Patent ID: 7966576

Claim:
A method of providing a graphical user interface, comprising the steps of: displaying a graphic representation of a data object at an initial location on a screen; receiving a command selecting the data object from a user through an interface; moving the graphical representation of the data object towards a destination location on the screen upon receiving an indication of the destination location on the screen from a user through the interface; causing an at least indirect transition of the object from a first state to a second state at a time when the graphical representation of the data object is positioned substantially at a final destination location, wherein output is provided enabling a user to distinguish the first state from the second state; starting a first timer in response to receiving an indication of a destination location from a user through the interface and automatically causing the transition from the first state to the second state only after the first timer has run over a pre-determined period of time; causing a transition of the data object to a third state, wherein output is provided enabling a user to distinguish the third state from the second state, the transition to the third state is caused after receiving the command selecting the data object, and a transition from the third state to the first state is caused upon receiving a first indication of the destination location on the screen from a user through the interface; and starting a second timer at the transition to the third state; and automatically causing a transition from the third state to the second state if no indication of a destination location is received before the second timer has run over a second pre-determined period of time.