How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings
A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back.
Original patent title: “User interface element with auxiliary function”
A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back. Granted to Apple Inc in 2009 with 44 claims and 24 forward citations.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This patent describes a way to manage settings for small software tools, or widgets, on a computer screen. Instead of cluttering the main interface with options, the widget is designed with two sides. When a user triggers a specific input, the widget performs an animation that makes it look like it is flipping over. The back side then displays auxiliary controls, allowing the user to change the widget's behavior, which is then updated on the front side.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover settings menus that appear in a separate window or a pop-up dialog box.
- Does not cover widgets that do not have a secondary back-side interface.
- Does not cover changing settings via a right-click context menu.
- Does not cover non-animated transitions between the front and back of the element.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation lies in using a 3D-simulated 'flipping' animation to provide a clear, intuitive mental model for the user that the widget has a hidden back side containing its configuration settings.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
macOS Dashboard widgets
Early OS X widget configuration panels
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent was a core component of Apple's Dashboard feature in macOS, which allowed users to quickly access mini-apps like weather or stock tickers. It defined a specific interaction pattern for desktop widgets that became a standard design language for early OS X versions.
Filed
March 7, 2006
Granted
May 5, 2009
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Apple remains the primary entity associated with this specific interaction design, though the concept of 'flipping' UI elements has been widely adopted in various forms across web and mobile development frameworks.
Market impact
This patent helped solidify the 'Dashboard' era of desktop computing, creating a distinct user experience for OS X. It influenced how developers approached modular UI design by providing a standardized way to hide complex settings behind simple, interactive screen elements.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This patent describes a way to manage settings for small software tools, or widgets, on a computer screen. Instead of cluttering the main interface with options, the widget is designed with two sides. When a user triggers a specific input, the widget performs an animation that makes it look like it is flipping over. The back side then displays auxiliary controls, allowing the user to change the widget's behavior, which is then updated on the front side.
The clever bit
The innovation lies in using a 3D-simulated 'flipping' animation to provide a clear, intuitive mental model for the user that the widget has a hidden back side containing its configuration settings.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover settings menus that appear in a separate window or a pop-up dialog box.
- Does not cover widgets that do not have a secondary back-side interface.
- Does not cover changing settings via a right-click context menu.
- Does not cover non-animated transitions between the front and back of the element.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Application published, typically 18 months after filing
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
28/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
20/20
Very broad protection
Recency
5/20
Granted 10–20 years ago
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$43K – $138K
Midpoint $86K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
44 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Chaudhri, I. A., Christie, G. N., Grignon, A. M., & Louch, J. (2009). How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings (U.S. Patent No. 7,530,026). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7530026/time-machine-backup
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Widgets Flip Over to Show Settings cover?
A method for letting digital widgets flip over like a physical object to reveal hidden settings or controls on the back.
Who owns patent US 7530026?
Apple Inc owns this patent, granted in 2009.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on May 5, 2029, when the invention enters the public domain.
What is patent US 7530026 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 24 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent was a core component of Apple's Dashboard feature in macOS, which allowed users to quickly access mini-apps like weather or stock tickers. It defined a specific interaction pattern for desktop widgets that became a standard design language for early OS X versions.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover settings menus that appear in a separate window or a pop-up dialog box.
Same assignee
More from Apple Inc
Patent monitoring