Gestures for manipulating tables, charts, and graphs

• US 9,389,777 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: Business Objects Incorporated (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Sekharan, Satishkumar
• Primary Examiner(s): Pan, Yongjia
• Application Number:
  US14/075,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20150135113A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/18 of spreadsheets form-filling G06F40/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs

Abstract

Gestures are described for manipulating tables, charts and graphs. For tables, a swipe gesture is described that deletes a column from a table when the gesture is detected on a column of the table. A pinch gesture is also described that combines two or more columns or rows of a table when the gesture is detected on columns of the table. For charts and graphs, a swipe gesture is described that changes the contents of the chart or graph when the gesture is detected on an axis label of the chart or graph. Another swipe gesture is describes that modifies the appearance of the chart or graph when the gesture is detected on or near an edge of the chart or graph and moving towards the center of the chart or graph.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting a chart in a touch-sensitive display screen of a data processing device, comprising:

graphically presenting in the chart, by a processor, data associated with a first variable of a plurality of variables in a dataset;

graphically presenting a label located along an axis of the chart that display a first name associated with the first variable of the dataset and comprises a visual element capable of being rotated from a first state to at least a second state,

wherein rotating the label cycles through the plurality of variables in the dataset;

detecting, by the processor, a first input comprising a single swipe gesture on or near the label on the display screen;

rotating the label in the display screen from the first state into the second state in response to the single swipe gesture;

graphically presenting a second name associated with a second variable of the dataset in the display screen in response to detecting the single swipe gesture, wherein the second name corresponds to the second state and is different than the first name; and

updating, by the processor, the chart to graphically present data associated with the second variable rather than the first variable;

detecting, by the processor, a second input comprising a second single swipe gesture;

upon receiving the second input, presenting an animation that appears as though the chart is being folded in the direction of the second swipe gesture to reveal a hidden menu underneath the chart in the display screen, the hidden menu configured to modify the appearance of the chart;

detecting, by the processor, a selection from the hidden menu; and

modifying, by the processor, the appearance of the chart according to the selection.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the label is rotated at a speed of rotation proportional to the speed of the single swipe gesture.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the second input is a swipe gesture towards a center of the chart, the swipe gesture being initiated on or near a predefined edge of the chart.

4. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions for presenting a chart in a touch-sensitive display screen of a data processing device:

graphically presenting in the chart data associated with a first variable of a plurality of variables in a dataset;

graphically presenting a label located along an axis of the chart that displays a first name associated with the first variable of the dataset and comprises a visual element capable of being rotated from a first state to at least a second state, wherein rotating the label cycles through the plurality of variables in the dataset;

detecting a first input comprising a single swipe gesture on or near the label on the display screen;

rotating the label in the display screen from the first state into the second state in response to the single swipe gesture;

graphically presenting a second name associated with a second variable of the dataset in the display screen in response to detecting the single swipe gesture, wherein the second name corresponds to the second state and is different than the first name; and

updating, by the processor, the chart to graphically present data associated with the second variable rather than the first variable;

detecting a second input comprising a second single swipe gesture;

upon receiving the second input, presenting an animation that appears as though the chart is being folded in the direction of the second swipe gesture to reveal a hidden menu underneath the chart in the display screen, the hidden menu configured to modify the appearance of the chart;

detecting a selection from the hidden menu; and

modifying the appearance of the chart according to the selection.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the updated chart replaces data associated with the first variable with data associated with the second variable.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the label is rotated at a speed of rotation proportional to the speed of the single swipe gesture.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the single swipe gesture is initiated on or near the visual element.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 4, wherein the second input is a swipe gesture towards a center of the chart, the swipe gesture being initiated on or near a predefined edge of the chart.

9. A computer implemented system for presenting a chart in a touch-sensitive display screen of a data processing device, comprising:

one or more computer processors; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for;

graphically presenting in the chart data associated with a first variable of a plurality of variables in a dataset;

graphically presenting a label located along an axis of the chart that display a first name associated with the first variable of the dataset and comprises a visual element capable of being rotated from a first state to at least a second state, wherein rotating the label cycles through the plurality of variables in the dataset;

detecting a first input comprising a single swipe gesture on or near the label on the display screen;

rotating the label in the display screen from the first state into the second state in response to the single swipe gesture;

graphically presenting a second name associated with a second variable of the dataset in the display screen in response to detecting the single swipe gesture, wherein the second name corresponds to the second state and is different than the first name; and

updating, by the processor, the chart to graphically present data associated with the second variable rather than the first variable;

detecting a second input comprising a second single swipe gesture;

upon receiving the second input, presenting, an animation that appears as though the chart is being folded in the direction of the second swipe gesture to reveal a hidden menu underneath the chart in the display screen, the hidden menu configured to modify the appearance of the chart;

detecting a selection from the hidden menu; and

modifying the appearance of the chart according to the selection.

10. The computer implemented system of claim 9, wherein the updated chart replaces data associated with the first variable with data associated with the second variable.

11. The computer implemented system of claim 9, wherein the label is rotated at a speed of rotation proportional to the speed of the single swipe gesture.

12. The computer implemented system of claim 9, wherein the single swipe gesture is initiated on or near the visual element.

13. The computer implemented system of claim 9, wherein the second input is a swipe gesture towards a center of the chart, the swipe gesture being initiated on or near a predefined edge of the chart.