Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Interacting with User Input Elements in Displayed Content

• US 20080165143A1
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lemay, Stephen O., Van Os, Marcel, Williamson, Richard, Tolmasky, Francisco Ryan, Blumenberg, Chris, Coleman, Patricia J., Dunn, Corbin Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,451,232 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04855 Interaction with scrollbars
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27475 using interactive graphical means or pictorial representations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

In one aspect of the invention, a computer-implemented method in a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display includes: displaying content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements; detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display; choosing a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact; displaying information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content; detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and receiving input for the chosen user input element.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying a web page on the touch screen display, wherein the web page includes a plurality of user input elements, wherein the user input elements include one or more radio buttons, text input fields, check boxes, pull down lists, and/or form fields;

detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display, wherein the contact includes an area of contact;

determining a point within the area of contact;

choosing a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the determined point;

displaying information that comprises a description of the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

while the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed, detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display;

in response to detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display while the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed, enlarging an area that includes the chosen user input element on the touch screen display;

receiving input for the chosen user input element; and

sending the received input to a remote computer.

2. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

choosing a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact;

displaying information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

receiving input for the chosen user input element.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein detecting the break in the contact comprises detecting the break in the contact while the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the content is a web page.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the content is a word processing, spreadsheet, email or presentation document.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the content is an electronic form.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the content is an online form.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the user input elements include one or more radio buttons, text input fields, check boxes, pull down lists, and/or form fields.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein

the contact includes an area of contact;

and

choosing the user input element includes determining a point within the area of contact, and choosing the user input element based on proximity of the user input element to the determined point.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the point within the area of contact is the centroid of the area of contact.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the point within the area of contact is offset from the centroid of the area of contact.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the displayed information associated with the chosen user input element comprises a description of the chosen user input element.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, including:

in response to detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display, enlarging an area that includes the chosen user input element on the touch screen display.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, including:

in response to detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display prior to expiration of a predetermined time, enlarging the chosen user input element on the touch screen display.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising removing the displayed information associated with the chosen user input element if the contact with the touch screen display is maintained for greater than a predetermined time.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed over the top half of the displayed content if the location of the contact is in the bottom half of the displayed content and the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed over the bottom half of the displayed content if the location of the contact is in the top half of the displayed content.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the location of the information associated with the chosen user input element displayed over the displayed content depends on the location of the contact.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein receiving input comprises:

receiving text input via a soft keyboard on the touch screen display,

detecting a finger contact with a radio button on the touch screen display,

detecting a finger contact with a check box on the touch screen display, or

detecting a finger contact with an item in a pull down list on the touch screen display.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, including sending the received input to a remote computer.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the content on the touch screen display has an associated scale factor, and the choosing is limited to user input elements located within a distance from the determined point that is determined in accordance with the scale factor.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein choosing is limited to user input elements located within the area of contact.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein choosing is limited to user input elements that at least partially overlap with the area of contact.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein choosing is limited to user input elements located within a predetermined distance from the determined point.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed after the contact is maintained for at least a predetermined time.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the information associated with the chosen user input element is displayed outside the area of contact.

26. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

choosing a first user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the first user input element to the contact;

displaying information associated with the first user input element over the displayed content;

detecting movement of the contact on the touch screen display;

choosing a second user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the second user input element to the contact;

ending the display of information associated with the first user input element over the displayed content;

displaying information associated with the second user input element over the displayed content;

detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

receiving input for the second user input element.

27. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

at a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display,

displaying content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

choosing a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact;

displaying information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

detecting movement of the contact on the touch screen display;

choosing a series of user input elements in the plurality of user input elements based on the proximity of the user input elements to the contact;

successively displaying information associated with each user input element in the series of user input elements over the displayed content;

detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

receiving input for a user input element in the chosen series of user input elements.

28. A graphical user interface on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, comprising:

content that includes a plurality of user input elements; and

information associated with a first user input element in the plurality of user input elements;

wherein;

in response to the detection of a contact of a finger with the touch screen display;

the first user input element is chosen based on proximity of the first user input element to the contact, and

the information associated with the first user input element is displayed over the content;

in response to the detection of a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display, an area is enlarged that includes the first user input element on the touch screen display; and

input is received for the first user input element.

29. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

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 to display content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

instructions to detect a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

instructions to choose a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact;

instructions to display information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

instructions to detect a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

instructions to receive input for the chosen user input element.

30. A computer-program product, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium and a computer program mechanism embedded therein, the computer program mechanism comprising instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to;

display content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

detect a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

choose a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact;

display information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

detect a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

receive input for the chosen user input element.

31. A portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, comprising:

means for displaying content on the touch screen display, wherein the content includes a plurality of user input elements;

means for detecting a contact by a finger with the touch screen display;

means for choosing a user input element in the plurality of user input elements based on proximity of the user input element to the contact;

means for displaying information associated with the chosen user input element over the displayed content;

means for detecting a break in the contact by the finger with the touch screen display; and

means for receiving input for the chosen user input element.