METHODS OF INTERFACING WITH MULTI-INPUT DEVICES AND MULTI-INPUT DISPLAY SYSTEMS EMPLOYING INTERFACING TECHNIQUES

• US 20090256857A1
• Filed: 04/08/2009
• Published: 10/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: DAVIDSON, Philip L., HAN, Jefferson Y.
• Granted Patent: US 9,372,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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: G09G 5/14 Display of multiple viewports

Abstract

Methods and systems for interfacing with multi-input devices employ various techniques for controlling the window framing of images. Such techniques provide control, including moving, sizing, and orientating, of one or more displayed window frames in which one or more images are displayed.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing with a multi-input display device, comprising the steps of:

displaying on a multi-input display device a graphical window and at least a first portion of an image within the graphical window;

identifying a position and movement of one element contacting an edge of the displayed graphical window or a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting respectively different edges of the displayed graphical window;

manipulating the displayed graphical window in accordance with one or more modifications,

the one or more modifications comprising;

a first modification implemented when only one element is contacting an edge of the displayed graphical window, the first modification moving the edge of the displayed graphical window contacted by the element in a direction of identified movement of the one element normal to an axis of the edge;

a second modification implemented when a plurality of elements are simultaneously contacting respectively different edges of the displayed graphical window, the second modification simultaneously moving each of the edges of the displayed graphical window contacted by a respective one of the elements in a direction of identified movement of the respective element normal to an axis of the respective edge;

displaying on the display device at least a second portion of the image within the manipulated graphical window, and positions on the display device of common portions of the first and second portions of the image being substantially the same.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying a position and movement comprises identifying a position and movement of three or more elements simultaneously contacting three or more different edges of the displayed graphical window;

and the second modification simultaneously moves each of the three or more edges of the displayed graphical window contacted by the three or more elements in a respective direction of identified movement of the respective element normal to an axis of the respective edge.

3. A multi-input display system, comprising:

a display device for displaying on a display surface a graphical window and at least a first portion of an image within the graphical window, the display device adapted to detect one or more elements contacting the display surface;

a controller for identifying a position and movement of one element contacting an edge of the displayed graphical window or a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting respectively different edges of the displayed graphical window, the controller adapted to manipulate the displayed graphical window in accordance with one or more modifications,

the one or more modifications comprising;

a first modification implemented when only one element is contacting an edge of the graphical window, the first modification moving the edge of the graphical window contacted by the element in a direction of identified movement of the one element normal to an axis of the edge;

a second modification implemented when a plurality of elements are simultaneously contacting respectively different edges of the graphical window, the second modification simultaneously moving each of the edges of the graphical window contacted by a respective one of the elements in a direction of identified movement of the respective element normal to an axis of the respective edge;

the controller controlling the display device to display on the display surface at least a second portion of the image within the manipulated graphical window, positions on the display surface of common portions of the first and second portions of the image being substantially the same.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is adapted to identify a position and movement of three or more elements simultaneously contacting three or more different edges of the displayed graphical window;

and the second modification simultaneously moves each of the three or more edges of the displayed graphical window contacted by the three or more elements in a respective direction of identified movement of the respective element normal to an axis of the respective edge.

5. A method of interfacing with a multi-input display device, comprising the steps of:

displaying on a multi-input display device a graphical window and at least a first portion of an image within the graphical window;

identifying positions and movement of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting one or more edges of the displayed graphical window;

manipulating the displayed graphical window in accordance with one or more modifications,

the one or more modifications comprising;

a first modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting opposite edges of the displayed graphical window, the first modification changing at least one of a position and shape of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the opposite edges;

a second modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting adjacent edges of the displayed graphical window, the second modification changing at least one of a shape and size of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the adjacent edges;

a third modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting a same edge of the displayed graphical window, the third modification changing at least one of a position and shape of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the same edge;

displaying on the display device at least a second portion of the image within the manipulated graphical window, and positions on the display device of common portions of the first and second portions of the image being substantially the same.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first modification comprises changing the shape of the displayed graphical window by positioning a first of the opposite edges of the displayed graphical window to align with the identified position of a first of the two elements contacting opposite edges, and by positioning a second of the opposite edges of the displayed graphical window to align with the identified position of a second of the two elements contacting opposite edges.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the first modification comprises changing one of a vertical and horizontal position of the displayed graphical window on the display device in accordance with a change in an axis defined by the positions of the two elements contacting the opposite edges.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the second modification comprises uniformly scaling the size of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified movement of the two elements contacting the adjacent edges.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the third modification comprises changing the shape of the displayed graphical window by changing a length of said same edge in accordance with a change in distance between the positions of the two elements contacting said same edge.

10. A multi-input display system, comprising:

a display device for displaying on a display surface a graphical window and at least a first portion of an image within the graphical window, the display device adapted to detect elements simultaneously contacting the display surface;

a controller for identifying positions and movement of a plurality of elements simultaneously contacting one or more edges of the displayed graphical window, and for manipulating the displayed graphical window in accordance with one or more modifications,

the one or more modifications comprising;

a first modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting opposite edges of the displayed graphical window, the first modification changing at least one of a position and shape of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the opposite edges;

a second modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting adjacent edges of the displayed graphical window, the second modification changing at least one of a shape and size of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the adjacent edges;

a third modification implemented when two of the plurality of elements are contacting a same edge of the displayed graphical window, the third modification changing at least one of a position and shape of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified positions and movement of the two elements contacting the same edge;

the controller controlling the display device to display on the display surface at least a second portion of the image within the manipulated graphical window, positions on the display surface of common portions of the first and second portions of the image being substantially the same.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first modification comprises changing the shape of the displayed graphical window by positioning a first of the opposite edges of the displayed graphical window to align with the identified position of a first of the two elements contacting opposite edges, and by positioning a second of the opposite edges of the displayed graphical window to align with the identified position of a second of the two elements contacting opposite edges.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first modification comprises changing one of a vertical and horizontal position of the displayed graphical window in accordance with a change in an axis defined by the positions of the two elements contacting the opposite edges.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the second modification comprises uniformly scaling the size of the displayed graphical window in accordance with the identified movement of the two elements contacting the adjacent edges.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the third modification comprises changing the shape of the displayed graphical window by changing a length of said same edge in accordance with a change in distance between the positions of the two elements contacting said same edge.