Method of interfacing with multi-point display device

• US 8,717,324 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2013
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Luu, David Ngan
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhou, Hong
• Application Number:
  US13/773,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20130162578A1
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-175, 178 1801- 2001, 715/863, 715/766, 715/769, 715775-776, 715/794
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods (1000), apparatuses (100), and computer readable storage mediums for interfacing with a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) are disclosed. A visual object is displayed (1010) on a multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304). The position of a first input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1020). At least the displayed visual object is selected (1030) based on the position of the first input. The position of a second input contacting the multi-point input display device (181, 204, 304) is detected (1040) contemporaneously with the first input. A separation line across the visual object is determined (1050) so as to define a first portion and a second portion of the visual object. A change in the position of the second input is identified (1060). A change in a display characteristic of the first portion relative to the second portion is controlled (1070) in accordance with the identified change in the position of the second input.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an information processing apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

causing a display device to display an image including visual objects;

detecting a plurality of touch positions being touched by a user on the display device;

defining a definition, based on the plurality of touch positions detected within an area in which a first visual object is displayed, the definition including a raised portion within the area;

causing the display device to display the visual objects in accordance with the definition, wherein the first visual object and a second visual object displayed on the display device are displayed in an overlapping manner, and an upper one of the first and second visual objects that are displayed in the overlapping manner is changed in accordance with the definition; and

causing the display device to insert the second visual object above the first visual object in a case where, after the raised portion is defined for the first visual object, the second visual object intersects another portion of the first visual object that is not defined in the defining step prior to intersecting the raised portion of the first visual object.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein, in a case where, after the raised portion is defined for the first visual object, the second visual object intersects the raised portion of the first visual object prior to intersecting another portion of the first visual object that is not defined in the defining step, the display device is caused to insert the second visual object beneath the first visual object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion and an unraised portion are defined by defining a separation line across the first visual object.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein, in response to a part of the plurality of touch positions being moved, the unraised portion is defined in the defining step based on the touch positions that are not moved.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein, in response to a part of the plurality of touch positions being moved, the raised portion is defined in the defining step based on the touch positions that have been moved.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second visual objects is one of a digital image, a digital photograph, a bitmap, a photo album, and a page in a book.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raised portion is defined in the defining step in response to a part of the plurality of touch positions being detected at an edge portion of the area being moved toward an inside portion of the area.

8. An apparatus for interfacing with a multi-point input display device, comprising:

a memory for storing data and a computer program; and

a processor coupled to the memory for executing the computer program, the memory and the processor being configured to interface with the display device, the computer program including;

code for causing a display device to display an image including visual objects;

code for detecting a plurality of touch positions being touched by a user on the display device;

code for defining a definition, based on a plurality of touch positions detected within an area in which a first visual object is displayed, the definition including a raised portion within the area;

code for causing the display device to display the visual objects in accordance with the definition, wherein the first visual object and a second visual object displayed on the display device are displayed in an overlapping manner, and an upper one of the first and second visual objects that are displayed in the overlapping manner is changed in accordance with the definition; and

code for causing the display device to insert the second visual object above the first visual object in a case where, after the raised portion is defined for the first visual object, the second visual object intersects another portion of the first visual object that is not defined by the code for defining prior to intersecting the raised portion of the first visual object.

9. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for causing a computer to execute a method of controlling an information processing apparatus, the method comprising steps of:

causing a display device to display an image including visual objects;

detecting a plurality of touch positions being touched by a user on the display device;

defining a definition, based on a plurality of touch positions detected within an area in which the first visual object is displayed, the definition including a raised portion within the area;

causing the display device to display the visual objects in accordance with the definition, wherein the first visual object and a second visual object displayed on the display device are displayed in an overlapping manner, and an upper one of the first and second visual objects that are displayed in the overlapping manner is changed in accordance with the definition; and

causing the display device to insert the second visual object above the first visual object in a case where, after the raised portion is defined for the first visual object, the second visual object intersects another portion of the first visual object that is not defined in the defining step prior to intersecting the raised portion of the first visual object.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 9, wherein, in a case where, after the raised portion is defined for the first visual object, the second visual object intersects the raised portion of the first visual object prior to intersecting another portion of the first visual object that is not defined in the defining step, the display device is caused to insert the second visual object beneath the first visual object.