Graphical user interface
A graphical user interface is provided for navigating and/or manipulating content simply via touch of a touch-sensitive surface. The content may include discrete content items (e.g., songs, video clips, documents, web pages) and/or actions (e.g., place a call, read a message, play a game), and may or may not be hierarchical in nature. The interface may be presented on a touch-screen display, such that a user may navigate to a content item or action via a single touch on the display (e.g., with a finger or other tool), followed by gliding through any number of levels or clusters of nodes (representing content items, content compilations/categories and/or actions). The desired content item or action may be initiated automatically (e.g., opened, performed) simply by touching it, by lifting the gliding finger or by performing some other input (e.g., tapping a node, speaking a command, touching with a second finger).
1. A method of facilitating a user's navigation of electronic content via a touch-screen display, the method comprising:
displaying a first cluster of nodes representing content available for presentation to the user on the touch-screen display;
defining, for at least a first node in the first cluster of nodes, an associated commit point located apart from the node;
in response to touch-selection, by the user, of the commit point associated with the first node, without touching the first node, displaying a second cluster of nodes separate from the first cluster of nodes;
tracking the user's touching of the touch-screen display through multiple clusters of nodes, including the first cluster of nodes and the second cluster of nodes; and
opening content corresponding to a final node selected by the user.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the commit point is located on a first path between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the first node.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
relocating the first node toward the location of the commit point when the user touch-selects the commit point.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
as the user's touch traverses the first path, moving one or more nodes displayed on the touch-screen display, other than the first node.
5. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
as the user's touch traverses the first path, separating two or more nodes in the first cluster of nodes.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first path is marked on the touch-screen display.
7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first path is not marked on the touch-screen display.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
presenting a control on the touch-screen display that, when actuated, toggles display of one or more of:
the commit points; and
for each commit point, a corresponding path that traverses the commit point, between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the node associated with the commit point.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the commit points are not displayed on the touch-screen display.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising in response to the touch-selection of the first commit point:
removing from the display all nodes of the first cluster of nodes other than the first node.
11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of an electronic device, cause the device to perform a method of facilitating a user's navigation of electronic content via a touch-screen display of the device, the method comprising:
displaying a first cluster of nodes representing content available for presentation to the user on the touch-screen display;
defining, for at least a first node in the first cluster of nodes, an associated commit point located apart from the node;
in response to touch-selection, by the user, of the commit point associated with the first node, without touching the first node, displaying a second cluster of nodes separate from the first cluster of nodes;
tracking the user's touching of the touch-screen display through multiple clusters of nodes, including the first cluster of nodes and the second cluster of nodes; and
opening content corresponding to a final node selected by the user.
12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the commit point is located on a first path between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the first node.
13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
relocating the first node toward the location of the commit point when the user touch-selects the commit point.
14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the method further comprises:
as the user's touch traverses the first path, moving one or more nodes displayed on the touch-screen display, other than the first node.
15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the first path is marked on the touch-screen display.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:
presenting a control on the touch-screen display that, when actuated, toggles display of one or more of:
the commit points; and
for each commit point, a corresponding path that traverses the commit point, between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the node associated with the commit point.
17. An apparatus for facilitating a user's navigation of electronic content via a touch-screen display, the apparatus comprising:
the touch-screen display;
at least one processor; and
memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
display a first cluster of nodes representing content available for presentation to the user on the touch-screen display;
define, for at least a first node in the first cluster of nodes, an associated commit point located apart from the node;
in response to touch-selection, by the user, of the commit point associated with the first node, without touching the first node, display a second cluster of nodes separate from the first cluster of nodes;
track the user's touching of the touch-screen display through multiple clusters of nodes, including the first cluster of nodes and the second cluster of nodes; and
open content corresponding to a final node selected by the user.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the commit point is located on a first path between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the first node.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
relocate the first node toward the location of the commit point when the user touch-selects the commit point.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
as the user's touch traverses the first path, move one or more nodes displayed on the touch-screen display.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
as the user's touch traverses the first path, separate two or more nodes in the first cluster of nodes.
22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first path is displayed on the touch-screen display.
23. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the first path is not displayed on the touch-screen display.
24. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the memory further stores instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
present a control on the touch-screen display that, when actuated, toggles display of one or more of:
the commit points; and
for each commit point, a corresponding path that traverses the commit point, between a current node displayed on the touch-screen display and the node associated with the commit point.
25. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the commit points are not displayed on the touch-screen display.