Electronic Device and Method for Manipulating Graphic User Interface Elements

• US 20110012921A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorsica, John J., Lombardi, Michael J., Prochnow, Natalie J., Snyder, Ian M., Cholewin, Erik A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,497,884 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device for manipulating graphical user interface elements has a touch-sensitive display (touch screen) and a touch-sensitive surface (touch pad). The electronic device displays at least two graphical user elements (data icon, program icon, application window, digital photograph, etc.) on the touch screen. A user touches a first element using either the touch screen or the touch pad. This touch user interaction selects the first element and “anchors” it while a user'"'"'s slide interaction on the other touch-sensitive surface manipulates the second, non-selected element. The slide contact can be interpreted by the electronic device as a drag, push, rotate, or pixel-based move (e.g., zoom in/out) relative to the first element. Various features of the slide movement, such as the speed, the length, the pressure, the direction, and/or the pattern may affect the manipulation of the second element.

Claims

1. A method for manipulating graphical user interface elements comprising:

displaying at least two elements on a touch screen of an electronic device;

selecting a first element based on a touch contact detected on a first side of the electronic device;

manipulating a second element based on a slide contact detected on a second side of the electronic device.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the manipulating comprises:

dragging the second element relative to the first element.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the manipulating comprises:

pushing the second element relative to the first element.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the manipulating comprises:

rotating the second element relative to the first element.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first element is a first pixel and the second element is a second pixel and the manipulating comprises:

moving the second pixel relative to the first pixel.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

ceasing the manipulating based on detecting cessation of the slide contact.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising:

manipulating the first element based on movement of the touch contact.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a speed of the slide contact; and

performing the manipulating based on the speed.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a length of the slide contact; and

performing the manipulating based on the length.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a pressure of the slide contact; and

performing the manipulating based on the pressure.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a direction of the slide contact; and

performing the manipulating based on the direction.

12. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a pattern of the slide contact; and

performing the manipulating based on the pattern.

13. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the touch contact and the slide contact at least partially overlap in time.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13 wherein the touch contact begins prior to the slide contact beginning.

15. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises:

selecting a two-part first element based on a dual-touch contact.

16. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises:

graphically changing properties of the first element.

17. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises:

creating an audible signal.

18. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display for displaying at least two graphical user interface elements;

a touch-sensitive surface;

a processor, coupled to the touch-sensitive display and the touch-sensitive surface including;

a touch detection module for detecting a touch user interaction on the touch-sensitive display or the touch-sensitive surface and for selecting a first graphical user interface element;

a slide detection module for detecting a slide user interaction on the touch-sensitive display or the touch-sensitive surface; and

a manipulation module for manipulating a second graphical user interface element based on the slide user interaction.

19. An electronic device in accordance with claim 18, wherein the touch-sensitive display is positioned on an obverse side of the electronic device.

20. An electronic device in accordance with claim 18, wherein the touch-sensitive surface is positioned on a reverse side of the electronic device.