METHOD FOR MANIPULATING A GRAPHICAL OBJECT AND AN INTERACTIVE INPUT SYSTEM EMPLOYING THE SAME

• US 20120254782A1
• Filed: 03/30/2012
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smart Technologies ULC (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Van Ieperen, Taco, Hill, Douglas Blair
• Granted Patent: US 9,588,673 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method comprises receiving an input event generated when at least one contact is made on an interactive surface at a location corresponding to a graphical object; determining the number of contacts associated with the input event; tracking movement of the at least one contact on the interactive surface; identifying a graphical object manipulation based on the number of contacts, the movement of the at least one contact, and the graphical object type; and performing the graphical object manipulation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input event generated when at least one contact is made on an interactive surface at a location corresponding to a graphical object;

determining the number of contacts associated with the input event;

tracking movement of the at least one contact on the interactive surface;

identifying a graphical object manipulation based on the number of contacts, the movement of the at least one contact, and the graphical object type; and

performing the graphical object manipulation.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one contact is made by at least one finger.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the identifying comprises examining a lookup table to identify the graphical object manipulation.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the lookup table is customizable by a user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the graphical object type is one of a computer program icon, an image, and a window.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein when the graphical object type is the computer program icon, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation and a graphical object copy and paste manipulation.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein when the graphical object type is the image, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation, a graphical object moving with snap manipulation, a graphical object moving with resizing manipulation, a graphical object copy and paste manipulation, a graphical object resizing manipulation, a graphical object maximizing manipulation, a graphical object minimizing manipulation, a graphical object cropping manipulation, a graphical object rotating manipulation, a graphical object selecting manipulation and a graphical object deleting manipulation.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein when the graphical object type is the window, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation, a graphical object resizing manipulation, a graphical object maximizing manipulation, a graphical object minimizing manipulation and a graphical object closing manipulation.

9. An interactive input system comprising:

an interactive surface; and

processing structure for receiving an input event generated when at least one contact is made on the interactive surface at a location corresponding to a graphical object displayed on said interactive surface, in response to said input event, said processing structure being configured to determine a number of contacts associated with the input event, track movement of the at least one contact on the interactive surface, identify a graphical object manipulation based on the number of contacts, the movement of the at least one contact, and the graphical object type, and perform the graphical object manipulation.

10. The interactive input system of claim 9 wherein the processing structure examines a lookup table to identify the graphical object manipulation.

11. The interactive input system of claim 9 further comprising a plurality of display screens for displaying image data, each of the display screens in communication with the interactive surface.

12. The interactive input system of claim 11 wherein the processing structure is further configured to display a small-scale representation of each of the display screens on the interactive surface.

13. The interactive input system of claim 12 wherein the at least one contact is made by at least one finger.

14. The interactive input system of claim 9 wherein the graphical object type is one of a computer program icon, an image, and a window.

15. The interactive input system of claim 14 wherein when the graphical object type is the computer program icon, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation and a graphical object copy and paste manipulation.

16. The interactive input system of claim 14 wherein when the graphical object type is the image, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation, a graphical object moving with snap manipulation, a graphical object moving with resizing manipulation, a graphical object copy and paste manipulation, a graphical object resizing manipulation, a graphical object maximizing manipulation, a graphical object minimizing manipulation, a graphical object cropping manipulation, a graphical object rotating manipulation, a graphical object selecting manipulation and a graphical object deleting manipulation.

17. The interactive input system of claim 14 wherein when the graphical object type is the window, the graphical object manipulation is one of a graphical object moving manipulation, a graphical object resizing manipulation, a graphical object maximizing manipulation, a graphical object minimizing manipulation and a graphical object closing manipulation.

18. A non-transitory computer readable medium embodying a computer program for execution by a computer, the computer program comprising:

program code for receiving an input event generated when at least one contact is made on an interactive surface at a location corresponding to a graphical object;

program code for determining the number of contacts associated with the input event;

program code for tracking movement of the at least one contact on the interactive surface;

program code for identifying a graphical object manipulation based on the number of contacts, the movement of the at least one contact, and the graphical object type; and

program code for performing the graphical object manipulation.