Pinning a Callout Animation

Abstract

Animation for the attachment of content items to a location on a content surface in a user interface is provided. A user interface showing a content surface may be displayed on a computer. The content surface may include a content item at an initial position above the content surface. The content surface may display content formatted for display over an area comprising a totality of the content surface. The computer may then receive in the user interface a request to attach the content item to a final position on the content surface. The computer may then display an animation of the content item moving, from the initial position, across the content surface until the final position has been reached. The computer may then attach the content item to the content surface at the final position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for animating the attachment of content items to a location on a content surface in a user interface, comprising:
 displaying in the user interface, by a computer, a content item at an initial position above the content surface in the user interface;   receiving in the user interface, by the computer, a request to attach the content item to a final position on the content surface;   displaying in the user interface, by the computer, an animation of the content item moving, from the initial position, across the content surface until the final position has been reached; and   attaching in the user interface, by the computer, the content item to the content surface at the final position.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying in the user interface, by the computer, an animation of the content item moving, from the initial position, across the content surface until the final position has been reached comprises resizing content in the content surface to make space for the content item at the final position. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein resizing the content in the content surface to make space for the content item once the content item arrives at the final position comprises resizing the content as the content item moves across the content surface towards the final position. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein resizing the content in the content surface to make space for the content item once the content item arrives at the final position comprises resizing the content upon the content item reaching the final position. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching in the user interface, by the computer, the content item to the content surface at the final position comprises displaying a cross-fade animation showing a transition of the content item from a position above the content surface at the final position to a docked state within the content surface at the final position. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 receiving in the user interface, a request to attach at least one new content item to the final position on the content surface;   displaying in the user interface, an animation of the at least one new content item moving across the content surface until the final position has been reached; and   attaching in the user interface, the at least one new content item to the content surface at the final position.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein attaching in the user interface, the at least one new content item to the content surface at the final position comprises resizing the docked content item to make space for the at least one new content item at the final position. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying in the user interface, by a computer, a content item at an initial position above the content surface in the user interface comprises displaying a content item selected from a group comprising at least a tasks list, a contacts list and a calendar. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying in the user interface, by a computer, a content item at an initial position above the content surface in the user interface comprises displaying the content item as floating above the content surface at the initial position. 
     
     
         10 . A computer system for animating the pinning of callouts to a location on a content surface in a user interface, comprising:
 a memory for storing executable program code; and   a processor, functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program code and operative to:
 receive in the user interface, a selection of a callout from the content surface; 
 display in the user interface, the callout at an initial position above the content surface in the user interface; 
 receive in the user interface, a request to pin the callout to a final position on the content surface; 
 display in the user interface, an animation of the callout moving, from the initial position, across the content surface until the final position has been reached; and 
 pin in the user interface, the callout to the content surface at the final position. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of claim of  claim 10 , wherein the processor, in displaying the animation of the callout moving, from the initial position, across the content surface until the final position has been reached, is operative to resize content in the content surface to make space for the callout at the final position. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor, in resizing the content in the content surface to make space for the callout once the callout arrives at the final position, is operative to resize the content as the callout item moves across the content surface towards the final position. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the processor, in resizing the content in the content surface to make space for the callout once the callout arrives at the final position, is operative to resize the content upon the callout reaching the final position. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor, in pinning the callout to the content surface at the final position is operative to display a cross-fade animation showing a transition of the callout from a position above the content surface at the final position to a docked state within the content surface at the final position. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further to:
 receive in the user interface, a request to pin at least one additional callout to the final position on the content surface;   display in the user interface, an animation of the at least one additional callout moving across the content surface until the final position has been reached; and   pin in the user interface, the at least one additional callout to the content surface at the final position.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the processor, in pining in the user interface, the at least one additional callout to the content surface at the final position, is operative to resize the docked callout to make space for the at least one additional callout at the final position. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the callout and the at least one additional callout comprise items of content selected from a group comprising at least a tasks list, a contacts list and a calendar. 
     
     
         18 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions which, when executed by a computer, will cause the computer to perform a method for animating the pinning of callouts to a location on a content surface in a user interface, comprising:
 receiving in the user interface, a selection of a first callout from the content surface;   displaying in the user interface, the first callout floating above an initial position on the content surface in the user interface;   receiving in the user interface, a request to pin the first callout to a final position on the content surface;   displaying in the user interface, an animation of the first callout, moving from the initial position across the content surface until the final position has been reached, the animation of the first callout comprising resizing the content in the content surface to make space for the first callout at the final position;   pinning in the user interface, the first callout to the content surface at the final position by displaying a cross-fade animation showing a transition of the callout floating above the final position on the content surface to a docked state within the content surface at the final position;   receiving in the user interface, a request to pin another callout to the final position on the content surface;   displaying in the user interface, an animation of the another callout moving across the content surface until the final position has been reached; and   pinning in the user interface, the another callout to the content surface at the final position by resizing the docked callout to make space for the another callout at the final position.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the first callout and the another callout comprise task panes in the user interface after being pinned to the content surface at the final position. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium system of  claim 18 , wherein the first callout and the another callout comprise items of content selected from a group comprising at least a tasks list, a contacts list and a calendar.