SCROLLBAR USER INTERFACE FOR MULTITOUCH DEVICES

• US 20100251167A1
• Filed: 03/28/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Grigsby, Travis M., Jania, Frank Lawrence, DeLuca, Lisa Seacat
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/786
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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

Abstract

Two sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device are detected in approximately opposite directions proximate to a display location of a scroll element displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device. Available content displayed within the GUI is automatically zoomed based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

detecting two sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device in approximately opposite directions proximate to a display location of a scroll element displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; and

automatically zooming available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface.

2. The method of claim 1, where detecting the two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately opposite directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI of the device further comprises:

detecting that a user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of first and second edges of the displayed scroll element respectively; and

detecting a first and second sliding movement in the approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations.

3. The method of claim 2, where automatically zooming the available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface further comprises:

calculating a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations;

calculating a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations;

calculating a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and

automatically adjusting a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically adjusting a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating the displayed scroll element with a scrollbar displayed within the GUI and where detecting the two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately opposite directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI of the device further comprises:

detecting two approximately axially-oriented sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement for the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and

automatically adjusting a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in approximately similar directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

scrolling the available content in proportion to the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately similar directions.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to a direction associated with at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

setting a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the direction associated with the at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

setting a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and

highlighting a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display.

9. A system, comprising:

a multitouch input display device adapted to display visual information to a user and provide user input via user contact on a display surface; and

a processor programmed to;

detect two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in approximately opposite directions proximate to a display location of a scroll element displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; and

automatically zoom available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface.

10. The system of claim 9, where, in being programmed to detect the two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately opposite directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI of the device, the processor is further programmed to:

detect that the user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of first and second edges of the displayed scroll element respectively; and

detect a first and second sliding movement in the approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations.

11. The system of claim 10, where, in being programmed to automatically zoom the available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface, the processor is further programmed to:

calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations;

calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations;

calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and

automatically adjust a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference.

12. The system of claim 9, where the processor is further programmed to automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

13. The system of claim 9, where the processor is further programmed to associate the displayed scroll element with a scrollbar displayed within the GUI and where, in being programmed to detect the two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately opposite directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI of the device, the processor is further programmed to:

detect two approximately axially-oriented sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement for the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and

automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

14. The system of claim 13, where the processor is further programmed to:

detect two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in approximately similar directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

scroll the available content in proportion to the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately similar directions.

15. The system of claim 9, where the processor is further programmed to:

detect a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to a direction associated with at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

set a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI.

16. The system of claim 15, where the processor is further programmed to:

detect a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the direction associated with the at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

set a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and

highlight a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display.

17. A system, comprising:

a multitouch input display device adapted to display visual information to a user and provide user input via user contact on a display surface; and

a processor programmed to;

detect that the user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of first and second edges of a displayed scroll element respectively, displayed within a graphical user interface (GUI);

detect a first and second sliding movement in approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations;

calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations;

calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations;

calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content;

automatically adjust a displayed portion of available content displayed within the GUI based upon the calculated proportional difference; and

automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated adjustment of the displayed portion of the available content displayed within the GUI.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

detect two sliding user interactions along a display surface of a multitouch input display device in approximately opposite directions proximate to a display location of a scroll element displayed on a graphical user interface (GUI) of the device; and

automatically zoom available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect that a user has contacted the display surface of the multitouch input display device at first and second user contact locations that each approximate a display location for one of first and second edges of the displayed scroll element respectively; and

detect a first and second sliding movement in the approximately opposite directions, associated with the first and second user contact locations respectively, along the display surface to third and fourth user contact locations.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, where, in causing the computer to automatically zoom the available content displayed within the GUI based upon the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface, the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

calculate a first spacing distance between the first and second user contact locations;

calculate a second spacing distance between the third and fourth user contact locations;

calculate a proportional difference between the first spacing distance and the second spacing distance relative to a quantity of the available content; and

automatically adjust a displayed portion of the available content based upon the calculated proportional difference.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

22. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to associate the displayed scroll element with a scrollbar displayed within the GUI and where, in causing the computer to detect the two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately opposite directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI of the device, the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect two approximately axially-oriented sliding user interactions along the display surface relative to an axis of movement for the displayed scroll element within the displayed scrollbar; and

automatically adjust a size of the displayed scroll element axially within the displayed scrollbar in proportion to the automated zooming of the available content displayed within the GUI.

23. The computer program product of claim 22, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in approximately similar directions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

scroll the available content in proportion to the detected two sliding user interactions along the display surface of the multitouch input display device in the approximately similar directions.

24. The computer program product of claim 18, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect a first lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to a direction associated with at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

set a first marker within the available content at a first focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, where the computer readable program when executed on a computer further causes the computer to:

detect a second lateral sliding user interaction along the display surface of the multitouch input display device approximately perpendicular to the direction associated with the at least one of the two sliding user interactions proximate to the display location of the scroll element displayed on the GUI; and

set a second marker within the available content at a second focus location associated with the available content displayed within the GUI; and

highlight a portion of the available content between the first marker and the second marker for display.