Methods and Graphical User Interfaces for Editing on a Multifunction Device with a Touch Screen Display

• US 20100235793A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Williamson, Richard, Forstall, Scott, van Os, Marcel, Moore, Bradford Allen, Kocienda, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation

Abstract

In some embodiments, a device displays content on a touch screen display and detects input by finger gestures. In response to the finger gestures, the device selects content, visually distinguishes the selected content, and/or updates the selected content based on detected input. In some embodiments, the device displays a command display area that includes one or more command icons; detects activation of a command icon in the command display area; and, in response to detecting activation of the command icon in the command display area, performs a corresponding action with respect to the selected content. Exemplary actions include cutting, copying, and pasting content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device with a touch screen display;

displaying content on the touch screen display;

detecting one or more fingers on the touch screen display;

recognizing a gesture made by the one or more fingers on the touch screen display, wherein the gesture is one gesture in a plurality of predefined gestures operable to select or assist in selecting a portion of the content; and

performing an action with respect to the content in response to recognizing the gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action includes, in response to recognizing the gesture, selecting at least a portion of the content, and displaying a start point object and end point object at respective ends of the selected content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein performing an action includes, in response to recognizing the gesture, selecting at least a portion of the content and displaying a command display area adjacent the selected content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a single-tap gesture by a single finger at a first location in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the single-tap gesture by the single finger at the first location in the content, displaying an insertion marker at the first location in the content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a predefined number of successive taps by a single finger on a first word in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the predefined number of successive taps by the single finger on the first word in the content;

selecting the first word; and

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the first word.

6. The method of claim 5, including:

in response to recognizing the predefined number of successive taps by the single finger on the first word in the content;

displaying a command display area adjacent to the first word, wherein the command display area includes an icon for copying selected content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a predefined number of successive taps by a single finger on a sentence in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the predefined number of successive taps by the single finger on the sentence in the content;

selecting the sentence; and

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the sentence.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a predefined number of successive taps by a single finger on a paragraph in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the predefined number of successive taps by the single finger on the paragraph in the content;

selecting the paragraph; and

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the paragraph.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a stationary pressing gesture by a single finger at a first location in the content, wherein the content is displayed at a first magnification; and

,

in response to recognizing the stationary pressing gesture by the single finger at a first location in the content;

expanding a portion of the content proximate the first location on the touch screen display to a second magnification that is greater than the first magnification while continuing to display at least some of the content at the first magnification; and

displaying a content magnifier that displays

the expanded portion of the content, and

an insertion marker at a location within the expanded portion of the content that corresponds to the first location.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a tap-and-a-half gesture by a single finger, wherein the tap-and-a-half gesture is a single-finger gesture that comprises a single tap followed immediately by a finger contact that subsequently moves on the touch screen display;

in response to recognizing the tap-and-a-half gesture by the single finger;

selecting a portion of the content; and

updating the selected portion of the content in accordance with detected movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein updating the selected portion of the content in accordance with detected movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display includes:

moving one end of the selected portion of the content in accordance with detected movement of the finger contact on the touch screen display while maintaining another end of the selected portion of the content at a fixed location in the content.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a single-tap gesture by two-fingers on a paragraph in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the single-tap gesture by two-fingers on a paragraph in the content;

selecting the paragraph in the content; and

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the paragraph.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a stationary pressing gesture by two fingers that includes contact by a first finger at a first location in the content and concurrent contact by a second finger at a second location in the content; and

,

in response to recognizing the stationary pressing gesture by two fingers;

selecting a portion of content located between the first location and the second location; and

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the selected portion of content located between the first location and the second location.

14. The method of claim 13, including:

after selecting the portion of content located between the first location and the second location;

detecting movement of the contact by the first finger;

updating the selected portion of content in accordance with the detected movement of the contact by the first finger;

detecting movement of the contact by the second finger;

updating the selected portion of content in accordance with the detected movement of the contact by the second finger; and

displaying the start-point object and the end-point object at respective ends of the updated selected portion of content.

15. The method of claim 13, including:

after selecting the portion of content located between the first location and the second location;

continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least a predefined time period; and

,

in response to continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least the predefined time period;

increasing the selected portion of content to a sentence that contains the portion of content located between the first location and the second location; and

displaying the start-point object and the end-point object at respective ends of the sentence.

16. The method of claim 13, including:

after selecting the portion of content located between the first location and the second location;

continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least a predefined time period; and

,

in response to continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least the predefined time period;

increasing the selected portion of content to a paragraph that contains the portion of content located between the first location and the second location; and

displaying the start-point object and the end-point object at respective ends of the paragraph.

17. The method of claim 13, including:

after selecting the portion of content located between the first location and the second location;

continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least a predefined time period; and

,

in response to continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for at least the predefined time period;

selecting all of the content; and

displaying the start-point object and the end-point object at respective ends of the content.

18. The method of claim 13, including:

after selecting the portion of content located between the first location and the second location;

continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for a succession of predefined time periods; and

,

in response to continuing to detect the stationary pressing gesture by the two fingers for each time period in the succession of predefined time periods;

increasing the selected portion of content, wherein the increased selected portion of content contains the portion of content located between the first location and the second location; and

displaying the start-point object and the end-point object at respective ends of the increased selected portion of content.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the gesture is a margin-initiated selection gesture by a single finger, wherein the margin-initiated selection gesture is a single-finger gesture that comprises an initial finger contact in a margin adjacent to a word in the content followed by movement of the finger contact to a location in the content;

in response to recognizing the margin-initiated selection gesture by the single finger;

selecting a portion of the content, wherein the word begins or ends the selected portion of content; and

updating the selected portion of the content in accordance with movement of the finger contact to the location in the content.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the content is configured to scroll vertically, but not horizontally, on the touch screen display;

the gesture is a swipe-initiated selection gesture by a single finger, wherein the swipe-initiated selection gesture is a single-finger gesture that comprises;

a finger contact initially at a first location in the content, wherein the finger contact is initially moving in a direction within a predefined angle of a horizontal axis on the touch screen display, and

movement of the finger contact to a second location in the content;

in response to recognizing the swipe-initiated selection gesture by the single finger;

selecting a portion of the content, wherein the first location begins or ends the selected portion of content; and

updating the selected portion of the content in accordance with the movement of the finger contact to the second location in the content.

21. The method of claim 20, including:

displaying a start-point object and an end-point object at respective ends of the updated selected portion of the content.

22. The method of claim 20, including:

in response to detecting lift off of the finger contact;

displaying a command display area adjacent to the updated selected portion of the content, wherein the command display area includes an icon for copying selected content.

23. A 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 for;

displaying content on the touch screen display;

detecting one or more fingers on the touch screen display;

recognizing a gesture made by the one or more fingers on the touch screen display, wherein the gesture is one gesture in a plurality of predefined gestures operable to select or assist in selecting a portion of the content; and

performing an action with respect to the content in response to recognizing the gesture.

24. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

display content on the touch screen display;

detect one or more fingers on the touch screen display;

recognize a gesture made by the one or more fingers on the touch screen display, wherein the gesture is one gesture in a plurality of predefined gestures operable to select or assist in selecting a portion of the content; and

perform an action with respect to the content in response to recognizing the gesture.