USER INTERFACE FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140189607A1
• 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:
  US14/138,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20140189607A1
• 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 single gestural input, and, in response to detecting the single gestural input, causing two or more different outcomes or functions to be triggered or invoked, depending on the detected extent of the gestural input.

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 single gestural input, and, in response to detecting the single gestural input, causing two or more different outcomes or functions to be triggered or invoked, depending on the detected extent of the gestural input.

2. The device of claim 1 in which the detected extent is a function of one or more of the following:

parameters of the gestural input;

distance, length, direction, path, end-point or destination.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the gestural input is a swipe from an edge.

4. The device of claim 1 in which a swipe from an edge causes a first outcome, and if the user continues to swipe in from that edge, that leads to a different outcome.

5. The device of claim 4 in which the two or more different outcomes or functions are related or connected outcomes.

6. The device of claim 1 in which if the gestural input continues to a predefined region on the screen to select that region, then a specific outcome results.

7. The device of claim 3 in which a swipe from one edge causes a different outcome compared with a swipe from a different edge.

8. The device of claim 1 in which detecting a short swipe from the left edge causes the device to display or reveal the app launcher, which is a set of app icons.

9. The device of claim 1 in which detecting a continuance of the short swipe further to the right, causes the device to display a home screen that includes icons for all the running apps.

10. The device of claim 1 in which a short swipe away from a system information icon for a system information function causes a pane, window or region relating to the system information function to be displayed, and continuing that swipe expands the pane, window or region to include user-selectable parameters for that function.

11. The device of claim 10 in which the system information icon is at the top edge, right side.

12. The device of claim 1 in which a short swipe from an edge when an app is open causes functions relating to that app to be displayed, and continuing that swipe to select a defined target region causes a search function to be invoked.

13. The device of claim 12 in which the short swipe is a swipe up from the bottom edge.

14. The device of claim 1 being a tablet device and in which a short swipe from an edge causes a region (the ‘

side-stage’

) to be displayed, the side-stage being a region that can display any of apps, utilities or functions independently of what is displayed on the rest of the screen, and continuing that swipe causes a previously opened app to be displayed.

15. The device of claim 14 in which the short swipe is from the right edge.

16. The device of claim 8 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.

17. The device of claim 1 in which a release up from the touch screen is a commit gesture.

18. The device of claim 1 in which a single gestural input involves the user'"'"'s fingers continuously contacting the touch screen, moving across the screen in one or more directions.

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

(a) detecting a single gestural input, and, in response to detecting the single gestural input;

(b) causing two or more different outcomes or functions to be triggered or invoked, depending on the detected extent of the gestural input.

20. The method of claim 19 in which the detected extent is a function of one or more of the following:

parameters of the gestural input;

distance, length, direction, path, end-point or destination.

21. The method of claim 19 in which the gestural input is a swipe from an edge.

22. The method of claim 21 in which a swipe from an edge causes a first outcome, and if the user continues to swipe in from that edge, that leads to a different outcome.

23. The method of claim 22 in which the two or more different outcomes or functions are related or connected outcomes.

24. The method of claim 19 in which if the gestural input continues to a predefined region on the screen to select that region, then a specific outcome results.

25. The method of claim 19 in which a swipe from one edge causes a different outcome compared with a swipe from a different edge.

26. The method of claim 19 in which detecting a short swipe from the left edge causes the device to display or reveal the app launcher, which is a set of app icons.

27. The method of claim 26 in which detecting a continuance of the short swipe further to the right, causes the device to display a home screen that includes icons for all the running apps.

28. The method of claim 19 in which detecting a short swipe away from a system information icon for a system information function causes a pane, window or region relating to the system information function to be displayed, and continuing that swipe expands the pane, window or region to include user-selectable parameters for that function.

29. The method of claim 28 in which the system information icon is at the top edge, right side.

30. The method of claim 19 in which a short swipe from an edge when an app is open causes functions relating to that app to be displayed, and continuing that swipe to select a defined target region causes a search function to be invoked.

31. The method of claim 30 in which the short swipe is a swipe up from the bottom edge.

32. The method of claim 19 wherein the computing device is a tablet device, and in which a short swipe from an edge causes a region (the ‘

side-stage’

) to be displayed, the side-stage being a region that can display any of apps, utilities and functions independently of what is displayed on the rest of the screen, the side-stage and continuing that swipe causes a previously opened app to be displayed.

33. The method of claim 32 in which the short swipe is from the right edge.

34. 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:

(a) detect a single gestural input, and, in response to detecting the single gestural input;

(b) cause two or more different outcomes or functions to be triggered or invoked, depending on the detected extent of the gestural input.