Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Aligning and Distributing Objects

• US 20120026100A1
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Published: 02/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Migos, Charles J., Capela, Jay Christopher, Thimbleby, William John
• Application Number:
  US12/848,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026100A1
• 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 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

At a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, a plurality of objects are displayed on the display. The device detects a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface. While detecting the first contact, the device detects a first gesture that includes movement of a second contact and a third contact on the touch-sensitive surface. In response to detecting the first gesture, the device determines a contact axis based on a location of the second contact relative to a location of the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface. The device determines an object-alignment axis based on the contact axis, and repositions one or more of the objects so as to align at least a subset of the objects on the display along the object-alignment axis.

Claims

1. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a plurality of objects on the display;

detecting a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

while detecting the first contact, detecting a first gesture that includes movement of a second contact and a third contact on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first gesture;

determining a contact axis based on a location of the second contact relative to a location of the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

determining an object-alignment axis based on the contact axis; and

repositioning one or more of the objects so as to align at least a subset of the objects on the display along the object-alignment axis.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the subset of objects are currently selected objects, and the plurality of objects includes one or more unselected objects.

3. The device of claim 1, including instructions for, while detecting the first contact and before detecting the first gesture:

detecting an object selection gesture; and

in response to detecting the object selection gesture while the first contact is detected, selecting the subset of objects.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first contact is continuously detected on the touch-sensitive surface for a predetermined time period prior to detecting the first gesture.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first gesture includes movement of the second contact away from the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the touch-sensitive surface and the display are combined as a touch screen; and

the contact axis is the object-alignment axis.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein repositioning one or more of the objects includes:

moving a first object in the subset of objects to a location of the second contact on the touch screen; and

moving a second object in the subset of objects to a location of the third contact on the touch screen.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the second contact is detected at a location on the touch screen that corresponds to a portion of the display that does not include any objects; and

the third contact is detected at a location on the touch screen that corresponds to a portion of the display that does not include any objects.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein:

the second contact is detected at a location on the touch screen that corresponds to the first object; and

the third contact is detected at a location on the touch screen that corresponds to the second object.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the contact axis is distinct from the object-alignment axis.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein:

an angle of the object-alignment axis on the display corresponds to an angle of the contact axis on the touch-sensitive surface; and

the object-alignment axis includes an average position of the subset of objects on the display.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the object-alignment axis is configured to snap to a plurality of predefined angles.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein repositioning the objects includes distributing the objects along the object-alignment axis such that the centers of adjacent objects are equidistant from each other.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein repositioning the objects includes distributing the objects along the object-alignment axis such that the edges of adjacent objects are equidistant from each other.

15. The device of claim 1, including instructions for, while continuing to detect the second contact and the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface:

detecting a second gesture that includes movement of one or more of the second contact and the third contact; and

,

in response to detecting the second gesture;

determining an updated contact axis between the second contact and the third contact;

determining an updated object-alignment axis based on the updated contact axis; and

repositioning one or more of the objects so as to align the subset of objects on the display along the updated object-alignment axis.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein, the object-alignment axis is rotated in accordance with the second gesture.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein, spacing between the objects is changed in accordance with a change in the location of the second contact relative to the location of the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface in accordance with the second gesture.

18. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display;

displaying a plurality of objects on the display;

detecting a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

while detecting the first contact, detecting a first gesture that includes movement of a second contact and a third contact on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first gesture;

determining a contact axis based on a location of the second contact relative to a location of the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

determining an object-alignment axis based on the contact axis; and

repositioning one or more of the objects so as to align at least a subset of the objects on the display along the object-alignment axis.

19. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:

display a plurality of objects on the display;

detect a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

while detecting the first contact, detect a first gesture that includes movement of a second contact and a third contact on the touch-sensitive surface; and

,

in response to detecting the first gesture;

determine a contact axis based on a location of the second contact relative to a location of the third contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

determine an object-alignment axis based on the contact axis; and

reposition one or more of the objects so as to align at least a subset of the objects on the display along the object-alignment axis.

20. A multifunction device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a plurality of objects on the display;

detecting a first gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, where the first gesture includes a first contact and a second contact;

in response to detecting the first gesture;

determining a contact axis based on a location of the first contact relative to a location of the second contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

determining an object-alignment axis based on the contact axis; and

repositioning one or more of the objects so as to align at least a subset of the objects on the display along the object-alignment axis; and

,

while the first contact and the second contact continue to be detected on the touch-sensitive surface;

detecting a second gesture that includes movement of one or more of the first contact and the second contact; and

,

in response to detecting the second gesture;

determining an updated contact axis based on an updated location of the first contact relative to an updated location of the second contact on the touch-sensitive surface;

determining an updated object-alignment axis based on the updated contact axis; and

repositioning one or more of the objects so as to align the subset of objects on the display along the updated object-alignment axis.