METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MANAGING USER INTERFACE ELEMENTS ON A TOUCH-SCREEN DEVICE

摘要

A method and apparatus for managing a touch-screen device is provided herein. During operation UI elements are arranged and re-arrange dynamically and based on user's current contact locations on the touch screen. Preferably, the contact positions correspond to a user's finger positions so that the UI elements are automatically placed where a person's fingers make contact with the touch screen. Because the UI elements on the touch screen always “look for” the user's fingers, instead of the user looking for them, it becomes much easier and more time-efficient for a user to find a particular UI element.

主权项

1. A method comprising the steps of:
associating a plurality UI element with a contact point on a touch screen; displaying the plurality of UI elements at the contact point as layers of UI elements with a highest priority UI elements being shown at the top layer and with all other selected UI elements being shown as underlying layers; determining that the contact point on the touch screen moved a predetermined amount; and associating a second UI element with the contact point on the touch screen after the contact point has moved the predetermined amount, wherein the second UI element is from an underlying layer; and displaying the plurality of UI elements at the contact point as layers of UI elements with a second UI elements being shown at the top layer and with all other selected UI elements being shown as underlying layers.