Scrubbing Touch Infotip

• US 20120096349A1
• Filed: 10/19/2010
• Published: 04/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Ray, Ethan, Zheng, Qixing, Carr, William David, Zhang, Xu, Hofmeester, Gerrit Hendrik
• Application Number:
  US12/907,893
• Publication Number:
  US 20120096349A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An invention is disclosed for using touch input to display a representation of information for an item of a plurality of grouped items not otherwise accessible via other touch input. In an embodiment. In an embodiment, a user provides touch input to a touch-input device that comprises a scrubbing motion. Where the scrub corresponds to interacting with an item of a plurality of grouped items, a representation of information not otherwise accessible via other touch input is displayed (such as an infotip). In this manner, touch input may serve as a way to obtain a mouse-over event where there is no mouse pointer with which to create a mouse-over.

Claims

1. A method for providing a user interface in a touch-input environment, comprising:

displaying a plurality of grouped items in the user interface;

determining that user input received at a touch-input device is indicative of input near the grouped items; and

in response to the user input, displaying a representation of information for an item of the plurality of grouped items, the representation of information not accessible via other touch input.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second user input received at the touch-input device is indicative of navigating toward a second icon of the plurality of grouped icons;

stopping displaying the representation of information for the item; and

displaying a representation of information for a second item of the plurality of grouped items, the representation of information not accessible via other touch input.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a representation of information for an item comprises:

enlarging the item in the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that a second user input received at the touch-input device is indicative of input navigating away from the plurality of grouped icons; and

stopping displaying the representation of information of the item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying a representation of information for an item comprises:

displaying an animation of displaying the representation before displaying the representation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that no user input is being received at the touch-input device; and

stopping displaying the representation of information of the item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the representation comprises:

text or image information that informs the user of the purpose or status of the item.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises:

a scrub.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a finger press at the touch-input device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a stylus press at the touch-input device.

11. A system for providing a user interface in a touch-input environment, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory communicatively coupled to the processor when the system is operational, the memory bearing processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

displaying a plurality of grouped items in the user interface;

determining that user input received at a touch-input device is indicative of input near the grouped items; and

in response to the user input, displaying a representation of information for an item of the plurality of grouped items, the representation of information not accessible via other touch input.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further bears processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that a second user input received at the touch-input device is indicative of navigating toward a second icon of the plurality of grouped icons;

stopping displaying the representation of information for the item; and

displaying a representation of information for a second item of the plurality of grouped items, the representation of information not accessible via other touch input.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further bears processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

enlarging the item in the user interface.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further bears processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that a second user input received at the touch-input device is indicative of input navigating away from the plurality of grouped icons; and

stopping displaying the representation of information of the item.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further bears processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying an animation of displaying the representation before displaying the representation.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the memory further bears processor-executable instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining that no user input is being received at the touch-input device; and

stopping displaying the representation of information of the item.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the representation comprises:

text or image information that informs the user of the purpose or status of the item.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the user input comprises:

a scrub.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the user input comprises a finger press at the touch-input device.

20. A computer-readable storage bearing computer-executable instructions that, upon execution by a computer, cause the computer to perform operations comprising:

displaying a plurality of grouped items in the user interface;

determining that user input received at a touch-input device is indicative of input near the grouped items; and

in response to the user input, displaying a representation of information for an item of the plurality of grouped items, the representation of information not accessible via other touch input.