CONTEXT SENSITIVE ACTIONS

• US 20150046867A1
• Filed: 08/12/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moore, Christopher D., Van Os, Marcel, Moore, Bradford A., Piemonte, Patrick S., Wachsman, Eleanor C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,110,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/781
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/0484 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Techniques for performing context-sensitive actions in response to touch input are provided. A user interface of an application can be displayed. Touch input can be received in a region of the displayed user interface, and a context can be determined. A first action may be performed if the context is a first context and a second action may instead be performed if the context is a second context different from the first context. In some embodiments, an action may be performed if the context is a first context and the touch input is a first touch input, and may also be performed if the context is a second context and the touch input is a second touch input

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, by an electronic device, a user interface of an application;

receiving, by the electronic device, touch input in a region of the displayed user interface;

determining, by the electronic device, a context;

if the determined context is a first context, performing, by the electronic device, an action if the touch input is a first touch input; and

if the determined context is a second context different from the first context, performing, by the electronic device, the action if the touch input is a second touch input, wherein the second touch input is different from the first touch input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input corresponds to one or more gestures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined context relates to a motion of the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the motion of the electronic device is determined based upon sensor data provided by a sensor device of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor device includes an accelerometer or location determination circuitry.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the first touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a first length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a second length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second length is longer than the first length.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second touch input further includes a selection of a confirmation element displayed in the user interface.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first touch input corresponds to a first sequence of gestures, wherein the second touch input corresponds to a second sequence of gestures, and wherein the second sequence of gestures includes a subset of the first sequence of gestures.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the action includes a message deletion or an unlock function.

10. A computer-readable memory storing a plurality of instructions for controlling one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to display a user interface of an application;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to receive touch input in a region of the displayed user interface;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to determine a context;

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to, if the determined context is a first context, perform an action if the touch input is a first touch input; and

instructions that cause at least one processor from the one or more processors to, if the determined context is a second context different from the first context, perform the action if the touch input is a second touch input, wherein the second touch input is different from the first touch input.

11. The computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein the touch input corresponds to one or more gestures.

12. The computer-readable memory of claim 10, wherein the determined context relates to a motion of the electronic device.

13. The computer-readable memory of claim 12, wherein the motion of the electronic device is determined based upon sensor data provided by a sensor device of the electronic device.

14. The computer-readable memory of claim 13, wherein the sensor device includes an accelerometer or location determination circuitry.

15. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the first touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a first length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a second length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second length is longer than the first length.

16. The computer-readable memory of claim 15, wherein the second touch input further includes a selection of a confirmation element displayed in the user interface.

17. The computer-readable memory of claim 11, wherein the first touch input corresponds to a first sequence of gestures, wherein the second touch input corresponds to a second sequence of gestures, and wherein the second sequence of gestures includes a subset of the first sequence of gestures.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the action includes a message deletion or an unlock function.

19. A system comprising:

a memory; and

one or more processors coupled to the memory, the one or more processors configured to;

display a user interface of an application;

receive touch input in a region of the displayed user interface;

determine a context;

if the determined context is a first context, perform an action if the touch input is a first touch input; and

if the determined context is a second context different from the first context, perform the action if the touch input is a second touch input, wherein the second touch input is different from the first touch input.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the touch input corresponds to one or more gestures.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the determined context relates to a motion of the electronic device.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the motion of the electronic device is determined based upon sensor data provided by a sensor device of the electronic device.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the sensor device includes an accelerometer or location determination circuitry.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the first touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a first length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second touch input includes a swipe gesture corresponding to a second length in the region of the displayed user interface, wherein the second length is longer than the first length.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the second touch input further includes a selection of a confirmation element displayed in the user interface.

26. The system of claim 20, wherein the first touch input corresponds to a first sequence of gestures, wherein the second touch input corresponds to a second sequence of gestures, and wherein the second sequence of gestures includes a subset of the first sequence of gestures.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the action includes a message deletion or an unlock function.