Touch event model

• US 8,645,827 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2008
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Beaver, Jason Clay, Platzer, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Hur, Ece
• Application Number:
  US12/042,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,163 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/863, 345/173, 345/174
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, software, devices and APIs for defining touch events for application level software. Furthermore, some embodiments are directed to simplifying the recognition of single and multiple touch events for applications running in multi-touch enabled devices. To simplify the recognition of single and multiple touch events, each view within a particular window can be configured as either a multi-touch view or a single touch view. Furthermore, each view can be configured as either an exclusive or a non-exclusive view. Depending on the configuration of a view, touch events in that and other views can be either ignored or recognized. Ignored touches need not be sent to the application. Selectively ignoring touches can allow for simpler software elements that do not take advantage of advanced multi touch features to be executed at the same device and time as more complex software elements.

Claims

1. A method for handling touch events at a multi-touch device, comprising:

displaying a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associating a multi-touch flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associating an exclusive touch flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

receiving two or more concurrent touches in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views;

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a received touch of the two or more concurrent touches, to one or more of the software elements associated with the views at which the two or more concurrent touches were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-touch and exclusive touch flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enabling the first view to receive multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allowing the first view to receive only one touch event describing a respective touch, of the two or more concurrent touches, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, preventing any view other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view to receive touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a touch event located in the first view; and

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view is asserted, allowing other touch events contemporaneous with the touch event received at the first view to be sent to software elements associated with the other views.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch flag associated with the first view, when asserted, enables the first view to receive multiple contemporaneous touch events located in the first view, and when not asserted, prevents the first view from receiving more than one touch event within the first view.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view, when asserted, prevents views other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch device is a mobile telephone.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the multi-touch device is a digital media player.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising:

receiving a first touch at the first view;

sending a touch event describing the first touch to a first software element, the first software element being one of the one or more software elements and associated with the first view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receiving one or more touches, distinct from the first touch, located in the first view;

determining whether the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the first view is not a multi-touch view, blocking all touch events describing the one or more touches located in the first view until the first touch is no longer received.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

associating an exclusive touch flag with the first view, wherein at least one of the views is a non-exclusive touch view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receiving one or more touches located in any view other than the first view;

determining whether the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the first view is an exclusive touch view, blocking all touch events describing the one or more touches located in any view other than the first view until the first touch is no longer received.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first view is not an exclusive touch view, the method further comprising:

associating an exclusive touch flag with the second view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receiving a second touch located at the second view associated with a second software element;

determining whether the exclusive touch flag associated with the second view indicates that the second view is an exclusive touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the second view is an exclusive touch view, preventing a touch event associated with the second touch from being sent to the second software element until the first touch is no longer received.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

in accordance with a determination that the second view is not an exclusive touch view, sending a touch event describing the second touch to the second software element.

11. A method for recognizing one or more touch events at a multi-touch device, comprising:

displaying a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

assigning at least one of an exclusive touch flag and a multi-touch flag to one or more views, wherein the assigning includes;

assigning a multi-touch flag to a first view of the plurality of views; and

assigning an exclusive touch flag to a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

determining whether at least one of the exclusive touch flag and the multi-touch flag is set for one or more respective views; and

processing one or more touch events in accordance with at least one of the exclusive touch flag and the multi-touch flag, including;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enabling the first view to process multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allowing the first view to process only one touch event at a time within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, preventing any view other than the respective view from processing touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view to process touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at a multi-touch device, the instructions being configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associate a multi-touch flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associate an exclusive touch flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

receive two or more concurrent touches in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views;

send one or more touch events, each touch event describing a received touch of the two or more concurrent touches, to one or more of the software elements associated with the views at which the two or more concurrent touches were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-touch and exclusive touch flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enable the first view to receive multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allow the first view to receive only one touch event describing a respective touch, of the two or more concurrent touches, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, prevent any view other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allow views other than the respective view from receiving to receive touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

receive a touch event located in the first view; and

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view is asserted, allow other touch events contemporaneous with the touch event received at the first view to be sent to software elements associated with the other views.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the multi-touch flag associated with the first view, when asserted, enables the first view to receive multiple contemporaneous touch events within the first view, and when not asserted, prevents the first view from receiving more than one touch event within the first view.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view, when asserted, prevents views other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the multi-touch device is a mobile telephone.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the multi-touch device is a digital media player.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

receive a first touch at the first view;

send a touch event describing the first touch to a first software element, the first software element being one of the one or more software elements and associated with the first view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receive one or more touches, distinct from the first touch, located in the first view;

determine whether the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the first view is not a multi-touch view, block all touch events describing the one or more touches located in the first view until the first touch is no longer received.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

associate an exclusive touch flag with the first view, wherein at least one of the views is a non-exclusive touch view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receive one or more touches located in any view other than the first view;

determine whether the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the first view is an exclusive touch view, block all touch events describing the one or more touches located in any view other than the first view until the first touch is no longer received.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first view is not an exclusive touch view and the instructions are further configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

associate an exclusive touch flag with the second view; and

while receiving the first touch;

receive a second touch at the multi touch panel, the second touch located at the second view associated with a second software element;

determine whether the exclusive touch flag associated with the second view indicates that the second view is an exclusive touch view; and

in accordance with a determination that the second view is an exclusive touch view, prevent a touch event associated with the second touch from being sent to the second software element until the first touch is no longer received.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

in accordance with a determination that the second view is not an exclusive touch view, send a touch event describing the second touch to the second software element.

22. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at a multi-touch device, the instructions being configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

assign at least one of an exclusive touch flag and a multi-touch flag to one or more views, wherein the device is caused to;

assign a multi-touch flag to a first view of the plurality of views; and

assign an exclusive touch flag to a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

determine whether at least one of the exclusive touch flag and the multi-touch flag is set for one or more respective views; and

process one or more touch events in accordance with at least one of the exclusive touch flag and the multi-touch flag, including;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enabling the first view to process multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allowing the first view to process only one touch event at a time within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, preventing any view other than the respective view from processing touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view from to process touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

23. A method for recognizing point events at a multi-point device, comprising:

displaying a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associating a multi-point flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associating an exclusive point flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

receiving two or more concurrent point inputs in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views; and

sending one or more point events, each point event describing a received point input of the two or more concurrent point inputs, to one or more of the software elements associated with the plurality of views at which the two or more concurrent point inputs were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-point and exclusive point flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-point view, enabling the first view to receive multiple concurrent point events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-point view, conditionally allowing the first view to receive only one point event describing a respective point input, of the two or more concurrent point inputs, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive point view, preventing any view other than the respective view from receiving point events while the respective view is receiving a point event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive point view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view to receive point events while the respective view is receiving a point event.

24. A method for recognizing one or more point events at a multi-point device, comprising:

display a user interface, including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

assigning at least one of an exclusive point flag and a multi-point flag to one or more views, wherein the assigning includes;

assigning a multi-point flag to a first view of the plurality of views; and

assigning an exclusive point flag to a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

determine whether at least one of the exclusive point flag and the multi-point flag is set for one or more respective views; and

processing one or more point events in accordance with at least one of the exclusive point flag and the multi-point flag, including;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-point view, enabling the first view to process multiple concurrent point events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-point view, conditionally allowing the first view to process only one point event at a time within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive point view, preventing any view other than the respective view from processing point events while the respective view is receiving a point event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive point view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view to process point events while the respective view is receiving a point event.

25. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at a multi-point device, the instructions being configured to cause the multi-point device to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associate a multi-point flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associate an exclusive point flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

receive two or more concurrent point inputs in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views;

send one or more point events, each point event describing a received point input of the two or more concurrent point inputs, to one or more of the software elements associated with the views at which the two or more concurrent point inputs were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-point and exclusive point flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-point view, enable the first view to receive multiple concurrent point events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-point view, conditionally allow the first view to receive only one point event describing a respective point input, of the two or more concurrent point inputs, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive pointview, prevent any view other than the respective view from receiving point events while the respective view is receiving a point event; and

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive point view, conditionally allow views other than the respective view to receive point events while the respective view is receiving a point event.

26. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at a multi-point device, the instructions being configured to cause the multi-point device to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

assign at least one of an exclusive point flag and a multi-point flag to one or more views, wherein the device is caused to;

assign a multi-point flag to a first view of the plurality of views; and

assign an exclusive point flag to a respective view comprising the first view or a second view of the plurality of views;

determine whether at least one of the exclusive point flag and the multi-point flag is set for one or more respective views; and

process one or more point events in accordance with at least one of the exclusive point flag and the multi-point flag, including;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-point view, enabling the first view to process multiple concurrent point events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-point flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-point view, allowing the first view to process only one point event at a time within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive point view, preventing any view other than the respective view from processing point events while the respective view is receiving a point event; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive point flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive point view, conditionally allowing views other than the respective view to process point events while the respective view is receiving a point event.

27. A multi-touch enabled mobile telephone including a computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at the mobile telephone, the instructions being configured to cause the mobile telephone to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associate a multi-touch flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associate an exclusive touch flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view, distinct from the first view, of the plurality of views;

receive two or more concurrent touches in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views;

send one or more touch events, each touch event describing a received touch of the two or more concurrent touches, to one or more of the software elements associated with the views at which the two or more concurrent touches were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-touch and exclusive touch flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enable the first view to receive multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allow the first view to receive only one touch event describing a respective touch, of the two or more concurrent touches, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, prevent any view other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allow views other than the respective view to receive touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

28. A multi-touch enabled digital media player including a computer readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions configured for execution at the digital media player, the instructions being configured to cause the digital media player to:

display a user interface including a plurality of views, each view corresponding to a respective portion of the user interface;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view;

associate a multi-touch flag with a first view of the plurality of views;

associate an exclusive touch flag with a respective view comprising the first view or a second view of the plurality of views distinct from the first view;

receive two or more concurrent touches in at least the respective view and another view of the plurality of views;

send one or more touch events, each touch event describing a received touch of the two or more concurrent touches, to one or more of the software elements associated with the views at which the two or more concurrent touches were received based on at least one of the values of the multi-touch and exclusive touch flags;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is a multi-touch view, enable the first view to receive multiple concurrent touch events within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the multi-touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not a multi-touch view, conditionally allow the first view to receive only one touch event describing a respective touch, of the two or more concurrent touches, within the first view;

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is an exclusive touch view, prevent any view other than the respective view from receiving touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event; and

in accordance with a determination that the exclusive touch flag associated with the respective view indicates that the respective view is not an exclusive touch view, conditionally allow views other than the respective view to receive touch events while the respective view is receiving a touch event.

29. A method for handling touch events at a multi-touch device, comprising:

displaying two or more views;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associating an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receiving one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receiving one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determining whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view; and

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are processed by at least one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view; and

,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are not processed by any one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.

31. A multi-touch device, comprising memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs for execution at the multi-touch device, the one or more programs including instructions configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

display two or more views;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associate an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receive one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receive one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determine whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view; and

send one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are processed by at least one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view; and

,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are not processed by any one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view.

32. The multi-touch device of claim 31, wherein the one or more programs further include:

instructions for sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.

33. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by a multi-touch device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying two or more views;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associating an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receiving one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receiving one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determining whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view; and

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are processed by at least one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view; and

,

wherein, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view, the one or more touch events are not processed by any one of the one or more software elements associated with the second view.

34. The computer readable storage medium of claim 33, wherein the one or more programs further include:

instructions for sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.

35. A method for handling touch events at a multi-touch device, comprising:

displaying two or more views;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associating an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receiving one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receiving one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determining whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive touch view, preventing the one or more touch events describing the one or more touches at the second view from being sent to any of the one or more software elements associated with any view other than the first view.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.

37. A multi-touch device, comprising memory storing one or more programs, the one or more programs for execution at the multi-touch device, the one or more programs including instructions configured to cause the multi-touch device to:

display two or more views;

execute one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associate an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receive one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receive one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determine whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, send one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive touch view, preventing the one or more touch events describing the one or more touches at the second view from being sent to any of the one or more software elements associated with any view other than the first view.

38. The multi-touch device of claim 37, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.

39. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs for execution by a multi-touch device, the one or more programs including instructions for:

displaying two or more views;

executing one or more software elements, each software element being associated with a particular view of the two or more views;

associating an exclusive touch flag with a first view of the two or more views;

receiving one or more touches at the first view;

while receiving the one or more touches at the first view, receiving one or more touches at a second view distinct from the first view;

determining whether a value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive view;

conditionally, in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is not an exclusive view, sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the second view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the second view at which the respective touch was received; and

,

in accordance with a determination that the value of the exclusive touch flag associated with the first view indicates that the first view is an exclusive touch view, preventing the one or more touch events describing the one or more touches at the second view from being sent to any of the one or more software elements associated with any view other than the first view.

40. The computer readable storage medium of claim 39, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for:

sending one or more touch events, each touch event describing a respective touch of the one or more touches at the first view, to at least one of one or more software elements associated with the first view.