Method and Apparatus Pertaining to the Interpretation of Touch-Based Actions

• US 20130285924A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: GRIFFIN, Jason Tyler, MAHAN, Laura Ann
• Application Number:
  US13/456,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20130285924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A control circuit can be configured to, in a shared mode of operation, interpret a first touch-based action as a cursor-control instruction while also interpreting a second touch-based action as a multi-touch gesture. Such a device can supplement a native cursor-free user-interface approach with a cursor-based selection-and-movement capability that is also responsive to touch-based interactions. That first touch-based action can comprise simultaneously touching the touch-screen display with two fingers that are spaced only within a predetermined range of each other. In such a case a cursor can be displayed between those two fingers. The user can then move that cursor by moving at least one of those fingers. By another approach the device can effect a cursor-based selection action upon detecting a momentary touch on the touch-screen display.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-screen display;

a control circuit operably coupled to the touch-screen display, wherein the control circuit is configured to, in a shared mode of operation, interpret a first touch-based action as a cursor-control instruction while also interpreting a second touch-based action as a multi-touch gesture.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first touch-based action comprises simultaneously touching the touch-screen display with two fingers spaced only within a predetermined range of each other.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control circuit is configured to display a cursor between the two fingers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control circuit is configured to move the cursor on the touch-screen display when at least one of the fingers is moved on the touch-screen display.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control circuit is configured to effect a cursor-based selection action upon detecting a momentary touch on the touch-screen display.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control circuit is configured to effect a multi-touch gesture when the two fingers move outside the predetermined range of each other.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the multi-touch gesture is locationally keyed on the cursor.

8. A method comprising:

at a control circuit and during a shared mode of operation;

interpreting a first touch-screen-based action as a cursor-control instruction;

interpreting a second touch-screen-based action as a multi-touch gesture.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the first touch-screen-based action comprises simultaneously touching a touch-screen display with two fingers spaced only within a predetermined range of each other.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the cursor-control instruction comprises displaying a cursor between the two fingers.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

moving the cursor on the touch-screen display when at least one of the fingers is then moved on the touch-screen display.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

effecting a cursor-based selection action upon detecting a momentary touch on the touch-screen display.

13. The method of 9 further comprising:

conducting a calibration activity to determine, at least in part, the predetermined range.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an external touch-based interface;

a control circuit operably coupled to the external touch-based interface and operably configured to natively interact with a user via a cursor-free touch-based interface, the control circuit configured to interpret touch-based inputs received via the external touch-based interface to effect cursor-based user selections.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the touch-based inputs are received via a trackpad.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the cursor-based user selections pertain to interaction with a non-native application.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein interpreting the touch-based inputs further comprises determining when the touch-based inputs are cursor-control inputs and when the touch-based inputs are non-cursor-control touch-screen gestures.