Device, method, and graphical user interface for performing character entry

• US 8,686,955 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lee, Jeffery Theodore, Rottler, Benjamin Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Tryder, Gregory J
• Application Number:
  US12/722,422
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178, 715/702, 715/773, 715863-864
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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
• 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

A method of managing user interface content, including performing character entry without a keyboard, is disclosed. The method includes displaying a character entry area and a character selection indicia, wherein the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in a plurality of characters; detecting a point of contact over the character selection indicia; in response to detecting the contact over the character selection indicia, displaying at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location a temporary character that represents a character to be selected; while displaying the temporary character, detecting a character selection gesture; and, in response to detecting the character selection gesture, selecting a character corresponding to the temporary character for placement in the character entry area.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at a portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

displaying on the touch-sensitive display;

a character entry area, and

a character selection indicia that represents a plurality of characters, wherein;

the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and

the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in the plurality of characters;

detecting on the touch-sensitive display a point of contact by a user over the character selection indicia;

in response to detecting the point of contact over the character selection indicia, displaying a temporary character on the touch-sensitive display at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location and a location of the character entry area;

detecting on the touch-sensitive display movement of the point of contact over the character selection indicia;

as the point of contact moves over the character selection indicia, updating the temporary character displayed at the second predefined location with a respective temporary character such that the respective temporary character replaces the prior temporary character at the same second predefined location, the respective temporary character corresponding to a character to be selected in response to detecting a character selection gesture;

while displaying the respective temporary character, detecting on the touch-sensitive display the character selection gesture, the character selection gesture being a swipe gesture toward the second predefined location; and

,

in response to detecting the character selection gesture, selecting the character corresponding to the respective temporary character for placement in the character entry area and appending the character corresponding to the respective temporary character to the character entry area.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising in response to detecting the character selection gesture, ceasing to display the temporary character.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein appending the character corresponding to the temporary character to the character entry area includes displaying an animation of the temporary character moving to the character entry area.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the character selection indicia at the first predefined location is a plurality of characters located adjacent to an edge of the touch-sensitive display.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the character selection indicia is configured to be displayed on the touch-sensitive display according to user hand dominance.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display has physical dimensions of at least one of:

2 inches or less in width, and 2 inches or less in height.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a screen resolution of at least one of:

600 pixels or less in width, and 600 pixels or less in height.

8. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive 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 on the touch-sensitive display;

a character entry area, and

a character selection indicia that represents a plurality of characters, wherein;

the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and

the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in the plurality of characters;

detecting on the touch-sensitive display a point of contact by a over the character selection indicia;

in response to detecting the point of contact over the character selection indicia, displaying a temporary character on the touch-sensitive display at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location and a location of the character entry area;

detecting on the touch-sensitive display movement of the point of contact over the character selection indicia;

as the point of contact moves over the character selection indicia, updating the temporary character displayed at the second predefined location with a respective temporary character such that the respective temporary character replaces the prior temporary character at the same second predefined location, the respective temporary character corresponding to a character to be selected in response to detecting a character selection gesture;

while displaying the respective temporary character, detecting on the touch-sensitive display the character selection gesture, the character selection gesture being a swipe gesture toward the second predefined location; and

,

in response to detecting the character selection gesture, selecting the character corresponding to the respective temporary character for placement in the character entry area and appending the character corresponding to the respective temporary character to the character entry area.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein:

the character selection indicia includes respective character indicia that are displayed at a predefined respective character indicia size;

the temporary character is displayed with a predefined character size; and

,

the predefined respective character indicia size is smaller than the predefined character size.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the touch-sensitive display has physical dimensions of at least one of:

2 inches or less in width, and 2 inches or less in height.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a screen resolution of at least one of:

400 pixels or less in width, and 400 pixels or less in height.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 8, further comprising in response to detecting the character selection gesture, ceasing to display the temporary character.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 8, including instructions for, in response to detecting the character selection gesture, ceasing to display the temporary character.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein appending the character corresponding to the temporary character to the character entry area includes displaying an animation of the temporary character moving to the character entry area.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the character selection indicia at the first predefined location is a plurality of characters located adjacent to an edge of the touch-sensitive display.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15, wherein the character selection indicia is configured to be displayed on the touch-sensitive display according to user hand dominance.

17. A graphical user interface on a portable multifunction device with a touch-sensitive display, the graphical user interface comprising:

a character entry area and a character selection indicia that represents a plurality of characters, the character entry area and character selection indicia being displayed on the touch sensitive display, wherein the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in the plurality of characters;

wherein;

a point of contact is detected over the character selection indicia, wherein the point of contact is detected on the touch-sensitive display;

in response to detecting a point of contact over the character selection indicia, a temporary character is displayed on the touch-sensitive display at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location and a location of the character entry area;

movement of the point of contact over the character selection indicia is detected on the touch-sensitive display;

as the point of contact moves over the character selection indicia, the temporary character displayed at the second predefined location is updated with a respective temporary character such that the respective temporary character replaces the prior temporary character at the same second predefined location, the respective temporary character corresponding to a character to be selected in response to detecting a character selection gesture;

while displaying the respective temporary character, a character selection gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, the character selection gesture being a swipe gesture toward the second predefined location; and

,

in response to detecting the character selection gesture, the character corresponding to the respective temporary character is selected for placement in the character entry area and the character corresponding to the respective temporary character is appended to the character entry area.

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

display on the touch-sensitive display;

a character entry area, and

a character selection indicia that represents a plurality of characters, wherein;

the character selection indicia is displayed at a first predefined location, and

the character selection indicia includes locations corresponding to respective characters in the plurality of characters;

detect on the touch-sensitive display a point of contact by a over the character selection indicia;

in response to detecting the point of contact over the character selection indicia, display a temporary character on the touch-sensitive display at a second predefined location distinct from the first predefined location and a location of the character entry area;

detect on the touch-sensitive display movement of the point of contact over the character selection indicia;

as the point of contact moves over the character selection indicia, update the temporary character displayed at the second predefined location with a respective temporary character such that the respective temporary character replaces the prior temporary character at the same second predefined location, the respective temporary character corresponding to a character to be selected in response to detecting a character selection gesture;

while displaying the respective temporary character, detect on the touch-sensitive display the character selection gesture, the character selection gesture being a swipe gesture toward the second predefined location; and

,

in response to detecting the character selection gesture, select the character corresponding to the respective temporary character for placement in the character entry area and appending the character corresponding to the respective temporary character to the character entry area.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, including instructions which cause the device to, in response to detecting the character selection gesture, cease to display the temporary character.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein appending the character corresponding to the temporary character to the character entry area includes displaying an animation of the temporary character moving to the character entry area.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the character selection indicia at the first predefined location is a plurality of characters located adjacent to an edge of the touch-sensitive display.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21, wherein the character selection indicia is configured to be displayed on the touch-sensitive display according to user hand dominance.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the touch-sensitive display has physical dimensions of at least one of:

2 inches or less in width, and 2 inches or less in height.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a screen resolution of at least one of:

400 pixels or less in width, and 400 pixels or less in height.