Connecting graphical shapes using gestures

• US 10,698,599 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2017
• Issued: 06/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pegasystems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Pegasystems Incorporated
• Inventors: D'angelo, Massimiliano, Kast, Bettina, Cao, Guangxue, Kala, Piotr, Nae, Mihai-Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anh-Tuan V
• Application Number:
  US15/613,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20170351425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,121 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The present disclosure describes systems and apparatuses for connecting graphical shapes. A client digital data processor receives selection events. Each selection event tracks one or more input locations. The client digital data processor identifies a source and target graphical shape based at least on the received selection events. The client digital data processor determines a source and target connection point for a connector based at least on the source and target graphical shapes. The client digital data processor determines a length for the connector based at least on the source and target connection points. The client digital data processor generates and displays the connector based at least on the source and target connection points and the length. The present disclosure also describes methods for operating a client digital data processor as described above, and a computer-readable medium storing a program having instructions for so operating a client digital data processor.

Claims

1. A client apparatus for connecting graphical shapes, the apparatus comprising:

a display configured to present a source graphical shape and a plurality of target graphical shapes,

a client digital data processor in communicative coupling with the display, wherein the client digital data processor is configured to;

identify the source graphical shape and the plurality of target graphical shapes based at least on a plurality of selection events determined by tracking input locations on a sensor array that is coupled to the client digital data processor, wherein the plurality of selection events comprises a multi-touch event comprising substantially simultaneous touching of a plurality of the input locations and includes (i) a first selection event in which a user holds a first finger on the sensor array in substantially a same position for a period constituting any of a long press or a long tap to identify the source graphical shape, (ii) a second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a first said target graphical shape, and (iii) a third selection event successive to the second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a second said target graphical shape;

determine at least the source graphical shape based on the first selection event;

determine at least the first target graphical shape based on the second selection event;

determine at least the second target graphical shape based on the third selection event;

determine a source connection point and a target connection point for a first connector between the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape;

determine a source connection point and a target connection point for a second connector between the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape;

determine a length for the first connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the first connector;

determine a length for the second connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the second connector;

generate and display, on the display, the first connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the first connector; and

generate and display, on the display, the second connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the second connector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of selection events is received from one or more of:

conductive gloves, wand controllers, any of an augmented reality peripheral and controller, any of a virtual reality peripheral and controller, a camera, and a machine vision peripheral.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client digital data processor is further configured to:

responsive to receiving a selection event subsequent to the third selection event, determine whether a said connector exists between the source graphical shape and a selected one of said target graphical shapes; and

upon a determination that a said connector exists, generate and display an inverted connector that replaces that connector between the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the subsequent selection event includes any of:

a single tap of the connector, a double tap of the connector, a multi-touch single tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, a multi-touch double tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, and a long press on the source graphical shape followed by any of a single tap and a double tap of the selected target graphical shape.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the client digital data processor is configured to identify the source graphical shape and one of the target graphical shapes based further on one or more of:

a relative position of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape, a relative time that the source graphical shape was added compared to that target graphical shape, a color of any of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape, and a size of any of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape.

6. A method for operating a client digital data processor to connect graphical shapes displayed thereby, the method comprising:

identifying a source graphical shape and a plurality of target graphical shapes based on a plurality of received selection events determined by tracking one or more input locations on a sensor array that is coupled to the client digital data processor, wherein the selection event is a multi-touch event indicating substantially simultaneous touching of a plurality of the input locations, wherein the plurality of selection events comprises a multi-touch event comprising substantially simultaneous touching of a plurality of the input locations and includes (i) a first selection event in which a user holds a first finger on the sensor array in substantially a same position for a period constituting any of a long press or a long tap to identify the source graphical shape, (ii) a second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a first said target graphical shape, and (iii) a third selection event successive to the second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a second said target graphical shape;

with the client digital data processor, determining at least the source graphical shape based on the first selection event;

with the client digital data processor, determining at least the first target graphical shape based on the second selection event;

with the client digital data processor, determining at least the second target graphical shape based on the third selection event;

with the client digital data processor, determining a source connection point and a target connection point for a first connector between the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape;

with the client digital data processor, determining a source connection point and a target connection point for a second connector between the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape;

with the client digital data processor, determining a length for the first connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the first connector;

with the client digital data processor, determining a length for the second connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the second connector;

with the client digital data processor, generating and displaying the first connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the first connector; and

with the client digital data processor, generating and displaying the second connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the second connector.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of receiving the plurality of selection events includes receiving the one or more selection events from one or more of:

conductive gloves, wand controllers, any of an augmented reality peripheral and controller, any of a virtual reality peripheral and controller, a camera, and a machine vision peripheral.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

responding to receiving a selection event subsequent to the third selection event by determining whether a said connector exists between the source graphical shape and a selected one of said target graphical shapes; and

upon determining that a said connector exists, generating and displaying an inverted connector that replaces that connector between the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the subsequent selection event includes any of:

a single tap of the connector, a double tap of the connector, a multi-touch single tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, a multi-touch double tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, and a long press on the source graphical shape followed by any of a single tap and a double tap of the selected target graphical shape.

10. The method of claim 6, including the step of identifying the source graphical shape and one of the target graphical shapes based on one or more of:

a relative position of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape, a relative time that the source graphical shape was added compared to that target graphical shape, a color of any of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape, and a size of any of the source graphical shape and that target graphical shape.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein a computer program product having instructions, which when executed by a client digital data processor cause the client digital data processor to:

identify a source graphical shape and a plurality of target graphical shapes based on at least on one or more received selection events determined from tracking one or more input locations on a sensor array that is coupled to the client digital data processor, wherein the selection event is a multi-touch event indicating substantially simultaneous touching of a plurality of the input locations, wherein the plurality of selection events comprises a multi-touch event comprising substantially simultaneous touching of a plurality of the input locations and includes (i) a first selection event in which a user holds a first finger on the sensor array in substantially a same position for a period constituting any of a long press or a long tap to identify the source graphical shape, (ii) a second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a first said target graphical shape, and (iii) a third selection event successive to the second selection event in which the user, simultaneous with the first selection event, touches a finger other than the first finger on the sensor array with a tap to identify a second said target graphical shape;

determine at least the source graphical shape based on the first selection event;

determine at least the first target graphical shape based on the second selection event;

determine at least the second target graphical shape based on the third selection event;

determine a source connection point and a target connection point for a first connector between the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the first target graphical shape;

determine a source connection point and a target connection point for a second connector between the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape based at least on the source graphical shape and the second target graphical shape;

determine a length for the first connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the first connector;

determine a length for the second connector based at least on the source connection point and the target connection point of the second connector;

generate and display the first connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the first connector; and

generate and display the second connector based at least on the source connection point, the target connection point, and the length of the second connector.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer program product has instructions which, when executed by a client digital data processor, causes the client digital data processor to receive the plurality of selection events from one or more of:

conductive gloves, wand controllers, any of an augmented reality peripheral and controller, any of a virtual reality peripheral and controller, a camera, and a machine vision peripheral.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the computer program product has instructions which, when executed by a client digital data processor, causes the client digital data processor to:

respond to receiving a selection event subsequent to the third selection event by determining whether a said connector exists between the source graphical shape and a selected one of said target graphical shapes; and

upon determining that a said connector exists, to generate and display an inverted connector that replaces that connector between the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the subsequent selection event includes any of:

a single tap of the connector, a double tap of the connector, a multi-touch single tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, a multi-touch double tap on the source graphical shape and the selected target graphical shape, and a long press on the source graphical shape followed by any of a single tap and a double tap of the selected target graphical shape.