DYNAMIC SIZING OF IDENTIFIER ON A TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY

• US 20110057886A1
• Filed: 09/10/2009
• Published: 03/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Grenier, Steven R., Ng, Oliver
• Application Number:
  US12/557,300
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057886A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

An identifier is displayed on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device. When the touch-sensitive display detects a touch, a size of a contact area is determined. The identifier displayed on the touch-sensitive display is dynamically sized based on the size of the contact area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying an identifier on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device;

determining a size of a contact area when a touch is detected on the touch-sensitive display;

dynamically sizing the identifier displayed on the touch-sensitive display based on the size of the contact area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically sizing comprises enlarging the identifier from a first size to a second size when the touch is detected and hovers over a displayed area of the identifier.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the identifier is located near a periphery of the touch-sensitive display, a center point of the enlarged identifier is located away from the periphery.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the size of the contact area includes measuring the size of the contact area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the size of the contact area comprises analyzing a set of touch locations over a period of time to approximate the contact area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the identifier is dynamically sized, the identifier is sized to have a portion of a displayed area of the identifier within the contact area and a portion of the displayed area of the identifier outside the contact area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display displays a plurality of identifiers and wherein the plurality of identifiers are dynamically sized based on the size of the contact area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamic sizing occurs when the size of the contact area exceeds a threshold.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the size of the contact area comprises averaging a set of contact measurements collected over a period of time.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the size of the contact area and dynamically sizing the identifier is repeatedly performed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifier comprises an icon.

12. A computer readable medium having stored instructions executed by a processor of a portable electronic device and causing the portable electronic device to implement the method of claim 1.

13. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display an identifier;

a sensor configured to detect a touch on the touch-sensitive display;

a microprocessor configured to determine a size of a contact area of the touch and dynamically size the identifier displayed on the touch-sensitive display based on the size of the contact area.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to display the identifier in an enlarged size when the touch is detected and the touch hovers over the displayed area of the identifier.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein, when the identifier is located near a periphery of the touch-sensitive display, a center point of the enlarged identifier is located away from the periphery of the touch-sensitive display.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the sensor is configured to measure the size of the contact area.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein, when the identifier is dynamically sized, the identifier is sized to have a portion of a displayed area of the identifier within the contact area and a portion of the displayed area of the identifier outside the contact area.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to display a plurality of identifiers and wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to dynamically size the plurality of identifiers based on the size of the contact area.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is configured to determine the size of the contact area by analyzing a set of touch locations over a period of time.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the microprocessor is configured to continually determine the size of the contact area and instruct the touch-sensitive display to repeatedly dynamically size the identifier.