Methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a multifunction device with a touch screen display

• US 8,370,736 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ording, Bas, Kocienda, Kenneth L., Moore, Bradford Allen, van Os, Marcel, Williamson, Richard, Forstall, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Ries, Laurie
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mills, Frank D
• Application Number:
  US12/565,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20100235726A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 715/234
• US Class Current: 715/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation

Abstract

In some embodiments, a device displays content on a touch screen display and detects input by finger gestures. In response to the finger gestures, the device selects content, visually distinguishes the selected content, and/or updates the selected content based on detected input. In some embodiments, the device displays a command display area that includes one or more command icons; detects activation of a command icon in the command display area; and, in response to detecting activation of the command icon in the command display area, performs a corresponding action with respect to the selected content. Exemplary actions include cutting, copying, and pasting content.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a multifunction device with a touch screen display;

displaying at least a portion of a structured electronic document on the touch screen display, wherein the structured electronic document comprises a plurality of boxes of content;

determining whether the structured electronic document meets one or more predefined document complexity criteria;

selecting one or more entire boxes of content in response to one or more finger gestures when the structured electronic document meets at least one predefined document complexity criteria; and

selecting a gesture-specified portion of text, wherein a respective end of the selected portion of text is placed within one box of content such that only a portion of text in the one box of content is selected when the structured electronic document does not meet at least one predefined document complexity criteria.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a plurality of columns that contain boxes of content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least one non-inline image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least a predefined number of levels of nested elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document uses cascading style sheets.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a floated object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes text floated around an object.

8. A graphical user interface on a multifunction device with a touch screen display, memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

at least a portion of a structured electronic document, the structured electronic document comprising a plurality of boxes of content;

wherein;

whether the structured electronic document meets one or more predefined document complexity criteria is determined;

one or more entire boxes of content are selected in response to one or more finger gestures when the structured electronic document meets at least one predefined document complexity criteria; and

a gesture-specified portion of text is selected, wherein a respective end of the selected portion of text is placed within one box of content such that only a portion of text in the one box of content is selected when the structured electronic document does not meet at least one predefined document complexity criteria.

9. A multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying at least a portion of a structured electronic document on the touch screen display, wherein the structured electronic document comprises a plurality of boxes of content;

determining whether the structured electronic document meets one or more predefined document complexity criteria;

selecting one or more entire boxes of content in response to one or more finger gestures when the structured electronic document meets at least one predefined document complexity criteria; and

selecting a gesture-specified portion of text, wherein a respective end of the selected portion of text is placed within one box of content such that only a portion of text in the one box of content is selected when the structured electronic document does not meet at least one predefined document complexity criteria.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a plurality of columns that contain boxes of content.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least one non-inline image.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least a predefined number of levels of nested elements.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document uses cascading style sheets.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a floated object.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes text floated around an object.

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

display at least a portion of a structured electronic document on the touch screen display, wherein the structured electronic document comprises a plurality of boxes of content;

determine whether the structured electronic document meets one or more predefined document complexity criteria;

select one or more entire boxes of content in response to one or more finger gestures when the structured electronic document meets at least one predefined document complexity criteria; and

select a gesture-specified portion of text, wherein a respective end of the selected portion of text is placed within one box of content such that only a portion of text in the one box of content is selected when the structured electronic document does not meet at least one predefined document complexity criteria.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a plurality of columns that contain boxes of content.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least one non-inline image.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes at least a predefined number of levels of nested elements.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document uses cascading style sheets.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes a floated object.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predefined document complexity criteria comprise a requirement that the structured electronic document includes text floated around an object.