User interface methods for ending an application

• US 8,413,065 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2009
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Horodezky, Samuel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US12/554,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20110057953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/772, 715/867, 715/744, 382/255, 382/299
• US Class Current: 715/772
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods and devices provide an efficient user interface for initiating a function by detecting an ellipsoidal continuous touch path on a touch surface of a computing device. In an embodiment the initiated function may end an application. A user may initiate the function operation by tracing an ellipsoidal shape (e.g., a circle) a touchscreen or touchpad. A display image may be contorted to inform the user about the progress towards accomplishing the function. The function operation of contorting the display image may begin at a minimum measure of the traced path and complete at a maximum measure of the traced path. In an embodiment, terminating an application and returning to the home display may be achieved in response to a clockwise path trace and minimizing of an application and returning to home display may be achieved in response to a counterclockwise path trace, or vice versa.

Claims

1. A method for initiating a function on a computing device, comprising:

detecting a path event on a touch sensitive input device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape, wherein the measure of the path is a rotational angle based upon a length of the path;

determining a rotational direction of the path event;

initiating an operation corresponding to the ellipsoid path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation by generating a display of the present application display that is contorted in the form of a swirl, wherein the degree of swirl depends upon the measure of the path; and

completing the operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value, wherein completing the operation further comprises;

terminating an application and returning to home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a first direction; and

minimizing the application and returning to a home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a second direction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a triangular shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a triangular shape; and

initiating a second operation corresponding to the triangular path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the second operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a square shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a square shape; and

initiating a third operation corresponding to the square path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the third operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

6. A computing device, comprising:

a processor; and

a touchscreen display coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

detecting a path event on a touch sensitive input device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape, wherein the measure of the path is a rotational angle based upon a length of the path;

determining a rotational direction of the path event;

initiating an operation corresponding to the ellipsoid path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation by generating a display of the present application display that is contorted in the form of a swirl, wherein the degree of swirl depends upon the measure of the path; and

completing the operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value, wherein completing the operation further comprises;

terminating an application and returning to home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a first direction; and

minimizing the application and returning to home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a second direction.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform further operations comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

8. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform further operations comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

9. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform further operations comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a triangular shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a triangular shape; and

initiating a second operation corresponding to the triangular path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the second operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

10. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform further operations comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a square shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a square shape; and

initiating a third operation corresponding to the square path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the third operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

11. A computing device, comprising:

means for detecting a path event on a touch sensitive input device;

means for determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

means for determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape, wherein the measure of the path is a rotational angle based upon a length of the path;

means for determining a rotational direction of the path event;

means for initiating an operation corresponding to the ellipsoid path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

means for displaying a contorted image of the present application display as part the initiated operation in the form of a swirl in which the degree of swirl depends upon the measure of the path; and

means for completing the operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the means for completing the operation further comprises;

means for terminating an application and returning to home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a first direction; and

means for minimizing the application and returning to a home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a second direction.

12. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

13. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

14. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining whether the path event traces a triangular shape;

means for determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a triangular shape; and

means for initiating a second operation corresponding to the triangular path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

means for displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

means for completing the second operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

15. The computing device of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining whether the path event traces a square shape;

means for determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a square shape; and

means for initiating a third operation corresponding to the square path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

means for displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

means for completing the third operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a path event on a touch sensitive input device;

determining whether the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape, wherein the measure of the path is a rotational angle based upon a length of the path;

determining a rotational direction of the path event;

initiating an operation corresponding to the ellipsoid path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation by generating a display of the present application display that is contorted in the form of a swirl, wherein the degree of swirl depends upon the measure of the path; and

completing the operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations such that completing the operation further comprises;

terminating an application and returning to home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a first direction; and

minimizing the application and returning to a home display when the rotational direction of the path event is determined to be in a second direction.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

displaying an ellipsoidal shaped visual aid on the display in response to determining that the path event traces an ellipsoidal shape.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a triangular shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a triangular shape; and

initiating a second operation corresponding to the triangular path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the second operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the stored computer-executable instructions are configured to cause the processor to perform operations further comprising:

determining whether the path event traces a square shape;

determining a measure of the path event when the path event traces a square shape; and

initiating a third operation corresponding to the square path event when the determined measure of the path exceeds a first threshold value;

displaying a contorted image as part the initiated operation; and

completing the third operation when the determined measure of the path exceeds a second threshold value.