Navigation on a Portable Electronic Device

• US 20130219340A1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Published: 08/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Linge, Mario
• Application Number:
  US13/401,563
• Publication Number:
  US 20130219340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/834
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes a touch-sensitive display. In embodiments, initial touch zones are enabled on the left- and right-hand sides of the display. A person grasping the device with one hand may navigate using their thumb by making gestures in the touch zones. For example, one such gesture may select a touch zone as the default. A selection menu may then be displayed in the region of the touch zone. Suitable gestures (e.g. using the thumb) can manipulate the selection menu.

Claims

1-1. The portable electronic device of claim 12 wherein the action associated with the menu button includes displaying content associated with the menu button.

2-2. The portable electronic device of claim 12 wherein the action associated with the menu button includes displaying a second selection menu that is associated with the menu button, the second selection menu comprising a second plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a perimeter of the first selection menu.

3-3. The portable electronic device of claim 12 wherein if the event is a swipe gesture, then displaying an animation of the first menu buttons moving along the curved path in a direction approximate to a direction of the swipe gesture, wherein one or more of the first menu buttons become hidden and one or more new menu buttons appear, whereby the first selection menu comprises a second plurality of displayed menu buttons different from the first plurality of displayed menu buttons.

4-4. The portable electronic device of claim 12 wherein execution of the computer executable program code further causes the processor to enable a left-side touch zone and a right-side touch zone on the display and display a graphic in each of the left-side touch zone and the right-side touch zone.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising detecting a second tap gesture in the first touch zone and in response thereto redisplaying a previous selection menu.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising redisplaying the first selection menu with a smaller size.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein if the event is a swipe gesture, then displaying an animation of the first menu buttons moving along the curved path in a direction approximate to a direction of the swipe gesture, wherein one or more of the first menu buttons become hidden and one or more new menu buttons appear, whereby the first selection menu comprises a second plurality of displayed menu buttons different from the first plurality of displayed menu buttons.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting a change in orientation of the portable electronic device between a first orientation and a second orientation and in response thereto changing a location of the first touch zone in the first orientation of the display to a location on a left side or a right side of the display in the second orientation.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the change in orientation is between a landscape orientation and a portrait orientation.

5-5. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer executable program code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to:

detect a first tap gesture occurring in a first touch zone that is located on a left side of the display or a right side of the display;

responsive to detecting the first tap gesture, display a first selection menu comprising a first plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a curved path that is defined proximate the first touch zone, the menu buttons having corresponding menu item touch zones on the display; and

detect an event, wherein;

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in one of the menu item touch zones, then perform an action associated with the menu button that corresponds to the menu item touch zone; and

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in the first touch zone, then hide the first selection menu.

6-6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the action associated with the menu button includes displaying content associated with the menu button.

7-7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein the action associated with the menu button includes displaying a second selection menu that is associated with the menu button, the second selection menu comprising a second plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a perimeter of the first selection menu.

8-8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 5 wherein if the event is a swipe gesture, then displaying an animation of the first menu buttons moving along the curved path in a direction approximate to a direction of the swipe gesture, wherein one or more of the first menu buttons become hidden and one or more new menu buttons appear, whereby the first selection menu comprises a second plurality of displayed menu buttons different from the first plurality of displayed menu buttons.

12. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a data store; and

a touch-sensitive display,

the data store having stored thereon computer executable program code which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to;

detect a first tap gesture occurring in a first touch zone that is located on a left side of the display or a right side of the display;

responsive to detecting the first tap gesture, display a first selection menu comprising a first plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a curved path that is defined proximate the first touch zone, the menu buttons having corresponding menu item touch zones on the display; and

detect an event, wherein;

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in one of the menu item touch zones, then perform an action associated with the menu button that corresponds to the menu item touch zone; and

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in the first touch zone, then hide the first selection menu.

1. A computer-implemented method in a portable electronic device having a touch-sensitive display, the method comprising:

detecting a first tap gesture occurring in a first touch zone that is located on a left side of the display or a right side of the display;

responsive to detecting the first tap gesture, displaying a first selection menu comprising a first plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a curved path that is defined proximate the first touch zone, the menu buttons having corresponding menu item touch zones on the display; and

detecting an event, wherein;

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in one of the menu item touch zones, then performing an action associated with the menu button that corresponds to the menu item touch zone; and

if the event is a second tap gesture occurring in the first touch zone, then hiding the first selection menu.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein performing an action associated with the menu button includes displaying content associated the menu button.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing an action associated with the menu button includes displaying a second selection menu that is associated with the menu button, the second selection menu comprising a second plurality of displayed menu buttons arranged along a perimeter of the first selection menu.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least one of the second plurality of displayed menu buttons is associated with a third selection menu.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising enabling a left-side touch zone and a right-side touch zone on the display and displaying a graphic in each of the left-side touch zone and the right-side touch zone.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphics are transparent.