Methods, Devices and Computer Program Products for Positioning Icons on a Touch Sensitive Screen

• US 20100283744A1
• Filed: 05/08/2009
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jakobsson, Anna, Nordenhake, Magnus, Foxenland, Eral
• Granted Patent: US 8,279,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods, systems and computer program products for positioning a plurality of icons on a touch sensitive screen include receiving an input to the touch sensitive screen including a substantially continuous stroke between a first and a second position on the screen. The plurality of icons is positioned on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the substantially continuous stroke.

Claims

1. A method for relocating a plurality of icons on a touch sensitive screen, the method comprising:

receiving an input to the touch sensitive screen comprising a substantially continuous stroke between a first and a second position on the screen; and

positioning the plurality of icons on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the substantially continuous stroke.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially continuous stroke comprises an arch and the plurality of icons is positioned in a spaced-apart configuration generally defined by the arch.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the spaced-apart configuration of the icons generally defined by the arch is configured to increase ergonomics of the touch sensitive screen.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the touch sensitive screen is mounted on a hand-held device.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting an area size associated with the input to the touch sensitive screen; and

sizing and/or positioning the plurality of icons responsive to the area size associated with the input.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the area size comprises an input area size of a thumb of a user, and sizing and/or positioning the plurality of icons further comprises:

increasing a size of the plurality of icons if the input area size is greater than a threshold amount; and

decreasing a size of the plurality of icons if the input area size is less than a threshold amount.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the area size comprises an input area size of a thumb of a user, and sizing and/or positioning the plurality of icons further comprises:

increasing a spacing between the plurality of icons if the input size area is greater than a threshold amount; and

decreasing a spacing between the plurality of icons if the input size area is less than a threshold amount.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the substantially continuous stroke comprises a rectangle and/or oval shape and the plurality of icons are positioned in a spaced-apart configuration generally defined by the rectangle and/or oval shape.

9. A device for relocating a plurality of icons on a touch sensitive screen, the device comprising:

a touch sensitive screen configured to receive an input comprising a substantially continuous stroke between a first and a second position on the screen; and

an icon positioning module configured to position the plurality of icons on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the substantially continuous stroke.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the substantially continuous stroke comprises an arch and the plurality of icons is positioned in a spaced-apart configuration generally defined by the arch.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the spaced-apart configuration of the icons generally defined by the arch is configured to increase ergonomics of the touch sensitive screen.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the device comprises a hand-held device and the touch sensitive screen is mounted on the hand-held device.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the icon positioning module is configured to detect an area size associated with the input to the touch sensitive screen and to size and/or position the plurality of icons responsive to the area size associated with the input.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the area size comprises an input area size of a thumb of a user, and the icon positioning module is configured to size and/or position the plurality of icons by increasing a size of the plurality of icons if the input area size is greater than a threshold amount, and decreasing a size of the plurality of icons if the input area size is less than a threshold amount.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the area size comprises an input area size of a thumb of a user, and the icon positioning module is configured to size and/or position the plurality of icons by increasing a spacing between the plurality of icons if the input size area is greater than a threshold amount, and decreasing a spacing between the plurality of icons if the input size area is less than a threshold amount.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the substantially continuous stroke comprises a rectangle and/or oval shape and the plurality of icons are positioned in a spaced-apart configuration generally defined by the rectangle and/or oval shape.

17. A computer program product for positioning icons on a touch sensitive screen, the computer program product comprising:

computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied in said medium, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to receive an input to the touch sensitive screen comprising a substantially continuous stroke between a first and a second position on the screen; and

computer readable program code configured to position the plurality of icons on the touch sensitive screen responsive to the substantially continuous stroke.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the substantially continuous stroke comprises an arch and the plurality of icons is positioned in a spaced-apart configuration generally defined by the arch.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the spaced-apart configuration of the icons generally defined by the arch is configured to increase ergonomics of the touch sensitive screen.

20. The computer program product of claim 19, wherein the touch sensitive screen is mounted on a hand-held device.