Optimized gestures for zoom functionality on touch-based device

• US 9,471,150 B1
• Filed: 09/27/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Open Text Corporation
• Original Assignee: EMC Corporation (Dell Technologies Inc.)
• Inventors: Addaguduru, Chandramouli
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Varga, Wilson
• Application Number:
  US14/040,521
• Time in Patent Office: 1,117 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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

Abstract

A first directional touch gesture on a display area and a second directional touch gesture on the display area are received simultaneously, wherein: the first directional touch gesture is on a left side of the display area; the second directional touch gesture is on a right side of the display area; and a first direction associated with the first directional touch gesture is identical to a second direction associated with the second directional touch gesture. Content is scaled within the display area based at least in part on the identical direction associated with the simultaneous directional touch gestures.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

receiving a first directional touch gesture on a display area associated with a touch-based device and a second directional touch gesture on the display area simultaneously, wherein;

the first directional touch gesture is made by a user left thumb on a left side of the display area while a user left hand is firmly holding the touch-based device;

the second directional touch gesture is made by a user right thumb on a right side of the display area while a user right hand is firmly holding the touch-based device; and

a first direction associated with the first directional touch gesture is identical to a second direction associated with the second directional touch gesture;

receiving a first measurement associated with the first directional touch gesture, comprising a first distance that the user left thumb moves;

receiving a second measurement associated with the second directional touch gesture, comprising a second distance that the user right thumb moves;

determining a scaling value based on a function of the first distance and the second distance, wherein the function comprises one or more of;

an average of the first distance and the second distance, a minimum of the first distance and the second distance, and a maximum of the first distance and the second distance; and

scaling content within the display area in proportion to the scaling value, comprising;

zooming in within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous directional touch gestures is towards a top side of the display area; and

zooming out within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous direction touch gestures is towards a bottom side of the display area.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein 100% of zooming in is proportionate to the distance at 50 mm.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein 100% of zooming in is proportionate to the distance at 20 mm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a percentage of zooming out is proportionate to a distance associated with one or more of the following:

the first directional touch gesture, the second directional touch gesture, and a combination of the first directional touch gesture and second directional touch gesture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein 100% of zooming out is proportionate to the distance at 50 mm.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein 100% of zooming out is proportionate to the distance at 20 mm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first directional touch gesture and second directional touch gesture are associated with a user'"'"'s anatomical digit.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first directional touch gesture and second directional touch gesture are a touch and drag gesture.

9. A system, comprising

a display area associated with a touch-based device configured to:

receive a first directional touch gesture on the display area and a second directional touch gesture on the display area simultaneously, wherein;

the first directional touch gesture is made by a user left thumb on a left side of the display area while a user left hand is firmly holding the touch-based device;

the second directional touch gesture is made by a user right thumb on a right side of the display area while a user right hand is firmly holding the touch-based device; and

a first direction associated with the first directional touch gesture is identical to a second direction associated with the second directional touch gesture;

receive a first measurement associated with the first directional touch gesture comprising a first distance that the user left thumb moves; and

receive a second measurement associated with the second directional touch gesture comprising a second distance that the user right thumb moves;

a processor coupled to the display area and configured to;

determine a scaling value based on a function of the first measurement distance and the second measurement distance, wherein the function comprises one or more of;

an average of the first distance and the second distance, a minimum of the first distance and the second distance, and a maximum of the first distance and the second distance; and

scale content within the display area in proportion to the scaling value comprising;

zooming in within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous directional touch gestures is towards a top side of the display area; and

zooming out within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous direction touch gestures is towards a bottom side of the display area; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

10. The system recited in claim 9, wherein:

a percentage of zooming in is proportionate to the scaling value.

11. The system recited in claim 9, wherein:

a percentage of zooming out is proportionate to the scaling value.

12. A computer program product, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a first directional touch gesture on a display area associated with a touch-based device and a second directional touch gesture on the display area simultaneously, wherein;

the first directional touch gesture is made by a user left thumb on a left side of the display area while a user left hand is firmly holding the touch-based device;

the second directional touch gesture is made by a user right thumb on a right side of the display area while a user right hand is firmly holding the touch-based device; and

a first direction associated with the first directional touch gesture is identical to a second direction associated with the second directional touch gesture;

receiving a first measurement associated with the first directional touch gesture comprising a first distance that the user left thumb moves;

receiving a second measurement associated with the second directional touch gesture comprising a second distance that the user right thumb moves;

determining a scaling value based on a function of the first distance and the second distance, wherein the function comprises one or more of;

an average of the first distance and the second distance, a minimum of the first distance and the second distance, and a maximum of the first distance and the second distance; and

scaling content within the display area in proportion to the scaling value, comprising;

zooming in within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous directional touch gestures is towards a top side of the display area; and

zooming out within the display area when the identical direction associated with the simultaneous direction touch gestures is towards a bottom side of the display area.

13. The computer program product recited in claim 12, wherein:

a percentage of zooming in is proportionate to the scaling value.

14. The computer program product recited in claim 12, wherein:

a percentage of zooming out is proportionate to the scaling value.