 11   d  shows in one embodiment a phone physically rotating without changing the mode 
           [0029]      FIG. 11   e  shows in one embodiment after applying a horizontal swipe in the touch screen, a phone is changed to the horizontal reviewing mode and 
           [0030]      FIG. 11   f  shows in one embodiment after rotating as  FIG. 11   b  does, a phone entering the first vertical reviewing mode 
           [0031]      FIG. 12  conceptually shows different mode areas 
           [0032]      FIG. 13  conceptually shows the relationship with a circle gesture and folders in a tree structured category 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]    A photo browsing application is shown in  FIG. 1 . User reviews one photo in a queue  18  in the visible area  12  which is indicated by the dash-lined rectangular shown in  FIG. 1 . Other photo  8  and photo  10  are horizontally queued, therefore current visible area  12  only shows photo  14 . It is possible to show more than one photo in the visible area  12  such as an example shown in  FIG. 2 . There are three photos—photo  8 , photo  14  and a portion of photo  10  is shown. User applies horizontal swipe to view different photos in the queue. More advanced interface may have other queues  19  and  20  in different rows. An example in  FIG. 2  shows that photos taken in different dates are listed in different rows. Therefore vertically swipe enabling a showing of a queue  20  or a queue  19  in the visible area  12 . 
         [0034]    Another common application of swipe gesture is to review or to select application icons in the home screen (Spring board). Usually users could add many applications in the home screen similar to what is shown in  FIG. 2 . Application icons may exist in different pages. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3   a  shows a reviewing system employed a cube structure. The  3  dimensional cube  22  is not necessarily shown in the visible area  12  while in one of reviewing modes. The cube  22  in  FIG. 3   a  shows a data structure concept. Same as in the queue  18 , photo  10  is next to photo  14  in the right side. As shown in the  FIG. 3   b  the visible area  12  while employing the cube structure in a horizontal reviewing mode, it shows one photo  14  in the visible area  12 . 
         [0036]    When user tries to rotate the cube  22  in  FIG. 4   a  to show a photo  102  in the first vertical reviewing mode, user should perform a predefined rotation gesture which is described in  FIG. 4   b  and  FIG. 4   b - 1 . In  FIG. 4   b  and  FIG. 4   b - 1 , user contacts touch screen with a finger  188  on the upper edge  141  (to initialized the gesture) of photo  14  or in another embodiment, on the upper edge of the visible area  12 , or between these two, continuously move from the point of contact  88  downward to rotate the cube downward as conceptually shown in  FIG. 4   a.  The process contains several steps as described in  FIG. 4   b - 1 . To describe in more detail,  FIG. 4   b - 1  shows the different movement levels during the rotation process. However the actual contact point is still inside the visible area  12  for example around area  88 . In  FIG. 4   b - 1 , the beginning stage  91  is triggered when user touches the point of contact  88  and continuously moves downward. In one embodiment, when movement is a little over the stage  92  or stage  94 , the photo  102  will be fully shown as in  FIG. 4   c . However it will bounce back if said movement is little such as not reach stage  92 . In one embodiment, the areas to trigger the rotation operation are not the same depths across upper edge  141 . It may be curved with a greater depth around center area  88 . In another embodiment, while user has acknowledged the cube structure, smoothly swipe down from central of other areas of photo  14  could initiate the rotation. 
         [0037]    The normal vertical swipe gesture as used in  FIG. 2  will not trigger a rotation as described above. Except to rotation down or up, in one embodiment, user could rotate right or left. When user performs normal horizontal swipe continuously to the left in the horizontal reviewing mode, it stops at a photo  120  and reaches the first left bound in  FIG. 4   d . In the photo  120 , user needs to perform a rotation gesture to review photo  122  which is date&#39;s photo. In one embodiment, similar to the up-down rotation, a pull out menu will show up during the transition of rotation. The folders in the pull out menu could be folders for dates. The folders may include a blank folder or a jump-to tab to switch folders for dates to folders for months. 
         [0038]    In  FIG. 4   b - 1  when user reaches the stage  92  or before reaches the stage  92 , it shows several folders in a pull out menu  46  as shown in  FIG. 4   e . Those are my favorite folder  41 , printing folder  42  and social network sharing folder  43 . Also a pull out menu would provide one blank folder to create new folder. In this embodiment, when user contacts the touch screen with a finger  188  on an edge, move from the point of contact  88  downward continuously, the pull out menu  46  is gradually pulled out and three folders as shown in  FIG. 4   e  are fully revealed in certain stage level. At that stage, user could swipe horizontally in the pull out menu  46  to select a folder, i.e. making that folder to be center of the pull out menu  46 . No mater whether user selects the folder or not, while continuously moving down further, a first photo of the folder in the middle of the pull out menu  46  is revealed in the first vertical reviewing mode. Therefore in  FIG. 4   e , if a user does not change the order of folder of the pull out menu  46 , after competition of rotation gesture, user enters the group of photos for printing. During the transition while the pull out menu  46  is gradually revealed, the first photo of a first vertical reviewing mode is gradually shown up with a scene of cube rotation as mentioned in  FIG. 4   a  or  FIG. 4   d . The scene will be a showing of cube edge to divide two photos; one belonged to the horizontal reviewing mode and the other belonged to vertical one. User at least sees a portion of the other photo during the transition or during the folder selection. The above could apply to rotate up, left and right gesture. In one embodiment, the pull out menu in the lower edge may include trash folder or actions tabs such as send, edit or share. For example, in the case of photo, one action may be a color enhancement function. User selects the action in the pull out menu in the lower edge and applies that action. While in the first vertical reviewing mode, user could swipe vertically to view other photos in the queue  21  of such group as in  FIG. 5 . In such mode, applying a normal horizontal swipe will return to horizontal reviewing mode. Therefore by rotation downward and upward in the horizontal reviewing mode, it is changed to vertical reviewing modes and by normal horizontal swipe in the vertical reviewing mode, it is returned to horizontal reviewing mode. The action tab may further include a time domain mode, where there is a showing of photos or webpages arranged by time in the horizontal reviewing mode. 
         [0039]    One application could be on-line or off-line webpage reviewing. Horizontal reviewing mode is the history of web reviewing and first vertical reviewing mode is my favorite webpages. In this case the folders in the pull out menu  46 , in one embodiment, are folders of my favorite pages as we usually classify folders in our traditional web browser. Other types of files such as music records or video clips could also be reviewed and classified. 
         [0040]      FIG. 7  shows how to move one photo. A touch screen with multi-touch function support is required. Reallocation of one photo in the same reviewing mode is just an ordering change in the queue. Reallocation of one photo from a reviewing mode to the other is a file or documentation classification or labeling or tagging. Taking  FIG. 7  as an example, finger  181  presses the photo  14  and hold firmly as if finger attaches the photo  14 . While finger  181  still attaches that photo  14 , another finger  188  performs swipe gesture (to change the order in the same reviewing mode) or performs the pre-described rotation gesture to rotate the cube. (to move in different reviewing mode) If the finger  188  breaks the contact on the touch screen right after the rotation is completed, photo drops in the queue of the different reviewing mode. Again before fully enter other reviewing mode, it is possible to select folder in the pull out menu. Applied similar logic, to move one photo from a vertical reviewing mode to horizontal reviewing mode, user attaches one photo first then the other finger swipes horizontally to return back the horizontal reviewing mode and put such photo in the horizontal reviewing mode. 
         [0041]    It is possible to perform such reallocation function by one finger. As shown in  FIG. 6 , user pressed photo  14  near the center  8  of photo  14  for a predefined time, then quickly flicks up or down. In one embodiment, it is preferable to use thumb  191  to flick and its tacks would like the track  81  or track  82  shown in  FIG. 6 . The photo  14  is relocated to the current folder in the vertical reviewing mode. Again the current folder is the center folder of the pull out menu  46 . 
         [0042]    In the application of webpages reviewing, it is normal to have longer content other than one page format. A scroll down navigation is needed for original web reviewing. For example a webpage shown in  FIG. 12  that contains a two-page long content. User could scroll down to see page  158  and meet the lower bound similar to the situation happened in photo  120  in  FIG. 4   d . In one embodiment, only a representative page represents a webpage in the vertical reviewing mode and horizontal reviewing mode. To review the content, a tap or double tap on the said page is used to enter a content reviewing mode. Such tap or double tap is analogue to flip over a post card. The first face of the post card is photo and tap or double tap is to turn over to the backside of the post card. Usually the backside of a post card shows more words or associated information. 
         [0043]    In another example, a gesture to flip page is described in  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 10 . In  FIG. 8  to  FIG. 10  there are tae areas  90  in the lower right corner. A finger presses on the tab area  90  and hold for a time, the tab is attached to the finger. Finger could flip the page to see more information related to that page. At this time, the tab is in the left side (either upper left or lower left). Such technique could apply to webpage browsing as indicated in the above. 
         [0044]    By application of a cube structure, the rotation of the cube in a smartphone with a built-in accelerometers to enter different modes is described in  FIG. 11   a . In  FIG. 11   a , a smartphone with the visible area  12  laid in the Y axis. In  FIG. 11   a , the phone is in the horizontal reviewing mode. By rotating the phone  2  from the direction of X to the direction of Z axis as illustrated in  FIG. 11   b , it rotates the cube as in  FIG. 4   a . After competition the action (first forward then backward to original position),  FIG. 11   c  shows that it goes to the first vertical reviewing mode. When the phone  2  is situated in the position of  11   c,  a further rotation from Y axis to X axis to make the phone  2  stand up as shown in  FIG. 11   d  does not change the mode (still in the first vertical reviewing mode). While from  FIG. 11   d , a normal horizontal swipe on the touch screen will change mode back to horizontal reviewing mode.  FIG. 11   e  show the mode is changed to horizontal reviewing mode. From  FIG. 11   e , we applied same rotation as in  FIG. 11   b , the mode is changed to the first vertical reviewing mode as illustrated in  FIG. 11   f . Apply similar rotation logic, a proper physical rotation could change the mode from a vertical reviewing mode to the horizontal reviewing mode. 
         [0045]      FIG. 12  describes the structure of modes. In  FIG. 12 , the first vertical reviewing mode shows a first photo of folders  42 , that is photo  102 . The photo  102  is belonged to folder  42  which is in the middle of the pull out menu  46 . The pull out menu  46  shows folder  41 , folder  42  and folder  43  as a portion of the folders of the queue  111 . In the lower portion, the second vertical reviewing mode shows a first photo  202  of folder  114 . The pull down menu  48  could show a portion of the folders or an action tab  110  in the queue  146 . In the horizontal reviewing mode, the original photo  14  is in the same column with the associated page  158 . No matter from photo  14  or photo  199 , a rotation without moving folders in the pull out menu  46  or the pull out menu  48 , it will show either photo  102  or photo  202 . However, in one embodiment, the center folder of the pull out menu  46  or the pull out menu  48  will be automatically selected to fitting the current page or photo  14  or even to a queue of the horizontal reviewing mode. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment, an up gesture for example a circle gesture either counterclockwise or clockwise in the center of photo or page in either vertical reviewing mode or in the horizontal reviewing mode will lead to one of tree structure categories as shown in  FIG. 13 . While in either reviewing modes, a circle gesture  228  is detected, it enters the tree structure category with four photo folders as Pets photo  102 , landscape photo  103 , nature photo  104  and Paintings photos  105 . The photo  14  is belonged to Pets photo  102 . The category has a center area  101 . Around the center area  101  is the circle area  121 . The circle area  121  is used to help user applied a circle gesture to go to upper category in the tree structure categories. On example of upper layer category contains photo folder, video folder, music folder and document folder. The center area  101  is pressed to show two buffers areas as a temporary space for folders. For example, user could move one folder in the category to the buffer. The location of two buffers areas could be either left and right side of the category or upper and lower side. Pressing any folder of the category will enter that folder. However pressing a last folder will enter the horizontal reviewing mode. In one embodiment, moving a folder in a category need to press the center area  101  first, then drag the folder into a buffer. Each folder in the pull out menu  46  or  48  has corresponded position in the category. For example, if user applies the circle gesture in any photo of the first vertical reviewing mode and such photo belonged to printing folder  42 , then it will go back to the category contains printing, my favorite, social network  1  and social network  2 . At this time, user presses my favorite folder of that category, it goes to the horizontal reviewing mode. Then user could review my favorite photos and begin to make subfolders such as my favorite for Parents or my favorite for kids—a subfolder to my favorite folder). It should be noted that the circle gesture does not need to draw a perfect circle nor a close loop, therefore a portion of circle track is enough. Moreover to facilitate such circle gesture detection, circle track checking dots may show up to help user to draw such circle. In one embodiment, while in the time domain mode, an up gesture leads to the category contains time folders such as folders for dates, months or years. 
         [0047]    Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein described are merely illustrative of the application of the principles of the invention. For example in this disclosure, the files in folders that are manipulated include but not limited to photo files, multimedia files, HTML or XML files and other file format that is human-readable. Reference herein to details of the illustrated embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims, which themselves recite those feature regarded as essential to the invention.