Device, method, and graphical user interface for copying formatting attributes

• US 9,081,494 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Migos, Charles J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/848,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,810 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/769, 715/825, 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2203/04808 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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

An electronic device simultaneously displays on a touch-sensitive display a first user interface object and a second user interface object. The second user interface object has formatting attributes, one or more of which are distinct from corresponding formatting attributes in the first user interface object. The device detects a first contact on the first user interface object and a second contact on the second user interface object. While continuing to detect the first contact and the second contact, the device detects movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display, and moves the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact. The device changes one or more formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving.

Claims

1. An 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;

simultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display;

a first user interface object at a first location on the display, the first user interface object having a first set of formatting attributes; and

a second user interface object at a second location on the display distinct from the first location, the second user interface object having a second set of formatting attributes, wherein one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes are distinct from corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes, wherein formatting attributes determine the visual properties of an object;

detecting a first contact on the first user interface object;

detecting a second contact on the second user interface object; and

while continuing to detect the first contact on the first user interface object and the second contact on the second user interface object;

detecting movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact;

maintaining the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object if the second user interface object does not contact the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact; and

changing one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first user interface object is maintained at the first location while detecting the movement of the second contact.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:

after detecting movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

detecting termination of the second contact; and

in response to detecting termination of the second contact, returning the second user interface object to the second location.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs include instructions for displaying visual indicia of the second location while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the visual indicia of the second location has a shape of the second user interface object.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first contact is made with a first number of fingers and the second contact is made with a second number of fingers, and the first number is distinct from the second number.

7. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

simultaneously displaying on the touch-sensitive display;

a first user interface object at a first location on the display, the first user interface object having a first set of formatting attributes; and

a second user interface object at a second location on the display distinct from the first location, the second user interface object having a second set of formatting attributes, wherein one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes are distinct from corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes, wherein formatting attributes determine the visual properties of an object;

detecting a first contact on the first user interface object;

detecting a second contact on the second user interface object; and

while continuing to detect the first contact on the first user interface object and the second contact on the second user interface object;

detecting movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact;

maintaining the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object if the second user interface object does not contact the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact; and

changing one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first user interface object is maintained at the first location while detecting the movement of the second contact.

9. The method of claim 7, including:

after detecting movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

detecting termination of the second contact; and

in response to detecting termination of the second contact, returning the second user interface object to the second location.

10. The method of claim 7, including displaying visual indicia of the second location while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the visual indicia of the second location has a shape of the second user interface object.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the first contact is made with a first number of fingers and the second contact is made with a second number of fingers, and the first number is distinct from the second number.

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

simultaneously display on the touch-sensitive display;

a first user interface object at a first location on the display, the first user interface object having a first set of formatting attributes; and

a second user interface object at a second location on the display distinct from the first location, the second user interface object having a second set of formatting attributes, wherein one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes are distinct from corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes, wherein formatting attributes determine the visual properties of an object;

detect a first contact on the first user interface object;

detect a second contact on the second user interface object; and

while continuing to detect the first contact on the first user interface object and the second contact on the second user interface object;

detect movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

move the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact;

maintain the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object if the second user interface object does not contact the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact; and

change one or more formatting attributes in the second set of formatting attributes for the second user interface object to match corresponding one or more formatting attributes in the first set of formatting attributes for the first user interface object if the second user interface object contacts the first user interface object while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 11, wherein the first user interface object is maintained at the first location while detecting the movement of the second contact.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 11, wherein the one or more programs include instructions which cause the device to:

after detecting movement of the second contact across the touch-sensitive display;

detect termination of the second contact; and

in response to detecting termination of the second contact, return the second user interface object to the second location.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 11, wherein the one or more programs include instructions that cause the device to display visual indicia of the second location while moving the second user interface object in accordance with the movement of the second contact.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 16, wherein the visual indicia of the second location has a shape of the second user interface object.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium claim 11, wherein the first contact is made with a first number of fingers and the second contact is made with a second number of fingers, and the first number is distinct from the second number.