USER INTERFACE FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140189606A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Canonical Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Canonical Group Limited
• Inventors: SHUTTLEWORTH, Mark, WEEVERS, Ivo, MESKANEN, Mika, HOREV, Oren, PRINGLE, Calum, LEA, John, GREENSLADE, Otto, HASLAM, Marcus, MAJIC, Ivanka, ZHU, Xi
• Application Number:
  US14/138,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189606A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

There is disclosed a smartphone, tablet or other computing device comprising: (a) a touch sensitive display; (b) one or more processors; (c) computer memory; (d) one or more computer programs stored in the computer memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors and including instructions for detecting a swipe in from each and any of the four edges of the touch sensitive display and, in response to the detected swipe, causing the device to behave in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

Claims

1. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device comprising:

(a) a touch sensitive display;

(b) one or more processors;

(c) computer memory;

(d) one or more computer programs stored in the computer memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors and including instructions for detecting a swipe in from each and any of the four edges of the touch sensitive display and, in response to the detected swipe, causing the device to behave in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

2. The device of claim 1 where the device behaves in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from, by displaying a specific type of UI graphic, object, or set of objects that depends on the edge swiped in from.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the device always responds to the detected swipe in a consistent manner, irrespective of what the device is displaying.

4. The device of claim 1 which detects a swipe in from one edge of the screen and, in response to the detected swipe, causes the device to, either directly or after further intervening steps, open an app launcher, being a set or group of app icons, or start or switch to an app.

5. The device of claim 1 which detects a swipe in from an edge of the screen and, in response to the detected swipe, causes the device to switch back to a previously opened app.

6. The device of claim 1 in which, in response to a swipe in from the left edge, the device opens, either directly or after further intervening steps, an app and, in response to a swipe in from the right edge, the device displays, either directly or after further intervening steps, previously used but still running apps.

7. The device of claim 1 in which, if the device is displaying a welcome screen, then in response to a swipe in from the right edge, the device displays, either directly or after further intervening steps, the device home page.

8. The device of claim 6 in which ‘

start’

is initiated with a swipe right from the left edge to bring across an application launcher; and

conversely, a swipe left from the right edge brings up previously opened apps, so acts as a ‘

back’

function.

9. The device of claim 8 in which, in response to further swipes left from the right edge, the instructions cause the device to scroll back through all previously used apps, in the order in which they were last used.

10. The device of claim 1 in which the device can detect when a user selects a system status icon placed close to one edge and in response to a swipe away from the icon, (e.g the user touches it directly and then pulls-down) the instructions cause the device to reveal a screen that lists the setting(s) relevant to that icon, allowing the user to rapidly update the setting(s) and then swipe the settings page back to the edge, to show the still-running current app.

11. The device of claim 10 in which the system status icon is placed at the top edge of the display, such as on the right side of the top edge.

12. The device of claim 1 in which the instructions cause the device to display app controls in response to a short swipe up from an edge, and the app controls are displayed close to that edge whilst the app is running and controlling the device display, and the app controls are concealed by a swipe back to the edge.

13. The device of claim 12 in which the app controls are placed at the bottom edge of the display.

14. The device of claim 1 in which, in response to a swipe from a message icon, such as an envelope, the instructions cause the device to display a panel or window or region listing one or more messages.

15. The device of claim 14 in which in response to a user selecting a message in the panel, window or region listing the message(s), then a response panel, window or region is displayed.

16. The device of claim 15 in which, if the selected message is for a missed call alert, then the response panel, window or region includes buttons or icons that enable the user to do one or more of:

make a call back to the person who left the message;

write and send a reply message to that person;

select and send a pre-made reply to that person.

17. The device of claim 4 in which, in response to detecting a user pausing over an icon for an app in the app launcher, the device displays a ‘

quicklist’

for that app, being one or more user interface objects associated with a feature or function or control for that app.

18. The device of claim 1 in which a swipe in from an edge must commence at the edge of or outside, the touch-screen display.

19. The device of claim 1 including an accelerometer and the processor receives movement signals from the accelerometer and in response to those signals beyond a threshold shows a small portion of a different screen from the screen currently being displayed as a hint to the user.

20. The device of claim 1 in which the threshold is associated with shaking the device.

21. A method comprising the following steps, performed at a computing device with a touch sensitive display:

(i) detecting a swipe in from each and any of the four edges of the touch sensitive display and, in response to the detected swipe;

(ii) causing the device to behave in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

22. The method of claim 21 in which the device behaves in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from, by displaying a specific type of UI graphic, object, or set of objects that depends on the edge swiped in from.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by a computing device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:

(i) detect a swipe in from each and any of the four edges of the touch sensitive display and, in response to the detected swipe;

(ii) behave in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

24. The medium of claim 23 in which the device behaves in a manner that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from, by displaying a specific type of UI graphic, object, or set of objects that depends on the edge swiped in from.