Method and system for advancing through a sequence of items using a touch-sensitive component

• US 9,230,393 B1
• Filed: 12/08/2011
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Davies, Benedict John, Volovich, Yaroslav
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xiao, Di
• Application Number:
  US13/314,754
• Time in Patent Office: 1,489 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/864, 715/851, 715/973
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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: G07F 17/32 for games, toys, sports, or amusements
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/3209 Input means, e.g. buttons, touch screen

Abstract

An electronic device includes a touch-sensitive component and a display that presents a sequence of content item. A user may scroll through the sequence by applying a touch input that continuously moves across at least two thresholds. So long as the input stroke remains uninterrupted, the display will advance through the sequence each time the stroke crosses one of the two thresholds.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

outputting, at a display of an electronic device, a first content item in a sequence of content items, wherein the sequence comprises the first content item, a second content item that sequentially follows the first content item in the sequence, and a third content item that sequentially follows the second content item in the sequence;

detecting, by a processor of the electronic device, a touch input received at a touch-sensitive component of the electronic device;

identifying, by the processor, a starting location on the touch-sensitive component, wherein the starting location includes a coordinate that corresponds to a location of the touch input;

determining, by the processor, a first threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a first threshold distance away, in a first direction, from the starting location;

determining, by the processor, a second threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a second threshold distance away from the starting location in a second direction opposite the first direction;

responsive to detecting that an input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continuously moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction, outputting, at the display, the second content item in the sequence;

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continuously moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction and then to the second threshold location in a reverse direction, outputting, at the display, the third content item in the sequence; and

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location a predefined number of times without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location, reversing an order of display for the sequence of content items.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether the first content item is part of the sequence of content items; and

identifying the starting location when it is determined the first content item is part of the sequence of content items.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first threshold location further comprises determining the first threshold distance based on one or more stored attributes of a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance differ by less than a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a third threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a third threshold distance away from the starting location in either the first direction or the second direction, wherein the third threshold distance is greater than both the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance;

detecting, by the processor, that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continued to move past the third threshold location; and

outputting, at the display, a plurality of content items in the sequence automatically when the input stroke remains continuously applied past the third threshold location.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a speed of the input stroke; and

adjusting resolution of one or more content items in the sequence before outputting the one or more content items at the display based on the detected speed of the input stroke.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the processor, that the input stroke has been interrupted, and

increasing resolution of a displayed content item in response to detecting that the input stroke has been interrupted.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises an element of the display.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing haptic feedback in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction; and

providing haptic feedback in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved in a reverse direction to the second threshold location after moving from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined number of times that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location is three times or more.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, by the processor, that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continued moving from the second threshold location back to the first threshold location in the first direction after moving from the first threshold location to the second threshold location in a reverse direction; and

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continued moving from the second threshold location back to the first threshold location in the first direction after moving from the first threshold location to the second threshold location in the reverse direction, outputting, at the display, a fourth content item sequentially following the third content item in the sequence.

12. A computer-readable non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a selection of a first content item from a plurality of content items;

outputting, at a display, the first content item;

detecting, by the processor, receipt of a touch input via a touch-sensitive component;

determining that the first content item is part of a sequence of content items that are to be sequentially output at the display, wherein the sequence comprises the first content item, a second content item that sequentially follows the first content item in the sequence, and a third content item that sequentially follows the second content item in the sequence;

determining, by the processor, a starting location, wherein the starting location includes a coordinate that corresponds to a location of the touch input on the touch-sensitive component;

determining, by the processor, a first threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a first threshold distance away, in a first direction, from the starting location;

determining, by the processor, a second threshold corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a second threshold distance away from the starting location in a second direction opposite the first direction;

detecting, by the processor, that an input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component moves across the first threshold location without interruption, and in response, outputting the second content item in the sequence of items at the display;

detecting, by the processor, that the touch input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has continuously moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction and then to the second threshold location in a reverse direction without interruption, and in response, outputting the third content item in the sequence of items at the display; and

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location a predefined number of times without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location, reversing an order of display for the sequence of content items.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

generating, by the processor, the order for the sequence of content items.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the predefined number of times that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location is three times or more.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein determining the first threshold location further comprises determining the first threshold distance based on one or more stored attributes of a user.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance are equal.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

determining, by the processor, a third threshold location, corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a third threshold distance away from the starting location in either the first direction or the second direction, wherein the third threshold distance is greater than both the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance;

detecting, by the processor, that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continued to move past the third threshold location; and

outputting, at the display, a plurality of content items in the sequence when the input stroke remains continuously applied past the third threshold location.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

detecting, by the processor, a speed of the input stroke; and

adjusting resolution of one or more content items in the sequence before outputting the one or more content items at the display based on the detected speed of the input stroke.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

detecting, by the processor, that the input stroke has been interrupted, and in response, increasing resolution of a displayed content item when the input stroke is interrupted.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises an element of the display.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

providing haptic feedback in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction; and

providing haptic feedback in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved in a reverse direction to the second threshold location after moving from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction.

22. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a processor;

a touch-sensitive component; and

a memory storing program instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the processor to;

determine a sequence of content items, wherein the sequence includes a first content item, a second content item that sequentially follows the first content item in the sequence and a third content item that sequentially follows the second content item in the sequence;

output, at the display, the first content item;

detect a touch input received at the touch-sensitive component;

identify a starting location on the touch-sensitive component, wherein the starting location includes a coordinate that corresponds to a location of the touch input;

determine a first threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a first threshold distance away, in a first direction, from the starting location;

determine a second threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a second threshold distance away from the starting location in a second direction opposite the first direction;

responsive to detecting that an input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continuously moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction without interruption, output, at the display, the second content item;

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continuously moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction and then to the second threshold location in a reverse direction without interruption, output, at the display, the third content item; and

responsive to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location a predefined number of times without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location, reverse an order of display for the sequence of content items.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein the touch-sensitive component comprises an element of the display.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the predefined number of times that the touch input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved across one of the first threshold location and the second threshold location without crossing another one of the first threshold location or the second threshold location is three times or more.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to:

determine a third threshold location corresponding to a coordinate on the touch-sensitive component that is located a third threshold distance away from the starting location in either the first direction or the second direction, wherein the third threshold distance is greater than both the first threshold distance and the second threshold distance;

detect that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch-sensitive component has continued to move past the third threshold location; and

output, at the display, a plurality of content items in the sequence when the input stroke remains continuously applied past the third threshold location.

26. The device of claim 22, wherein the instructions also cause the processor to:

detect a speed of the input stroke; and

adjust a resolution of one or more content items in the sequence before outputting the one or more content items at the display based on the detected speed of the input stroke.

27. The device of claim 22, wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

detect that the input stroke has been interrupted, and in response, increase resolution of a displayed content item when the input stroke is interrupted.

28. The device of claim 22, further comprising a haptic element, and wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction, cause the haptic element to provide haptic feedback; and

in response to detecting that the input stroke continuously applied at the touch sensitive component has moved in a reverse direction to the second threshold location after moving from the starting location to the first threshold location in the first direction cause the haptic element to provide haptic feedback.