MOVING A GRAPHICAL SELECTOR

• US 20130024820A1
• Filed: 05/27/2011
• Published: 01/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kirkpatrick, Ficus
• Granted Patent: US 8,826,190 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0488 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

Abstract

In general, this disclosure describes techniques for moving a graphical selector. In one example, a method includes activating, by a computing device, a graphical key that is displayed with a presence-sensitive interface of the computing device. Upon activation of the graphical key, the method also includes receiving gesture input corresponding to a directional gesture using the presence-sensitive interface of the computing device and moving a graphical selector displayed with the presence-sensitive interface from a first graphical location to a second graphical location by at least one selected increment based on a property of the gesture input.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

activating, by a computing device, a graphical key of a graphical keyboard, wherein the graphical key is associated with a touch-target and is displayed at a touch-based interface of the computing device, wherein the computing device controls a graphical selector displayed at the touch-based interface using input received at the touch-target, and wherein the graphical selector comprises one of a text cursor or a pointer;

upon activation of the graphical key, receiving gesture input corresponding to a directional gesture at the touch-based interface of the computing device, wherein the directional gesture is a swipe motion originating at the touch target; and

moving the graphical selector from a first graphical location at the touch-based interface to a second graphical location at the touch-based interface by at least one selected increment, wherein the at least one selected increment is at least partially based on a speed of the gesture input originating at the touch target, wherein the at least one selected increment comprises a first increment if the speed of movement of the gesture input is below a speed threshold, and wherein the at least one selected increment comprises a second increment larger than the first increment if the speed of the gesture input is above or equal to the speed threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

moving the graphical selector from the first graphical location to the second graphical location by the at least one selected increment is further based on a direction of movement of the gesture input, and

the graphical selector is moved in a direction related to the direction of movement of the gesture input.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the graphical selector from the first graphical location to the second graphical location by the at least one selected increment is further based on a displacement of the directional gesture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein:

the at least one selected increment is of a first increment if the displacement of the gesture input is below a displacement threshold, and

the at least one selected increment is of a second increment larger than the first increment if the displacement of the gesture input is equal to or above the displacement threshold.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the graphical selector comprises the text cursor; and

the at least one selected increment is one of a space, a letter, a word, a line, a sentence, a paragraph, or any combinations thereof.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the graphical selector comprises the pointer; and

the at least one selected increment is one of a single pixel, a selected number of pixels, a block, an image segment, or any combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical key is a pre-existing key of the graphical keyboard.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the pre-existing key is a space bar; and

activating the graphical key comprises activating the graphical key responsive to receiving a swipe gesture originating at the space bar.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the graphical key comprises activating the graphical key responsive to input received at the touch-target.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein moving the graphical selector further comprises moving the graphical selector by a number of selected increments, wherein the number of selected increments is proportional to the at least one property of the gesture input.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

updating a location of the graphical selector in real-time while receiving the directional gesture.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

defining a plurality of sub-gestures based on the directional gesture,

wherein moving the graphical selector further comprises moving the graphical selector according to one or more properties of each sub-gesture.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

ordering the plurality of sub-gestures into a chronological order of inputs,

wherein moving the graphical selector further comprises moving the graphical selector sequentially based on the chronological order of inputs.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deactivating the graphical key upon completion of the directional gesture.

18. The method of claim 17,

wherein the directional gesture is completed when the directional gesture is released from the touch-based interface.

2. (canceled)

6-7. -7. (canceled)

19. A tangible computer-readable medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

activating, by a computing device, a graphical key of a graphical keyboard, wherein the graphical key is associated with a touch-target and is displayed at a touch-based interface of the computing device, wherein the graphical key is used to control a graphical selector displayed at the touch-based interface, and wherein the graphical selector comprises one of a text cursor or a pointer;

upon activation of the graphical key, receiving gesture input corresponding to a directional gesture at the touch-based interface of the computing device, wherein the directional gesture comprises a swipe motion originating at the touch target; and

moving the graphical selector from a first graphical location at the touch-based interface to a second graphical location at the touch-based interface by at least one selected increment, wherein the selected increment is at least partially based on a displacement of the gesture input originating at the touch-target, wherein the graphical selector is moved in a direction related to the direction of movement of the gesture input, wherein the at least one selected increment is of a first increment if the displacement of the gesture input is below a displacement threshold, and wherein the at least one selected increment is of a second increment larger than the first amount if the displacement of the gesture input is equal to or above the displacement threshold.

22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

the graphical selector comprises the text cursor; and

the at least one selected increment is one of a space, a letter, a word, a line, a sentence, a paragraph, or any combinations thereof.

23. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

moving the graphical selector further comprises moving the graphical selector by a number of selected increments; and

the number of selected increments is proportional to the at least one property of the gesture input.

20. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors;

an input device that receives gesture input corresponding to a directional gesture;

an output device that displays a graphical selector comprising one of a text cursor or a pointer; and

means for moving the graphical selector from a first graphical location at the touch-based interface to a second graphical location at the touch-based interface by at least one selected increment, wherein the selected increment is at least partially based on a speed of the gesture input, wherein the at least one selected increment comprises a first increment if the speed of movement of the gesture input is below a speed threshold and wherein the at least one selected increment comprises a second increment larger than the first increment if the speed of the gesture input is above or equal to the speed threshold.

21. The computing device of claim 20, wherein:

the graphical selector comprises the text cursor; and

the at least one selected increment is one of a space, a letter, a word, a line, a sentence, a paragraph, or any combinations thereof.