Method for selecting an element of a user interface and device implementing such a method

• US 8,893,051 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2011
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crohas, Henri, Mallart, Raul
• Primary Examiner(s): Belousov, Andrey
• Application Number:
  US13/521,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20140026097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,071 Days
• Field of Search: 715/810, 715/822, 715/823, 715/860
• US Class Current: 715/860
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• 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 3/0481 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A method for selecting at least one element of a user interface on an electronic unit, including a step during which an action of an initialisation tool, positioned into an initialisation position on the user interface on the unit, triggers a display of a virtual magnifier encompassing the initialization position; and then a step during which an action of a validation tool triggers a display in the magnifier of a cursor centered on the initialization position; and then a step during which any movement of the validation tool causes an identical movement of the cursor and the virtual magnifier on the interface and which depends on the movement of the validation tool; and then a step during which at least one element of the interface is selected when the validation tool is picked up from the interface or that a selection tool is put onto the interface.

Claims

1. A method for selecting at least one element of a user interface on an electronic unit, comprising:

positioning an initialization tool in an initialization position on the user interface;

triggering a display of a virtual magnifier encompassing the initialization position when the initialization tool is positioned on the user interface;

moving the initialization tool to a position on the user interface that is a distance from the initialization position, wherein when the distance is greater than a distance threshold, a validation tool triggers a display of a cursor in the magnifier that is centered on the initialization position;

subsequent moving the validation tool causes an identical movement of the cursor and the virtual magnifier on the user interface that depends on the movement of the validation tool; and

selecting at least one element of the user interface when the validation tool is picked up from the user interface or when a selection tool is put onto the user interface.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the user interface is a touch screen.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the movement of the cursor and of the virtual magnifier is a proportional movement to that of the validation tool.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the element to be selected is smaller than the virtual magnifier on the user interface.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the action of the initialization tool triggering the display of the virtual magnifier on the user interface comprises positioning the initialization tool into the same initialization position, during a time higher than a time threshold.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the action of the initialization tool triggering the display of the virtual magnifier on the user interface comprises a sequence, said sequence comprising:

positioning the initialization tool into an initialization position, and

picking up the initialization tool, and then

newly positioning the initialization tool into the initialization position or in a neighboring position, this sequence being performed in a time period lower than a time interval threshold.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the validation tool is the same as the initialization tool.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein a zooming factor of the magnifier is determined as a function of a movement speed of the initialization tool between the initialization position and its position at the end of the action triggering the display of the cursor.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the validation tool is different from the initialization tool and for which the action triggering the display of the cursor comprises the action of putting the validation tool on the user interface.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein to select at least one element of the interface, a specific selection is generated depending on a relative pressing position of the selection tool with respect to the validation tool.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the generated specific selection is a left click when the selection tool is on the left of the validation tool.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the generated specific selection is a right click when the selection tool is on the right of the validation tool.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein a magnifying factor of the virtual magnifier is strictly higher than 1.

14. A device for selecting at least one element of a user interface, the device comprising:

a electronic unit including a display screen, said display screen configured to display a user interface;

an initialization tool and a validation tool each associated with the electronic unit, wherein the initialization tool is positioned on an initialization position on the user interface and triggers a display of a virtual magnifier encompassing the initialization position on the user interface;

a cursor displayed in the magnifier on the user interface and centered on the initialization position when the validation tool is moved a distance from the magnifier that is greater than a threshold distance, and a directional cross associated with the cursor that is spaced from the magnifier by an action of the validation tool,

wherein the electronic unit causes, for any movement of the validation tool, an identical movement of the cursor and the virtual magnifier spaced from the validation tool on the user interface, said movement being dependent on the movement of the validation tool; and

a selector associated with the electronic unit and configured for selecting at least one element of the user interface when the validation tool is picked up from the user interface or when a selection tool is put onto the user interface.