Apple Inc.

Arnaud P Gourdol

Donald James Lindsay

Andrew Nicholas

Patrick Earl McClaughry

Ed Voas

A computer user interface is provided which allows a user to adjust the size of icons based upon a user's preference or based upon a characteristic of the objects that the icons represent. When the icon sizing is performed according to a user preference, a relative sizing scheme or an arbitrary icon sizing scheme can be employed to variably size icons. Providing the ability to size icons in such a manner allows users to represent a user's categorization of object importance, for example.

Graphical user interface for computers having variable size icons

A method and apparatus for compressing and decompressing small amounts of image data, such as icon image data, is disclosed. The image data is transformed from RGB color space data to luminance and chrominance data. The chrominance data is then reduced by means of a thinning or averaging process. Run length encoding is performed on the luminance data and reduced chrominance data to compress for storage. The invention allows accurate and efficient storage and use of a small amount of compressed image data, particularly for continuous tone icons.

Method and apparatus for icon compression and decompression

Systems and methods for providing a user with increased flexibility and control over the appearance and behavior of objects on a user interface are described. Sets of objects can be grouped into themes to provide a user with a distinct overall impression of the interface. These themes can be invoked by calling a corresponding theme engine. Theme engines can be hard-coded or data-driven.

Multiple theme engine graphical user interface architecture

A method and apparatus for generating composite icon images for a foreground icon and background icon is disclosed. An icon reference tag is used to retrieve icon image data and icon mask data for each icon. An icon override mechanism allows replacement of a particular icon for a particular application or document with another icon, to facilitate changes in the appearances of a graphical user interface.

Icon override apparatus and method

A method and apparatus for generating composite icon images for a foreground icon and background icon is disclosed. An icon reference tag is used to retrieve icon image data and icon mask data for each icon. Once the data is retrieved, logical operations are performed to generate composite icon image data and composite icon mask data. A custom icon badge is disclosed which can be generated and employed on base icons. Also, an icon override mechanism is described which allows replacement of a particular icon for a particular application or document with another icon.

Method and apparatus for generating composite icons and composite masks

An improved recognition data structure is described that is particularly well suited for use in a computer system having recognition abilities. The data structure includes a multi-representational data list section arranged to store a multiplicity of datum. Each datum includes a datum reference number that uniquely identifies that datum and is arranged to contain a plurality of representation zones. Each representation zone is arranged to hold data indicative of a particular representation of the data stored in the datum. The data structure also includes a trellis based recognition results section arranged to accommodate trellis based recognition results at a plurality of different trellis levels.

Multi-representational data structure for recognition in computer systems

A method and apparatus for recognizing a gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A stroke is input by a user on the screen, and the stroke is smoothed by reducing the number of points that define the stroke. The number of points are reduced by calculating a weighted position for a new point between two adjacent points that are within a threshold distance, and replacing a plurality of points that are separated by less than the threshold distance with the new point. The stroke is also normalized by dividing coordinates of the points by a scaling factor and storing selected points of the stroke in a prototype buffer. The normalized stroke is matched to one or more of a plurality of gesture prototypes by utilizing a correlation score that is calculated for each prototype. The gesture prototypes preferably include standard gestures having standardized shapes as well as gestures input by a user, and include bracket and pigtail gestures. An alternative embodiment determines whether the stroke is part of a multiple stroke gesture and, if so, adds the stroke to previously-entered strokes.

Method and apparatus for recognizing gestures on a computer system

A method and apparatus for recognizing an ellipse-type gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A stroke is input by a user onto a computer screen, and the stroke is smoothed by reducing the number of points that represent the stroke. It is determined whether the smoothed stroke includes at least a predetermined minimum number of points, and, if so, angles between adjacent segments of the smoothed stroke and derivatives of the angles are calculated. It is determined if the stroke substantially represents an ellipse by checking if the stroke curves in one direction or more than one direction utilizing the angles and the derivatives of the angles. In addition, the stroke represents an ellipse if the end points are within a predetermined distance of each other, and if a sum of the derivatives of the angles is within a predetermined range of values. The method preferably includes selecting an object on the screen if the object is substantially overlapped by the smoothed stroke. An alternative embodiment includes determining whether the stroke is part of a multiple stroke gesture, and, if so, adding the stroke to stroke portions previously input by the user.

A method and apparatus for recognizing a gesture input on a display screen of a computer system. A method of recognizing an ellipse gesture comprises the steps of receiving a stroke input by a user onto a computer screen, smoothing the stroke by reducing the number of points that represent the stroke, determining whether the smoothed stroke includes at least a predetermined minimum number of points, and, if so, calculating angles between adjacent segments of the smoothed stroke and calculating derivatives of the angles. It is determined if the stroke substantially represents an ellipse by utilizing the angles and the derivatives of the angles. The method preferably includes selecting an ink object on the screen if the ink object is substantially overlapped by the smoothed stroke. A different method of implementing fuzzy recognition includes smoothing the stroke, normalizing the smoothed stroke, determining whether the normalized stroke matches one of a plurality of gesture prototypes, and, if so, selecting the gesture associated with the best matched gesture prototype as the appropriate interpretation of the stroke. The step of normalizing the stroke preferably includes storing normalized coordinates in at least one prototype buffer. The normalized stroke is matched to one or more of a plurality of gesture prototypes by utilizing a correlation score that is calculated for each prototype. The gesture prototypes preferably include standard gestures, such as bracket gestures and pigtail gestures, well as gestures input by a user that represent one of said standard gestures. An alternative embodiment of both methods includes a step of determining whether the stroke is part of a multiple stroke gesture, and, if so, adding the stroke to stroke portions previously input by the user.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Arnaud P Gourdol