METHOD OF INTERFACING WITH MULTI-POINT DISPLAY DEVICE

• US 20110148791A1
• Filed: 12/21/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Luu, David Ngan
• Granted Patent: US 8,405,628 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 (1000), apparatuses (100), and computer readable storage mediums for interfacing with a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) are disclosed. A visual object is displayed (1010) on a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304). The position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1020). At least the displayed visual object is selected (1030) based on the position of the first input. The position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1040) contemporaneously with the first input. A separation line across the visual object is determined (1050) so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object. A change in the position of the second input is identified (1060). A change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion is controlled (1070) in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.

Claims

1. A method of interfacing with a multi-point input display device, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a visual object on a multi-point input display device;

detecting the position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device,

selecting at least the displayed visual object based on the position of the first input;

detecting the position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device contemporaneously with the first input;

determining a separation line across the visual object so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object;

identifying a change in the position of the second input; and

controlling a change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second input contacts the multi-point display device in a region of an edge of the displayed visual object

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the separation line is substantially perpendicular to an axis extending through at least the first input.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the display characteristic defines an ordering of two or more visual objects displayed on the multi-point input display device in an axis perpendicular to a plane of the display of the multi-point input display device.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the axis is z-order.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gesture is performed by two or more inputs to the multi-point input display device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein any of a user'"'"'s fingers is used to contact the multi-point input display device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein a user contacts said multi-point input display device to provide said inputs using one or more hands.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said visual object is a digital image, a digital photograph, a bitmap, a photo album, or a page in a book.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second input contacting the multi-point input display device is within a region of the displayed visual object.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of detecting the position of at least a third input contacting the multi-point input display device contemporaneously with the first input.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said second and third points contacting said multi-point input display device are translated.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a further visual object is displayed being at least partly overlaid by said object.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of performing an animated peel back of a portion of the displayed visual object dependent upon said second input being translated.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein an underlying object is at least partly displayed by said animated peel back.

16. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein a portion of the underside of the displayed visual object is displayed by said animated peel back.

17. The method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the display characteristic is represented as a fold in the visual object, the first portion being flat and the second portion being folded.

18. An apparatus for interfacing with a multi-point input display device, comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program; and

a processor unit coupled to the memory for executing a computer program, said memory and said processor configured to interface with the multi-point input display device, the computer program comprising;

computer program code means for displaying a visual object on a multi-point input display device;

computer program code means for detecting the position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device;

computer program code means for selecting at least the displayed visual object based on the position of the first input;

computer program code means for detecting the position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device contemporaneously with the first input;

computer program code means for determining a separation line across the visual object so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object;

computer program code means for identifying a change in the position of the second input; and

computer program code means for controlling a change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.

19. A computer readable storage medium having recorded therein a computer program for interfacing with a multi-point input display device, the computer program comprising:

computer program code means for displaying a visual object on a multi-point input display device;

computer program code means for detecting the position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device,

computer program code means for selecting at least the displayed visual object based on the position of the first input;

computer program code means for detecting the position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device contemporaneously with the first input;

computer program code means for determining a separation line across the visual object so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object;

computer program code means for identifying a change in the position of the second input; and

computer program code means for controlling a change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.

20. A method of interfacing with a multi-point input display device to change the z-order of a plurality of visual objects displayed on the display device, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting the position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device,

selecting at least one displayed visual object based on the position of the first input;

detecting the position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device;

determining a separation line based on the position of the second input, said separation line separating the selected visual object into a first portion and second portion; and

controlling the z-order of the selected visual object relative to another object which is moved towards the selected visual object based on the separation line.