User input

• US 9,235,341 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2010
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Wang, Wei, Wang, Kongqiao, Xie, Xiaohui, Liu, Yingfei, Wang, Xia, Liu, Huanglingzi, Wang, Bin, Liu, Zhen, Tang, Yuezhong
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia, Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US13/522,915
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,183 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/769, 345156-184, 702/44, 370/352
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Apparatus, a method and a computer program are provided. The apparatus includes: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer program instructions, the at least one processor being configured to execute the computer program instructions to cause the apparatus at least to perform: controlling a touch sensitive display to display a first graphical item at a first position and a second graphical item at a second position, the second graphical item being separated from the first graphical item by a first distance; detecting a first user digit at the first position and a second user digit at the second position; reducing the first distance by moving at least one of the first and second graphical items across the touch sensitive display, in response to detecting movement, across the touch sensitive display, of at least one of the first and second user digits; and controlling the touch sensitive display to display a third graphical item, after determining the first distance has been reduced such that the first graphical item is proximate the second graphical item.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer program instructions configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to perform;

causing a touch sensitive display to display a menu comprising a first graphical item, selectable to open a first software application, and a second graphical item, selectable to open a second software application, wherein the first graphical item is at a first position, the second graphical item is at a second position and the second graphical item is separated from the first graphical item by a first distance that is greater than a threshold value;

detecting a first user digit at the first position;

reducing the first distance by moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display in response to detecting movement, across the touch sensitive display, of the first user digit;

creating a hierarchical structure in the menu, after determining that the first distance has been reduced such that the first graphical item is within a distance of the second graphical item that is less than the threshold value, in which the first and second graphical items are grouped together in a first level in the hierarchical structure and represented by a third graphical item displayed on the touch sensitive display; and

responding to selection of the third graphical item in the first level of the hierarchical structure by providing access to a second level in the hierarchical structure, different from the first level in the hierarchical structure, in which the first graphical item is selectable to open the first software application and the second graphical item is selectable to open the second software application.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions are configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:

detecting the first user digit and a second user digit at the third graphical item;

responding to detecting movement of at least one of the first and second user digits that increases a distance between the first and second user digits, by controlling the touch sensitive display to remove the third graphical item from display and displaying the first graphical item and the second graphical item.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a hand portable electronic device comprising the touch sensitive display.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a second user digit is detected at the second position;

and the first distance is reduced by moving the first and second graphical items across the touch sensitive display in response to detecting movement, across the touch sensitive display, of the first and second user digits.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the computer program instructions are configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:

reducing the first distance by simultaneously moving the first and second graphical items towards one another across the touch sensitive display in response to detecting simultaneous movement, across the touch sensitive display, of the first and second user digits towards one another.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions are configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:

detecting user input, provided prior to moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display, which identifies the first graphical item for movement.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the user input which identifies the first graphical item for movement is different from user input that is provided to select the first graphical item, and wherein selection of the first graphical item causes a software application to be opened.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user input that identifies the first graphical item for movement is a touch input at the first graphical item which is provided for longer than a threshold period of time.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein identification of the first graphical item for movement is indicated visually on the touch sensitive display.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third graphical item replaces the first and second graphical items on the touch sensitive display.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second graphical item is not moveable simultaneously with the first graphical item.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the third graphical item includes the graphical appearance of the first and second graphical items on a smaller scale than the first and second graphical items.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the computer program instructions are configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform:

prompting a user to name the third graphical item upon display of the third graphical item.

14. A method, comprising:

causing a touch sensitive display to display a menu comprising a first graphical item, selectable to open a first software application, and a second graphical item, selectable to open a second software application, wherein the first graphical item is at a first position, the second graphical item is at a second position and the second graphical item is separated from the first graphical item by a first distance that is greater than a threshold value;

detecting a first user digit at the first position;

reducing the first distance by moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display in response to detecting movement, across the touch sensitive display, of the first user digit;

creating a hierarchical structure in the menu, after determining that the first distance has been reduced such that the first graphical item is within a distance of the second graphical item that is less than the threshold value, in which the first and second graphical items are grouped together in a first level in the hierarchical structure and represented by a third graphical item displayed on the touch sensitive display; and

responding to selection of the third graphical item in the first level of the hierarchical structure by providing access to a second level in the hierarchical structure, different from the first level in the hierarchical structure, in which the first graphical item is selectable to open the first software application and the second graphical item is selectable to open the second software application.

15. A method, as claimed in claim 14, further comprising:

detecting user input, provided prior to moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display, which identifies the first graphical item for movement.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the user input that identifies the first graphical item for movement is a touch input at the first graphical item which is provided for longer than a threshold period of time.

17. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the second graphical item is not moveable simultaneously with the first graphical item.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer program instructions configured, working with at least one processor, to cause at least the following to be performed:

causing a touch sensitive display to display a menu comprising a first graphical item, selectable to open a first software application, and a second graphical item, selectable to open a second software application, wherein the first graphical item is at a first position, the second graphical item is at a second position and the second graphical item is separated from the first graphical item by a first distance that is greater than a threshold value;

detecting a first user digit at the first position;

reducing the first distance by moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display in response to detecting movement, across the touch sensitive display, of the first user digit;

creating a hierarchical structure in the menu, after determining that the first distance has been reduced such that the first graphical item is within a distance of the second graphical item that is less than the threshold value, in which the first and second graphical items are grouped together in a first level in the hierarchical structure and represented by a third graphical item displayed on the touch sensitive display; and

responding to selection of the third graphical item in the first level of the hierarchical structure by providing access to a second level in the hierarchical structure, different from the first level in the hierarchical structure, in which the first graphical item is selectable to open the first software application and the second graphical item is selectable to open the second software application.

19. A non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the computer program instructions are configured, working with the at least one processor, to further cause at least the following to be performed:

detecting user input, provided prior to moving the first graphical item across the touch sensitive display, which identifies the first graphical item for movement.

20. A non-transitory computer readable medium as claimed in claim 19, wherein the user input that identifies the first graphical item for movement is a touch input at the first graphical item which is provided for longer than a threshold period of time, and identification of the first graphical item for movement is indicated visually on the touch sensitive display.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein user input that identifies the first graphical item for movement is a touch input at the first graphical item which is provided for longer than a threshold period of time.