Graphical user interface for computers having variable size icons

Abstract

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.

1 . In a computer having a graphical user interface via which a plurality of icons are displayed to a user, a method for displaying said plurality of icons, comprising the following steps: 
 detecting user selection of a plurality of icons and a user designation of a sizing function to be applied to said plurality of icons;    calculating a display size for each of said selected icons in accordance with the designated sizing function; and    concurrently displaying said plurality of selected icons at different respective sizes in accordance with said calculated sizes.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sizing function automatically calculates a display size for each selected icon that is based upon an attribute of that icon.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said attribute is user-selectable from among a plurality of attributes.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selected icons represent container objects, and said attribute comprises the number of objects contained within the container object.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the selected icons represent container objects, and said attribute comprises the amount of data contained within the container object.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sizing function enables the user to manually designate sizes for the selected icons.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user designates a ranking order of relative sizes for individual selected icons.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the selected icons are automatically sized according to said ranking order, with an equal size gap between successive sizes.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the user designates respective absolute sizes for individual icons.  
   
   
       10 . A computer system, comprising: 
 a display device; and    a graphical user interface that displays icons on said display device, and that is responsive to user selection of a plurality of displayed icons, and designation of a sizing function, to calculate a display size for each of said selected icons in accordance with the designated sizing function, and to concurrently display said plurality of selected icons at different respective sizes in accordance with said calculated sizes.    
   
   
       11 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein said sizing function automatically calculates a display size for each selected icon that is based upon an attribute of that icon.  
   
   
       12 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein said attribute is user-selectable from among a plurality of attributes.  
   
   
       13 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected icons represent container objects, and said attribute comprises the number of objects contained within the container object.  
   
   
       14 . The computer system of  claim 11 , wherein the selected icons represent container objects, and said attribute comprises the amount of data contained within the container object.  
   
   
       15 . The computer system of  claim 10 , wherein said sizing function enables the user to manually designate sizes for the selected icons.  
   
   
       16 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the user designates a ranking order of relative sizes for individual selected icons.  
   
   
       17 . The computer system of  claim 16 , wherein the selected icons are automatically sized according to said ranking order, with an equal size gap between successive sizes.  
   
   
       18 . The computer system of  claim 15 , wherein the user designates respective absolute sizes for individual icons.