User interface with z-axis interaction

摘要

A user interface presents a plurality of items configured as a stack in a display of a device. The stack is scrollable in a direction oblique to a plane of the display for successively viewing the items in the stack. Some implementations provide for control of the user interface based on input from a finger position sensor or a slider.

主权项

1. A method comprising: presenting a plurality of first items in a user interface on a display of a device, the first items being presented as a first stack;
scrolling the first items of the first stack in a direction oblique to a plane of the display for successively displaying the items, wherein: the first stack appears to flow outward with respect to the plane of the display in response to scrolling in a first direction; the first stack appears to flow inward with respect to the plane of the display in response to scrolling in a second direction; and determining a position of a finger spatially separated from the device, the position of the finger being used in conjunction with activation of an input mechanism for interacting with the user interface in three dimensions, wherein movement of the finger is determined based on an initial position of the finger that is established in response to actuation of at least one touch or pressure sensor on an exterior of the device; the initial position of the finger includes at least an initial spatial separation of the finger from the device along a z-axis defined with respect to a plane of the display a speed of scrolling is controlled by a distance that a finger is moved toward or away from the plane of the display, wherein the distance is determined with respect to the initial spatial separation of the finger from the device; receiving a selection of one of the first items of the first stack; and in response to the selection of one of the first items of the first stack, presenting a plurality of second items in the user interface, the second items being hierarchically related to the first item and being presented in a second stack scrollable in the direction oblique to the plane of the display, wherein: the second stack appears to flow outward with respect to the plane of the display in response to scrolling in the first direction; and the second stack appears to flow inward with respect to the plane of the display in response to scrolling in the second direction.