Gestures for touch sensitive input devices

• US 20060026536A1
• Filed: 01/31/2005
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Computer Incorporated (Apple Inc.)
• Inventors: Chaudhri, Imran, Ive, Jonathan P., Christie, Greg, Ording, Bas, Kerr, Duncan Robert, Hotelling, Steve, Strickon, Joshua A., Huppi, Brian Q.
• Granted Patent: US 9,348,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

Methods and systems for processing touch inputs are disclosed. The invention in one respect includes reading data from a multipoint sensing device such as a multipoint touch screen where the data pertains to touch input with respect to the multipoint sensing device, and identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on the data from the multipoint sensing device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for processing touch inputs, said method comprising:

reading data from a touch sensitive device, the data pertaining to touch input with respect to the touch sensitive device, and the touch sensitive device having a multipoint capability; and

identifying at least one multipoint gesture based on the data from the touch sensitive device.

2. A method of invoking a user interface element on a display via a multipoint touch sensitive device of a computing system, said method comprising:

detecting and analyzing the simultaneous presence of two or more objects in contact with said touch sensitive device;

based at least in part on said analyzing, selecting a user interface tool, from a plurality of available tools, to display on a display for interaction by a user of said computing system; and

controlling the interface tool based at least in part on the further movement of said objects in relation to said touch sensitive device.

3. A computer implemented method for processing touch inputs, said method comprising:

reading data from a touch sensitive device, the data pertaining to touch input with respect to the touch sensitive device, and the touch sensitive device having a multipoint capability;

converting the data to a collection of features;

classifying the features;

grouping the features into one or more feature groups;

calculating key parameters of the feature groups; and

associating the feature groups to user interface elements on a display.

4. A method for recognizing a zoom gesture made on a multipoint touch sensitive device, comprising:

detecting the relative locations of a first object and a second object at the same time;

detecting a change in the relative locations of said first and second object;

generating a zoom signal in response to said detected change.

5. A method for recognizing a pan gesture made on a multipoint touch sensitive device, comprising:

detecting the presence of at least a first object and a second object at the same time;

monitoring the position of the said at least first and second objects when the objects are moved together across the touch sensitive device; and

generating a pan signal when the position of the said at least first and second objects changes relative to an initial position.

6. A method for recognizing a rotate gesture made on a multipoint touch sensitive device, comprising:

detecting the presence of at least a first object and a second object at the same time;

detecting a rotation of said at least first and second objects; and

generating a rotate signal in response to said detected rotation of said at least first and second objects.

7. A computer implemented method for initiating floating controls via a touch sensitive device, the method comprising:

detecting the presence of an object on the touch sensitive device;

recognizing the object; and

generating a user interface element on a display based on the recognized object.

8. A computer implemented method of initiating a page turn via a touch sensitive device, the method comprising:

displaying a page from a multitude of pages in a GUI presented on a display;

detecting the presence of an object on the touch sensitive device; and

generating a page turn signal when the object is translated horizontally on the touch sensitive device.