GESTURE CONTROLS FOR MULTI-SCREEN HIERARCHICAL APPLICATIONS

• US 20120084737A1
• Filed: 11/17/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Flextronics ID LLC
• Inventors: Gimpl, Martin, Sirpal, Sanjiv
• Application Number:
  US12/948,676
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084737A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display

Abstract

Control of a computing device using gesture inputs. The computing device may be a handheld computing device with a plurality of displays. The displays may be capable of displaying a graphical user interface (GUI). The plurality of displays may be modified in response to receipt of a gesture input such that a hierarchical application having related GUI screens are modified in response to the gesture input. The modification may include changing the hierarchical application from being displayed in a single screen mode to being displayed in a multi screen mode or vice versa.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a plurality of displays of a handheld computing device, comprising:

executing a hierarchical application on the handheld comparing device, wherein the hierarchical application comprises a plurality of related familial screens;

displaying a first screen of the plurality of related familial screens on a first display of the plurality of displays;

receiving a first gesture input at the handheld computing device; and

modifying at least one of the plurality of displays in response to the receiving such that a second screen of the plurality of related familial screens is displayed on one of the first display and the second display and the first screen is displayed on the other of the first display and the second display.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the gesture input is directional and the modifying corresponds to a direction of the gesture input.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the gesture input comprises a drag gesture.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first screen comprises a parent screen and the second screen comprises a node screen of the parent screen.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first screen comprises a node screen and the second screen comprises a parent screen of the node screen.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes displaying the second screen in the second display.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes displaying the first screen in the second display and displaying the second screen in the first display.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first screen comprises a node screen and the second screen comprises a parent screen of the node screen.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes displaying the first screen in the first display.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the modifying includes displaying the first screen in the second display.

16. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the handheld computing device comprises a smart phone.

17. The device as recited in claim 16, wherein the first display and second display are positionable with respect to each other between an open and closed position.

18. The device as recited in claim 17, wherein when in the open position, the first display and the second display are visible from the vantage point of a user.

19. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein when in the closed position, only one of the first display and the second display are visible from the vantage point of a user.

8. A method for controlling a plurality of displays of a handheld computing device, comprising:

executing a hierarchical application on the handheld comparing device, wherein the hierarchical application comprises a plurality of related familial screens;

displaying a first screen of the plurality of related familial screens on a first display of the plurality of displays and a second screen of the plurality of related familial screens on a second display of the plurality of displays;

receiving a first gesture input at the handheld computing device; and

modifying at least one of the plurality of displays in response to the receiving such that only the first screen is displayed in one of the first display and second display.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the gesture input is directional and the modifying corresponds to a direction of the gesture input.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the gesture input comprises a drag gesture.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the first screen comprises a parent screen and the second screen comprises a node screen of the parent screen.

15. A handheld computing device, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a hierarchical application comprising a plurality of related familial screens;

a first display in operative communication with the processor and operable to display at least one of said related familial screens;

a second display in operative communication with the processor and operable to display at least one of said related familial screens;

a gesture sensor in operative communication with the processor and operable to receive a gesture input;

wherein the processor, upon receipt of the gesture input, is operative to modify at least one of the first display and second display to change the related familial screens displayed.