HOVER-OVER GESTURING ON MOBILE DEVICES

• US 20120254808A1
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Published: 10/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Gildfind, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 9,285,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• 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

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure may relate to detecting, by a computing device, a first user input comprising a first gesture to interact with a touch-sensitive screen of the computing device. Aspects may also include detecting a second user input comprising a second gesture using the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device. Aspects may also include, responsive to detecting the first user input, initiating a hover mode of interaction in a graphical user interface.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting, by a computing device, a first user input comprising a first gesture to interact with a touch-sensitive screen of the computing device;

detecting, by the computing device, a second user input comprising a second gesture to interact with the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device, wherein the second user input is distinct from the first user input; and

responsive to detecting the first user input, initiating a hover mode of interaction in a graphical user interface displayed by the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device, wherein the hover mode of interaction allows a user to trigger a graphical interaction with at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface using the second user input, wherein the graphical interaction comprises providing graphical information associated with the at least one user interface element without activating the at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first user input and detecting the second user input comprises detecting the first user input before the second user input.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first gesture comprises contacting the touch-sensitive screen, and wherein triggering a graphical interaction with at least one user interface element is responsive to detecting the second user input while the contact of the first user input is maintained with the touch-sensitive screen.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the first user input and detecting the second user input comprises detecting the second user input before the first user input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first gesture comprises contacting the touch-sensitive screen in a predefined area of the graphical user interface displayed by the touch-sensitive screen.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the predefined area of the graphical user interface comprises a corner of the graphical user interface.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the predefined area according to a physical orientation of the touch-sensitive screen.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining the predefined area according to a selection of a user.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising graphically indicating the location of the predefined area on the touch-sensitive screen.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising triggering a graphical interaction with at least one graphical user interface element based on the second user input, wherein triggering the graphical interaction comprises identifying the at least one user interface element based on a physical location of the second user input associated with a location of the at least one user interface element displayed in the graphical user interface.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein triggering the graphical interaction comprises identifying the at least one user interface element as a perceptually closest user interface element based on an identified location in the graphical user interface that is associated with a physical location of the second user input.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating that the hover mode of interaction is active to a user when the hover mode of interaction is initiated.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical information associated with the at least one user interface element comprises at least one of an alteration in appearance of the at least one user interface element and a graphical pop-up window that provides information about content associated with the at least one user interface element.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the hover mode of interaction comprises initiating the hover mode of interaction after maintaining the first user input for a predetermined duration.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when detecting the second user input and upon termination of the first user input, terminating the hover mode of interaction with the at least one user interface element.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

when detecting the second user input and upon termination of the first user input, activating the at least one user interface element.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating the hover mode of interaction comprises graphically pinning content displayed on the graphical user interface, such that the second user input does not cause movement of the content in the graphical user interface.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the graphical information about the at least one user interface element comprises providing the graphical information a predefined distance at least one of above, below, and to a side of an identified location in the graphical user interface that is associated with a physical location of the second user input.

19. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for causing one or more programmable processors of a computing device to perform operations comprising:

detecting, by a computing device, a first user input comprising a first gesture to interact with a touch-sensitive screen of the computing device;

detecting, by the computing device, a second user input comprising a second gesture to interact with the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device, wherein the second user input is distinct from the first user input; and

responsive to detecting the first user input, initiating a hover mode of interaction in a graphical user interface displayed by the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device, wherein the hover mode of interaction allows a user to trigger a graphical interaction with at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface using the second user input, wherein the graphical interaction comprises providing graphical information associated with the at least one user interface element without actuating the at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface.

20. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a user interface having a touch-sensitive screen;

a means for detecting a first user input and a second user input distinct from the first user input, wherein the first user input comprises a first gesture to interact with the touch-sensitive screen, and wherein the second user input comprises a second gesture to interact with the touch-sensitive screen;

wherein the one or more processors are configured to initiate, in response to detecting the first user input, a hover mode of interaction in a graphical user interface displayed by the touch-sensitive screen of the computing device, wherein the hover mode of interaction allows a user to trigger a user interaction with at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface using the second user input, wherein the graphical interaction comprises providing graphical information associated with the at least one user interface element without actuating the at least one user interface element in the graphical user interface.