Software defined icon interactions with multiple and expandable layers

Abstract

A method of controlling an electronic device is provided, comprising receiving a selection contact within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on a pressure-sensing display screen of the electronic device, displaying on the pressure-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon, detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon, displaying on the pressure-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon, detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon, and initiating an application or function associated with the third icon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising:
 the electronic device receiving a selection contact within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on a pressure-sensing display screen of the electronic device;   the electronic device displaying on the pressure-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon;   the electronic device detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon;   the electronic device displaying on the pressure-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon;   the electronic device detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and   the electronic device initiating an application or function associated with the third icon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within a predetermined area of the selected second icon. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within the predetermined area and increasing contact pressure to above a predefined second pressure threshold. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 the electronic device detecting the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold;   the electronic device removing the third set of icons from the pressure-sensing display screen in response to detecting the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold; and   the electronic device changing the second set of icons to indicate a return of the second set of icons to an active state in response to detecting the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within the predetermined area and lingering there for more than a predefined linger threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the first icon to visually indicate a first icon non-active state. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the second set of icons to visually indicate a second icon set non-active state. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , with the application or function being associated with the third icon and the second set of icons. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , with the pressure-sensing display screen further comprising a depth-sensing display screen configured to detect a depth of an object to the depth-sensing display screen. 
     
     
         10 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a pressure-sensing display screen configured to display multiple icons and configured to measure a contact pressure of a contact with the pressure-sensing display screen;   a sensor device configured to generate an indication representative of a user action relative to the pressure-sensing display screen; and   a processor coupled to the pressure-sensing display screen and to the sensor device, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive a selection contact within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on the pressure-sensing display screen of the electronic device; 
 display on the pressure-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon; 
 detect that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon; 
 display on the pressure-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon; 
 detect that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and 
 initiate an application or function associated with the third icon. 
   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within a predetermined area of the selected second icon. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within the predetermined area and increasing contact pressure to above a predefined second pressure threshold. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic device of  claim 12 , with the processor further configured to:
 detect the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold;   remove the third set of icons from the pressure-sensing display screen in response to detecting the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold; and   change the second set of icons to indicate a return of the second set of icons to an active state in response to detecting the pressure within the predetermined area has decreased to below the predefined second pressure threshold.   
     
     
         14 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , with detecting that the selection contact selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection contact within the predetermined area and lingering there for more than a predefined linger threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the first icon to visually indicate a first icon non-active state. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the second set of icons to visually indicate a second icon set non-active state. 
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , with the application or function being associated with the third icon and the second set of icons. 
     
     
         18 . The electronic device of  claim 10 , with the pressure-sensing display screen further comprising a depth-sensing display screen configured to detect a depth of an object to the depth-sensing display screen. 
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer readable media storing computer instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 receiving a selection contact within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on a pressure-sensing display screen of an electronic device;   displaying on the pressure-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon;   detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon;   displaying on the pressure pressure-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon;   detecting that the selection contact uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and   initiating an application or function associated with the third icon.   
     
     
         20 . A method of controlling an electronic device, comprising:
 the electronic device receiving a selection action within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on a depth-sensing display screen of the electronic device;   the electronic device displaying on the depth-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon;   the electronic device detecting that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon;   the electronic device displaying on the depth-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon;   the electronic device detecting that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and   the electronic device initiating an application or function associated with the third icon.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within a predetermined area of the selected second icon. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within the predetermined area and decreasing the depth to less than a predefined second depth threshold. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 the electronic device detecting the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold;   the electronic device removing the third set of icons from the depth-sensing display screen in response to detecting the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold; and   the electronic device changing the second set of icons to indicate a return of the second set of icons to an active state in response to detecting the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within the predetermined area and lingering there for more than a predefined linger threshold. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the first icon to visually indicate a first icon non-active state. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the second set of icons to visually indicate a second icon set non-active state. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , with the application or function being associated with the third icon and the second set of icons. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , with the depth-sensing display screen further comprising a pressure-detecting display screen configured to measure a contact pressure of a contact with the pressure-sensing display screen. 
     
     
         29 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a depth-sensing display screen configured to display multiple icons and configured to detect a depth of an object to the depth-sensing display screen;   a sensor device configured to generate an indication representative of a user action relative to the display screen; and   a processor coupled to the display screen and the sensor device, wherein the processor is configured to:
 receive a selection action within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on the display screen of the electronic device; 
 display on the display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon; 
 detect that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon; 
 display on the display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon; 
 detect that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and 
 initiate an application or function associated with the third icon. 
   
     
     
         30 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within a predetermined area of the selected second icon. 
     
     
         31 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within the predetermined area and decreasing the depth to less than a predefined second depth threshold. 
     
     
         32 . The electronic device of  claim 31 , with the processor further configured to:
 detect the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold;   remove the third set of icons from the display screen in response to detecting the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold; and   change the second set of icons to indicate a return of the second set of icons to an active state in response to detecting the depth within the predetermined area has increased to greater than the predefined second depth threshold.   
     
     
         32 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with detecting that the selection action selects the second icon or the third icon comprising moving the selection action within the predetermined area and lingering there for more than a predefined linger threshold. 
     
     
         34 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the first icon to visually indicate a first icon non-active state. 
     
     
         35 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with the method further comprising, after detecting the selection of the second icon, changing the second set of icons to visually indicate a second icon set non-active state. 
     
     
         36 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with the application or function being associated with the third icon and the second set of icons. 
     
     
         37 . The electronic device of  claim 29 , with the depth-sensing display screen further comprising a pressure-detecting display screen configured to measure a contact pressure of a contact with the pressure-sensing display screen. 
     
     
         38 . A non-transitory computer readable media storing computer instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:
 receiving a selection action within a first icon region of a first icon displayed on a depth-sensing display screen of an electronic device;   displaying on the depth-sensing display screen a second set of icons related to the first icon;   detecting that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a second icon of the second set of icons and selects the second icon;   displaying on the depth-sensing display screen a third set of icons related to the second icon;   detecting that the selection action uninterruptedly moves to a third icon of the third set of icons and selects the third icon; and   initiating an application or function associated with the third icon.