PRESSURE BASED SELECTION

• US 20100153879A1
• Filed: 02/23/2010
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: ANSON, DAVID LEININGER ADOLPHSON, RIMAS-RIBIKAUSKAS, EMILY, JARRETT, ROBERT JAMES
• Granted Patent: US 8,665,209 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The use of pressure-sensitive selection tools in a graphical user interface is disclosed in which the amount of pressure during a selection operation may modify selection behavior. Upon receiving a selection input, the pressure applied is determined and the selection behavior modified. In some embodiments, the number of objects selected is increased when more pressure is applied and decreased when less pressure is applied.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for selecting displayed items, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, an input upon a display surface of a display device, wherein the input is a selection path;

determining an amount of pressure applied by the input;

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a first level, selecting a first number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the selection path has a first width; and

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a second level greater than the first level, selecting a second number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the second number is larger than the first number, and wherein the selection path has a second width that is greater than the first width.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further includes running a calibration routine that allows the user to execute selection inputs of different levels of applied pressure and determining appropriate pressure thresholds to distinguish between different levels of applied pressure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display device is a monitor with an integrated digitizer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the input is made by a human finger touching the display surface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the objects are digital pictures.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a third level greater than the first level and the second level, selecting a third number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the third number is larger than the first number and the second number, and wherein the selection path has a third width that is greater than the first width and the second width.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the objects are files.

8. One or more computer-storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that when executed by a computing device performs a method for selecting displayed items, the method comprising:

receiving, at a computing device, an input upon a display surface of a display device, wherein the input is a selection path;

determining an amount of pressure applied by the input;

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a first level, selecting a first number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the selection path has a first width; and

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a second level greater than the first level, selecting a second number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the second number is larger than the first number, and wherein the selection path has a second width that is greater than the first width.

9. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further includes running a calibration routine that allows the user to execute selection inputs of different levels of applied pressure and determining appropriate pressure thresholds to distinguish between different levels of applied pressure.

10. The media of claim 8, wherein the display device is a monitor with an integrated digitizer.

11. The media of claim 8, wherein the input is made by a human finger touching the display surface.

12. The media of claim 8, wherein the objects are digital pictures.

13. The media of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

responsive to the amount of pressure being at a third level greater than the first level and the second level, selecting a third number of selectable items within the selection path, wherein the third number is larger than the first number and the second number, and wherein the selection path has a third width that is greater than the first width and the second width.

14. The media of claim 8, wherein the objects are files.

15. A computing device, comprising:

a monitor that displays a graphical user interface that includes a plurality of objects;

a pressure sensitive input device that receives an input upon a surface, wherein the input includes a two-dimensional path across a portion of the user interface that displays the plurality of objects and an amount of pressure applied by the input; and

a user-interface component that receives input data from the pressure sensitive input device and determines which of the plurality of objects are selected, wherein the two-dimensional path forms a selection with a width that is determined based on the amount of pressure, wherein more pressure generates a wider selection path.

16. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is one or more of a cell phone and personal digital assistant.

17. The computer device of claim 15, wherein the pressure sensitive input device is a digitizer.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the digitizer is integrated into a touch screen display device.

19. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the input is made by a human finger touching the display surface.

20. The computing device of claim 15, wherein the computing device is tablet PC.