WO2014176660A1

WO2014176660A1 - Graphical user interface in 3d visual space for electronic devices

Info

Publication number: WO2014176660A1
Application number: PCT/CA2013/050338
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fei Ju
Original assignee: Fei Ju
Priority date: 2013-05-01
Filing date: 2013-05-01
Publication date: 2014-11-06

Abstract

A graphical user interface (GUI) is presented which makes it possible to navigate among many applications and images within a single device effectively. With the invented technology, thousands of applications and images can be easily maintained with a few layers of operation hierarchy termed operation hall, operation wall and operation cell. Each operation cell links to an application or image or both. Operation cells are attached to an operation wall. An operation hall is constructed with several operation walls. Each operation hall, a 3-D space frame, is presented in a 3 -dimensional (3D) visual space, and is shown on the display screen of an electronic device. An entire system comprises several operation halls. Each of them presents a catalog in a system. A user starts an application or opens an image by opening an operation cell. Users can quickly navigate by moving through an operation hall in a 3D visual space.

Description

Title of Invention: Graphical User Interface in 3D Visual Space for Electronic

Devices

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[01] The invention invented a graphical user interface in 3-dimentional visual space, which is displayed on the display screen of electronic devices. With invented technology, thousands of applications and images are easily maintained in a single device, such as desktop and tablet computers, cell phone, game console, digital TV, etc.

BACKGROUND

[02] User interface was not new topic for years. However, with the fact of digital applications and images have been rapidly developed, and they have been deeply involved with our daily life, providing an efficient user interface to manage thousands applications and images in electronic devices, especially a small device, like cell phone, become a challenge. Some of international efforts to resolve the challenge can be found in WO2005/045756, WO2006/003588, W02009/158310, WO2011/043601, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[03] To overcome the limitation of maintaining thousands of the applications and images, this invention provided a different approach to handle them, which operates applications and images in 3-dimentional visual space. I nstead of controlling applications on screen surface, user can move a 3-dimentional space hall where thousands of applications and images are attached on its walls, like the user walks through the operation hall, and navigate the applications and images on the walls. A whole system is built with several halls. Each of the halls can be a catalog of applications and images preferred by user in the system.

SIMPLE DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[04] Figure 1 illustrates an operation hall with 4 operation walls and an end wall.

[05] Figure 2 illustrates operation cells on operation walls.

[06] Figure 3 illustrates operation cells with thumbnails, each operation cell links to an application or an image.

[07] Figure 4 illustrates the number of cells on a row of walls is adjustable.

[08] Figure 5 illustrates selecting an operation cell.

[09] Figure 6 illustrates selecting the next operation cell.

[10] Figure 7 illustrates moving an operation hall forward, backward.

[11] Figure 8 illustrates moving to the end of an operation hall.

[12] Figure 9 illustrates rotating an operation hall.

[13] Figure 10 illustrates marking an operation cell for deletion.

[14] Figure 11 illustrates marking multiple operation cells for deletion.

[15] Figure 12 illustrates confirming the deletion of the marked cells.

[16] Figure 13 illustrates switching to another operation hall.

[17] Figure 14 illustrates system Main interface with operation hall entries.

[18] Figure 15 illustrates removing all of applications and images included in an operation hall. [19] Figure 16 i llustrates opening a selected image.

[20] Figure 17 i Ilustrates switching and opening another image.

[21] Figure 18 i llustrates moving an opened image.

[22] Figure 19 i llustrates relocating an opened image.

[23] Figure 20 i llustrates moving an opened image forward.

[24] Figure 21 i llustrates moving an opened image to a full screen view.

[25] Figure 22 i llustrates moving an opened image backward.

[26] Figure 23 i llustrates opening an image in a rotated hall.

[27] Figure 24 i llustrates navigating an opened image in a rotated hall.

[28] Figure 25 i llustrates confirming the deletion of an opened image.

[29] Figure 26 i llustrates confirmingthe saving of an opened image.

[30] Figure 27 i llustrates confirming the mass saving of marked images.

[31] Figure 28 i llustrates running application import interface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention provides a graphical user interface that enables user be able to maintain thousands of applications and images effectively. I n this invention, application and image links are located in a 3-dimentional space hall. Using regular control devices or methods, such as keyboard, mouse, or touch screen, use can move the hall forward or backward, like they walk through the hall. I n this approach, user can quickly find an application or image in the hall. Figure 1 shows a 3-dimentional space hall with 4 flat side walls (elements 1, 2, 3 and 4) and 1 end wall (element 5). Each of the side walls is constructed with cells. A cell is a graphic image unit, which hosts a thumbnail of an application or a thumbnail of an image. It is linked with the application or the image. I n the invention, the cell is named as an Operation Cell (OC). Each of the side walls is named as an Operation Wall (OW). The 3- dimentional space hall is named as an Operation Hall (OH). An entire system is built with multiple OHs.

Figure 2 illustrates some of OCs (elements 7, 8, 9, 10). The location of OCs on OWs can be sorted or grouped. User can start an application, or open an image by selecting and opening an OC from an OW. The space gap between OCs, such as the gap between element 7 and 8, or the gap between 7 and 10, are adjustable. Figure 3 illustrates an example of an OH where OCs are with thumbnails (elements 7, 11, 12 and 13).

Figure 4 illustrates that the number of OCs on a row of OWs can be adjusted, so more OCs in small size can be included in a row (elements 7, 11, 12 and 13). As a result, more applications and images are included within a certain number of rows.

Figure 5 illustrates a selected OC. When an OC is selected, one of its attributes is changed, such as its position can be set an offset from an OW (element 14). Selecting an OC means to select an application or an image. As Figure 6 illustrated, user can select the next OC by moving the contact point to the next OC (elements 15, 16, 17, 18). After the next OC is selected, its position is changed. The previous selected OC returns to its normal position, i.e. on an OW. User can use touch device (touch pen, mouse, and finger) or keyboard to select an OC. Figure 7 illustrates an OH is moved forward (direction 19) or backward (direction 20) by a user. This kind of movement lets user find applications and images quickly. A fast moving option is built to jump few rows at one movement, so user can rapidly move through an OH with fewer movements. Figure 8 shows user reach the end of the OH by moving OH backward.

From Figure 1 to Figure 7, a rectangle cube hall that has 5 flat walls is used to demonstrate the principle of this invention. The invention is also applicable to any other 3-dimentional space hall, such as cylinder, sphere, etc... Also, the wall shape is not limited to be a flat surface. It can be any curved surfaces, such as the curved surface on a cylinder or sphere shape.

I n this invention, an OH is rotatable. It like that user looks around by turning their head. Figure 9 illustrates right-rotated view. At the position, user is able to manipulate applications and images, which was illustrated by Figure 4, Figure 5 and Figure 6.

Figure 10 illustrates the first way of two ways to delete an OC. To delete an OC means to remove it from an OW and remove the link to application or image. First, user marks an OC for deletion (element 14). Its face colour is changed. Secondary, user need to confirm the deletion. Figure 12 illustrated the confirmation screen.

Figure 11 illustrates multiple OCs (elements 19, 20, 21, 22) are marked for deletion. User can mark multiple OCs, and remove them together, or user can mark one and remove one. After the OCs are removed, the remained OCs are reorganized to fill the empty spots. The size of OW is adjusted. No empty row is left on OWs. Figure 13 illustrates to move from one OH to another OH. The left OH is the current OH. User can move into next OH quickly. Arrow 23, 24 shows the moving directions. An entire system are built with multiple OHs. User can quickly move between these OHs.

Figure 14 illustrates the Main entry interface for a system, which is the start point of an application. At the interface, OH entries are built in a similar layout as the OCs described early. User selects an OH entry cell (element 25) at the interface, and moves into an OH that is linked to the entry cell (such as the one in Figure 4). The thumbnail displayed on the entry cell is the thumbnail from the image on the end wall in the OH (element 5 in Figure 8). If an entry cell has a thumbnail, like elements, 25, 26, and 27 in Figure 14, it means the linked OH has contents, i.e. applications or images. Otherwise, a system default image is shown on an entry cell, like element 28, which means an empty OH. After importing applications and images, the system default image is replaced.

Figure 15 illustrates the deletion of the applications and images in an OH. As described in Figure 10, 11, 12, user can delete multiple applications and images inside an OH. From system entry interface, user can delete all the applications and images in an OH by selecting the OH entry cell, and delete the linked image after confirmation. The linked OH becomes an empty OH after the deletion. The number of OHs for a system is configured when setting up the system.

Figure 1 to Figure 15 demonstrates the core principle of this invention. As mentioned above, the invention provides a different way to handle thousands of applications and images in electronic devices. Following sections illustrates a real system that is built with the basic functionalities of the invention. The system is an application for maintaining images. The system includes other features which are developed for manipulating images in the system.

Figure 16 illustrates an opened image (element 29) that is selected in Figure 5. I n Figure 5 the thumbnail of an image was shown on OC. When user opens the selected OC, the linked image opens. The initial position and size of the image are configurable. As long as an image opened, the colour of all OCs on background are changed to dark colour.

Figure 17 illustrates the swapping of an opened image, i.e. move to next image, open it (element 30) and close the opened image (element 29). User has option to swap images manually when they wanted, or to swap images by program automatically with an adjustable time period.

Figure 18 illustrates a moving image (element 29). There is option to move the opened image on screen at a predefined movement pattern. This option can be combined with the swapping option, i.e. opening an image, moving it, and swapping it with next image with an adjustable time period.

Figure 19 illustrates the relocation of an image (element 29). User can relocate an image manually even when the image is moving.

Figure 20, 21, 22 illustrates to move an opened image forward to the end of an OH, or backward to user. As shown in the Figures, the view of image becomes smaller view (Figure 20), full screen size view (Figure 21), or detail view (Figure 22). All of the navigations illustrated in Figure 17 to 22 are combinable, i.e. when an opened image is moving or swapping, user can also relocate it, move it forward or backward.

Figure 23, 24 illustrates opening and navigating an opened image in a rotated OH. User can open an image in the rotated OH. After the image is opened, user can navigate the image with all the actions illustrated in Figure 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22.

Figure 25 illustrates the second way of two ways to remove an image OC from OW, i.e. open the image and delete it.

Figure 26 illustrates the way of saving the opened image to an user defined local folder in a device. After the image is saved to local folder, the image will close, but its OC is still kept on an OW. User can mark multiple images, and to savethem together ( Figure 27 ).

Figure 28 illustrates a file import interface for the system. When user select an OC (element 31) that is linked to File I mport I nterface, it opens the interface (element 32). User can select images (elements 33, 34) from current folder, or move the other folders to select images. After importing, the thumbnails created from the imported images are attached to new OCs, and the OCs are added to OWs in the current OH.

Claims

A computer program method to create a graphical user interface (GUI) and presents it in 3-dimensional visual space (Figure 14) . The GUI is used to maintain thousands of applications and images in various electronic devices, like desktop, laptop and tablet computers, cell phone, game console, digital TV, electronic book, and other similar electronic devices. The GUI includes operation halls, operation walls and operation cells. A complete system can be built with the GUI, that is linked with its applications and images in a device.

A computer program implemented the method of claim [1], where several 3-D spaces frames are created. Each of them is named as an operation hall (OH) (Figure 1) . An OH is located in 3D visual space, and is projected to the display screen on an electronic device. The shape of an OH can be rectangle cube, cylinder, sphere, etc. User can access an OH from a system Main entry (Figure 14) , move from one OH to another one directory (Figure 13), add or remove applications and images in an OH (Figures 26 and 12) .

A computer program implemented the method of claim [1], where 3-D visual operation surfaces are created. Each of them is named as an operation wall (OW) . The shape of an OW can be a flat surface, or a curved surface like the curved cylinder or sphere surface. An OH is constructed with several OWs (Figure 1) . The size of OW is depends on the number of application and image links that are hosted on the OW .

A computer program implemented the method of claim [1], where 3-D visual operation unit surfaces are created. Each of them is named as an operation cell (OC) (Figures, 2 and 3) . When adding or loading an application or image to system, an OC is created, linked to the application or image. The OC is added to an OW. User selects the OC to run the application or to open the image. User can select next OC from the current selected OC, can mark an OC or mark multiple OCs for deletion.

A computer program implemented the method of claim [1], where the entire system is built with multiple OHs. Each of OHs is constructed with OWs and OCs (Figures 3) . None of its OWs and OCs are visually overlapped. The space gap between OWs and between OCs are adjustable. The number of OCs on a row of OWs can be changed by user (Figure 4) .

A computer program implemented method of claim [2], where multiple OH entries are created and maintained at a system Main entry (Figure 14) . User can select one of OH entries and enter into the OH from the system Main entry.

A computer program implemented method of claim [6], where the thumbnails of links of applications and images are uploaded to OCs when user enters into an OH (Figure 4) . User can move from one OH to another OH directly without exiting from current OH (Figure 13) .

A computer program implemented method of claim [4], where OCs are created, added to OWs, and linked to the thumbnails when starting a system. When removing OCs from OWs, the OCs, the application and image links are removed from the system. OW size are automatically adjusted after adding or removing OCs. User can remove one OC (Figure 10, Figure 25), remove multiple OCs (Figure 12), or remove all the OCs in an OH (Figure 15) .

A computer program implemented method of claim [4], where the linked application is triggered or the linked image is opened when selecting an OC and opening it (Figure 5, Figure 16, Figure 26) . A selected OC can be unselected. An opened image can be swapped with another image on OW, can be relocated on screen, can be moved forward or backward in an OH, can be deleted from an OW, or can be saved to a local folder in device. The operations are applicable to opened image in a rotated OH.

[10] A computer program implemented method of claim [4], where user can select the next OC from a selected OC (Figure 6)

[11] A computer program implemented method of claim [2], where user can move an OH forward, backward (Figure 7), or rotate it (Figure 9) . A fast moving option allows user to move few rows forward or backward with one movement.

[12] A computer program implemented method of claim [11], where after an OH is rotated the operations claimed with claim [9] and claim [10] are applicable.

[13] A computer program implemented method of claim [8], where a thumbnail for an application or image is created when adding new application or image to system. The thumbnail is stored in system data location, and is attached to an OC . The OC is linked to the application or image.

[14] A computer program implemented method of claim [8], where an application or an image is removed by deleting an OC (Figure 25) . After confirmation, the thumbnail, the OC are removed from system. The remained OCs are reorganized in OWs. OW size is adjusted automatically.

[15] A computer program implemented method of claim [8], where user can mark multiple OCs for deletion. After confirmation, the thumbnails, the OCs are removed from system (Figure 11, Figure 12) . The remained OCs are reorganized on OWs. OW size is adjusted automatically.

[16] A computer program implemented method of claim [8], where user can remove all OCs in an OH by opening the OH entry thumbnail and deleting it at a system Main entry (Figure 15) . System default thumbnail is attached to an OH entry when the OH is empty.

[17] A computer program implemented method of claim [9] , where the opened image is swapped with the next image manually or automatically (Figure 17) . It can be swapped with the image on the end wall of the current OH. A slow movement option is built to move the opened image at a built movement pattern before being swapped (Figure 18).

[18] A computer program implemented method of claim [9] , where the opened image can be relocated on screen (Figure 19), or be moved forward or backward in an OH (Figures 20, 21, and 22) , can be deleted from an OH (Figure 25) , and can be saved to a local folder in a device (Figure 26, 27) .

[19] A computer program implemented method of claim [9] , where when opening an image in a rotated OH, the methods mentioned in claims [17] and [18] are applicable.

[20] A computer program implemented method of claim [9] , where an import interface is triggered when opening an OC . User can import applications and images to current system via the interface (Figure 26) .