Device, method, and graphical user interface for moving and dropping a user interface object

• US 10,042,542 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Bernstein, Jeffrey Traer, Khoe, May-Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US14/536,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20150067563A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An electronic device detects a contact associated with a focus selector that controls movement of a respective user interface object; and while continuously detecting the contact, the device detects first movement of the contact. In response to detecting the first movement of the contact, the device moves the focus selector and the respective user interface object, and determines an intensity of the contact. The device detects second movement of the contact and in response to detecting the second movement of the contact: when the contact meets respective intensity criteria, the device moves the focus selector and the user interface object; and when the contact does not meet the respective intensity criteria, the device moves the focus selector without moving the user interface object.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface, a display, and one or more sensors to detect intensities of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface;

displaying, on the display, a user interface for the electronic device;

detecting a sequence of inputs on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein;

detecting the sequence of inputs includes detecting changes in characteristics of a respective contact that is continuously detected on the touch-sensitive surface during the sequence of inputs;

the sequence of inputs includes a first input and a second input;

the first input includes detecting an increase in intensity of the respective contact; and

the second input includes detecting movement of the respective contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input;

in accordance with a determination that the first input does not include increasing the intensity of the respective contact above a mode-selection intensity threshold, operating in a first mode of operation during the second input; and

in accordance with a determination that the first input includes increasing the intensity of the respective contact above the mode-selection intensity threshold, operating in a second mode of operation, distinct from the first mode of operation, during the second input;

in response to detecting the second input, performing an operation in accordance with the second input based at least in part on whether the device is operating in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation;

while in the first mode of operation;

starting to perform a first operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below a respective intensity threshold; and

,

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the first mode of operation, ceasing to perform the first operation; and

while in the second mode of operation;

starting to perform a second operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the second mode of operation, continuing to perform the second operation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input is a stationary press input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second mode of operation is a contact-intensity-independent mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

in the first mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the first operation; and

in the second mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the second operation different from the first operation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first operation includes scrolling an electronic document; and

the second operation includes selecting content in the electronic document.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the first operation includes moving a user interface object in a user interface; and

the second operation includes selecting a plurality of user interface objects in the user interface.

7. The method of claim 1, including:

in response to detecting the first input, starting to perform a respective operation; and

in response to detecting the second input, continuing to perform the respective operation.

8. The method of claim 1, including:

detecting an increase in intensity of the respective contact above a first intensity threshold while a focus selector corresponding to the contact is at or proximate to a respective user interface object;

in response to detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold, generating a tactile output on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to selection of the respective user interface object; and

after detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the respective contact below a second intensity threshold while the focus selector is at or proximate to the respective user interface object; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the respective contact below the second intensity threshold;

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the first mode of operation, deselecting the respective user interface object and generating a tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object; and

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the second mode of operation, maintaining selection of the respective user interface object and forgoing generation of the tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more sensors to detect intensities of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the display, a user interface for the electronic device;

detecting a sequence of inputs on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein;

detecting the sequence of inputs includes detecting changes in characteristics of a respective contact that is continuously detected on the touch-sensitive surface during the sequence of inputs;

the sequence of inputs includes a first input and a second input;

the first input includes detecting an increase in intensity of the respective contact; and

the second input includes detecting movement of the respective contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input;

in accordance with a determination that the first input does not include increasing the intensity of the respective contact above a mode-selection intensity threshold, operating in a first mode of operation during the second input; and

in accordance with a determination that the first input includes increasing the intensity of the respective contact above the mode-selection intensity threshold, operating in a second mode of operation, distinct from the first mode of operation, during the second input;

in response to detecting the second input, performing an operation in accordance with the second input based at least in part on whether the device is operating in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation;

while in the first mode of operation;

starting to perform a first operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below a respective intensity threshold; and

,

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the first mode of operation, ceasing to perform the first operation; and

while in the second mode of operation;

starting to perform a second operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the second mode of operation, continuing to perform the second operation.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first input is a stationary press input.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the second mode of operation is a contact-intensity-independent mode of operation.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein:

in the first mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the first operation; and

in the second mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the second operation different from the first operation.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the first operation includes scrolling an electronic document; and

the second operation includes selecting content in the electronic document.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the first operation includes moving a user interface object in a user interface; and

the second operation includes selecting a plurality of user interface objects in the user interface.

15. The device of claim 9, including instructions for:

in response to detecting the first input, starting to perform a respective operation; and

in response to detecting the second input, continuing to perform the respective operation.

16. The device of claim 9, including instructions for:

detecting an increase in intensity of the respective contact above a first intensity threshold while a focus selector corresponding to the contact is at or proximate to a respective user interface object;

in response to detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold, generating a tactile output on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to selection of the respective user interface object; and

after detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the respective contact below a second intensity threshold while the focus selector is at or proximate to the respective user interface object; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the respective contact below the second intensity threshold;

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the first mode of operation, deselecting the respective user interface object and generating a tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object; and

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the second mode of operation, maintaining selection of the respective user interface object and forgoing generation of the tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions which, when executed by an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more sensors to detect intensities of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface, cause the electronic device to:

display, on the display, a user interface for the electronic device;

detect a sequence of inputs on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein;

detecting the sequence of inputs includes detecting changes in characteristics of a respective contact that is continuously detected on the touch-sensitive surface during the sequence of inputs;

the sequence of inputs includes a first input and a second input;

the first input includes detecting an increase in intensity of the respective contact; and

the second input includes detecting movement of the respective contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

in response to detecting the first input;

in accordance with a determination that the first input does not include increasing the intensity of the respective contact above a mode-selection intensity threshold, operate in a first mode of operation during the second input; and

in accordance with a determination that the first input includes increasing the intensity of the respective contact above the mode-selection intensity threshold, operate in a second mode of operation, distinct from the first mode of operation, during the second input;

in response to detecting the second input, perform an operation in accordance with the second input based at least in part on whether the device is operating in the first mode of operation or the second mode of operation;

while in the first mode of operation;

starting to perform a first operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below a respective intensity threshold; and

,

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the first mode of operation, ceasing to perform the first operation; and

while in the second mode of operation;

starting to perform a second operation corresponding to the second input;

detecting a decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the contact below the respective intensity threshold while in the second mode of operation, continuing to perform the second operation.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the first input is a stationary press input.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the second mode of operation is a contact-intensity-independent mode of operation.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

in the first mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the first operation; and

in the second mode of operation, the second input corresponds to the second operation different from the first operation.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the first operation includes scrolling an electronic document; and

the second operation includes selecting content in the electronic document.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein:

the first operation includes moving a user interface object in a user interface; and

the second operation includes selecting a plurality of user interface objects in the user interface.

23. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, including instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

in response to detecting the first input, start to perform a respective operation; and

in response to detecting the second input, continue to perform the respective operation.

24. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, including instructions, which when executed by the electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

detect an increase in intensity of the respective contact above a first intensity threshold while a focus selector corresponding to the contact is at or proximate to a respective user interface object;

in response to detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold, generate a tactile output on the touch-sensitive surface that corresponds to selection of the respective user interface object; and

after detecting the increase in intensity of the respective contact above the first intensity threshold;

detect a decrease in intensity of the respective contact below a second intensity threshold while the focus selector is at or proximate to the respective user interface object; and

in response to detecting the decrease in intensity of the respective contact below the second intensity threshold;

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the first mode of operation, deselect the respective user interface object and generate a tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object; and

in accordance with the determination that the device is in the second mode of operation, maintain selection of the respective user interface object and forgo generation of the tactile output corresponding to deselecting the respective user interface object.