TAB SCRUBBING USING NAVIGATION GESTURES

• US 20150193099A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 07/09/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: MURPHY, Glen
• Granted Patent: US 9,696,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/017 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• 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

The subject matter of this specification can be implemented in, among other things, a method for tab switching. The method includes a step for receiving a multi-finger swipe gesture event for a computing device in a direction corresponding to a list of tabs of a user interface displayed on a screen of the computing device. The method also includes a step for determining a distance of movement corresponding to the received multi-finger swipe gesture. The method also includes a step for determining a next tab for selection from the list of tabs, wherein where a distance from a current tab to the next tab is proportional to the determined distance of movement. The method also includes a step for providing instructions for a graphical update of the user interface, wherein where the graphical update displays contents of a user interface associated with the determined next tab.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tab switching, the method comprising:

receiving a multi-finger swipe gesture event for a computing device in a direction corresponding to a list of tabs of a user interface displayed on a screen of the computing device;

determining a distance of movement corresponding to the received multi-finger swipe gesture;

determining a next tab for selection from the list of tabs based on the determined distance of movement and a speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture, wherein a distance along the list of tabs from a current tab to the next tab is based on the determined distance of movement and the speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture; and

providing instructions for a graphical update of the user interface, wherein the graphical update displays contents of a user interface associated with the determined next tab.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an end of swipe gesture event indicative of a user'"'"'s desire to select the next tab, wherein the providing of instructions for the graphical update of the user interface is based on the receiving of the end of swipe gesture event.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising:

providing instructions for a second graphical update of the user interface indicative of the determined next tab for selection prior to receiving the end of the swipe gesture event, wherein the second graphical update provides a graphical indication of the next tab without updating the user interface to display the contents of the user interface associated with the next tab.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the second graphical update comprises providing a highlight of the determined next tab.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a first position and a second position of the screen, and wherein the determining of the distance of movement is based on the first position and the second position based on the swipe gesture.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping three fingers on the screen of the computing device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping two fingers on the screen of the computing device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device right-clicking a mouse device of the computing device and dragging the mouse device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping multiple fingers on a trackpad device of the computing device.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the next tab is further based on an acceleration of the multi-finger swipe gesture.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining of the next tab is further based on a size of the tabs in the list of tabs.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing instructions for one or more graphical updates of the user interface as the multi-finger swipe gesture is being received, each of the one or more graphical updates providing a graphical indication for at least one tab among the list of tabs without updating the user interface to display contents of a user interface associated with the at least one tab.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein at least one graphical update of the one or more graphical updates comprises providing a highlight of the at least one tab associated with the at least one graphical update.

10. (canceled)

13. A computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause a computer to perform operations for tab scrubbing, the operations comprising:

receiving a multi-finger swipe gesture event for a computing device in a direction corresponding to a list of tabs of a user interface displayed on a screen of the computing device;

determining a distance of movement corresponding to the received multi-finger swipe gesture;

determining a next tab from the list of tabs based on the determined distance of movement and a speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture, wherein a distance along the list of tabs from a current tab to the next tab is based on the determined distance of movement and the speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture; and

providing instructions for a graphical update of the user interface, wherein the graphical update highlights the determined next tab.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping three fingers on the screen of the computing device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping two fingers on the screen of the computing device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device right-clicking a mouse device of the computing device and dragging the mouse device in the direction corresponding to the list of tabs of the user interface displayed on the screen.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13, wherein the receiving of the multi-finger swipe gesture event comprises a user of the computing device swiping multiple fingers on a trackpad device of the computing device.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising instructions that cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving an end of swipe gesture event indicative of selection of the determined next tab; and

providing instructions for a second graphical update of the user interface, wherein the second graphical update displays the contents of a user interface associated with the next tab.

18. (canceled)

20. A computer-implemented system for tab selection, the system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

receive a multi-finger swipe gesture event for a computing device in a direction corresponding to a list of tabs of a user interface displayed on a screen of the computing device;

determine a distance of movement corresponding to the received multi-finger swipe gesture;

determine a next tab from the list of tabs based on the determined distance of movement and a speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture, wherein a distance along the list of tabs from a current tab to the next tab is based on the determined distance of movement and the speed of the multi-finger swipe gesture; and

receive an end of swipe gesture event indicative of selection of the determined next tab; and

provide instructions for a graphical update of the user interface, wherein the graphical update displays contents of a user interface associated with the next tab.