Touch-sensitive display method and apparatus

• US 9,383,921 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Van Eerd, Peter Anthony, Wilson, Sean David Drew, Ehrismann, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US14/849,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20150378601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• 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 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An example method includes associating a first area of a non-display area of a touch-sensitive display with a first control, wherein a touch associated with the first control results in moving an indicator through the information in a first direction and in a second direction. The method may also include associating a second area of the non-display area with a second control, wherein a touch associated with the second control results in moving the indicator through the information in the first direction and in the second direction. The method may also include detecting a first touch associated with the first control, in response to detecting the first touch, moving the indicator in the first direction, detecting a second touch associated with the second control, and in response to detecting the second touch, moving the indicator in the first direction.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying information on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a first control that moves an indicator through the information in a first direction and a second control that moves the indicator through the information in a second direction, wherein the first control and the second control are stationary during movement of the indicator;

detecting a first touch of the first control and a second touch of the second control overlap in time for a predefined time period; and

in response to detecting the overlap, executing an editing function on one or more characters adjacent the indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the editing function comprises at least one of highlighting, cutting, copying, deleting, or pasting.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a third touch of the first control while the second touch of the second control is maintained; and

in response to the first touch, expending the editing function in the first direction.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a first indication of the first control and a second indication of the second control.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first control and the second control are located in a non-display area of the touch-sensitive display.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined time period comprises 200 milliseconds, 0.75 seconds, or 1.25 seconds.

7. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to;

display information, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a first control that moves an indicator through the information in a first direction and a second control that moves the indicator through the information in a second direction, wherein the first control and the second control are stationary during movement of the indicator;

detect a first touch of the first control and a second touch of the second control overlap in time for a predefined time period; and

in response to detecting the overlap, one or more processors configured to execute an editing function on one or more characters adjacent the indicator.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the editing function comprises at least one of highlighting, cutting, copying, deleting, or pasting.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, further comprising:

the touch-sensitive display further configured to detect a third touch of the first control while the second touch of the second control is maintained; and

in response to the first touch, the one or more processors further configured to expend the editing function in the first direction.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, the touch-sensitive display further configured to display a first indication of the first control and a second indication of the second control.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first control and the second control are located in a non-display area of the touch-sensitive display.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the predefined time period comprises 200 milliseconds, 0.75 seconds, or 1.25 seconds.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

displaying information on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a first control that moves an indicator through the information in a first direction and a second control that moves the indicator through the information in a second direction, wherein the first control and the second control are stationary during movement of the indicator;

detecting a first touch of the first control and a second touch of the second control overlap in time for a predefined time period; and

in response to detecting the overlap, executing an editing function on one or more characters adjacent the indicator.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the editing function comprises at least one of highlighting, cutting, copying, deleting, or pasting.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, the instructions further comprising:

detecting a third touch of the first control while the second touch of the second control is maintained; and

in response to the first touch, expending the editing function in the first direction.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, the instructions further comprising displaying a first indication of the first control and a second indication of the second control.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the first control and the second control are located in a non-display area of the touch-sensitive display.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the predefined time period comprises 200 milliseconds, 0.75 seconds, or 1.25 seconds.