Gestures for controlling, manipulating, and editing of media files using touch sensitive devices

• US 8,686,962 B2
• Filed: 06/07/2011
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): BALAOING, ARIEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/155,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20110239155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 715/784, 715/863, 715/864
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and software for implementing gestures with touch sensitive devices (such as a touch sensitive display) for managing and editing media files on a computing device or system. Specifically, gestural inputs of a human hand over a touch/proximity sensitive device can be used to control, edit, and manipulate files, such as media files including without limitation graphical files, photo files and video files.

Claims

1. A method for processing touch inputs using a touch sensitive display, comprising:

at a computer system with a touch sensitive display;

displaying a plurality of selectable objects on the touch sensitive display;

detecting a touch input on the touch sensitive display, the touch input including at least a first touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point on the touch sensitive display; and

in response to detecting the touch input;

when the touch input includes a single touchdown point, identifying the touch input to be a scroll gesture and scrolling the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point; and

when the touch input includes the first touchdown point and a second touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point in a same direction, identifying the touch input to be a selection gesture and selecting two or more of the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

2. The method of claim 1, including, while scrolling the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point, displaying a scroll action icon on the display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture rather than a rotating gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch input is detected without detecting activation of a button on a keyboard.

3. A computer system, comprising:

a touch sensitive display device;

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 a plurality of selectable objects on the touch sensitive display;

detecting a touch input on the touch sensitive display, the touch input including at least a first touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point on the touch sensitive display; and

in response to detecting the touch input;

when the touch input includes a single touchdown point, identifying the touch input to be a scroll gesture and scrolling the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point; and

when the touch input includes the first touchdown point and a second touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point in a same direction, identifying the touch input to be a selection gesture and selecting two or more of the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

4. The computer system of claim 3, including instructions for, while scrolling the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point, causing the display of a scroll action icon on the display device.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the computer system is one of a mobile telephone and a digital audio player.

11. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

12. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture rather than a rotating gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

13. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the touch input is detected without detecting activation of a button on a keyboard.

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

display a plurality of selectable objects on the touch sensitive display;

detect a touch input on the touch sensitive display, the touch input including at least a first touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point on the touch sensitive display; and

in response to detecting the touch input;

when the touch input includes a single touchdown point, identify the touch input to be a scroll gesture and scroll the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point; and

when the touch input includes the first touchdown point and a second touchdown point and movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point in a same direction, identify the touch input to be a selection gesture and select two or more of the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, including instructions to, while scrolling the plurality of selectable objects in accordance with the movement of the first touchdown point, display a scroll action icon on the display device.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the touch input is identified as a selection gesture rather than a rotating gesture based at least in part on a distance between the first touchdown point and the second touchdown point.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein the touch input is detected without detecting activation of a button on a keyboard.