PINCH GESTURE TO NAVIGATE APPLICATION LAYERS

• US 20120089950A1
• Filed: 10/11/2010
• Published: 04/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: TSENG, Erick
• Granted Patent: US 8,856,688 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/854
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Using pinch gestures to navigate user interface layers of an application. In particular embodiments, a pinch gesture may cause an application program to close a currently running user interface layer of the application, or return to a previously viewed user interface layer. In some implementations, a pinch gesture may cause an application to close.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in response to a pinch event generated during execution of an application, the application comprising one or more user interface layers arranged in a navigation hierarchy;

determining an application layer corresponding to the pinch event;

closing the application if the determined application layer is a root layer of the navigation hierarchy; and

closing the determined layer and navigating to a parent layer of the determined layer in the navigation hierarchy if the determined layer is not the root layer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the determined layer is a selected layer type, implementing a zoom out function in response to the pinch event.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the pinch event is an in-pinch event.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a touch pad interface device operative to recognize gestures . . .

one or more processors;

computer program code stored on a non-transitory medium comprising instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to;

determine, in response to a pinch event generated during execution of an application by the touch pad interface, an application layer corresponding to the pinch event, wherein the application comprising one or more user interface layers arranged in a navigation hierarchy;

close the application if the determined application layer is a root layer of the navigation hierarchy; and

close the determined layer and navigating to a parent layer of the determined layer in the navigation hierarchy if the determined layer is not the root layer.

5. A method, comprising:

in response to an out-pinch event generated during execution of an application, the application comprising one or more user interface layers arranged in a navigation hierarchy;

determining an application layer corresponding to the out-pinch event;

navigating to a previous layer identified in a navigation history, if the navigation history identifies the previous layer;

navigating to a root layer of the navigation hierarchy, if a navigation history does not exist.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising

remaining the determined layer if application if the determined application layer is a home layer of the navigation hierarchy.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

if the determined layer is a selected layer type, implementing a zoom in function in response to the pinch event.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory;

a touch pad interface device operative to recognize gestures . . .

one or more processors;

computer program code stored on a non-transitory medium comprising instructions operative to cause the one or more processors to;

determine, in response to a pinch event generated during execution of an application by the touch pad interface, an application layer corresponding to the pinch event, wherein the application comprising one or more user interface layers arranged in a navigation hierarchy;

reverse the application layer back to a previous layer if the determined application layer has a navigation history;

change the determined layer to a root layer of the navigation hierarchy if the determined layer does not have navigation history,

remain the determined layer if application if the determined application layer is a home layer of the navigation hierarchy.