Enhanced display of interactive elements in a browser

• US 9,575,653 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2013
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Barkway, Michael Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHAUD, ROBERT J
• Application Number:
  US13/742,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20140198055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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

A method, system and electronic device are provided for processing touch inputs on a touchscreen display. A starting touch input is detected on a document displayed at an initial scale on the touchscreen. If the starting touch input is within a disambiguation region for a number of interactive elements in the document, while contact is maintained on the display a further view of the document at an enlarged scale is displayed showing the area of the touch input. When an ending touch input is detected, one interactive element may be selected according to the location of the ending touch input, and an interaction function, such as requesting a resource hyperlinked by the selected interactive element, is automatically initiated.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

displaying a document at an initial scale in a first view on a touchscreen display, the document comprising a plurality of interactive elements;

detecting a starting touch input initiating a contact on the touchscreen display at a first touch point, the first touch point having an initial position within the first view;

determining whether the initial position is within a disambiguation region for two or more of the plurality of interactive elements, wherein a disambiguation area for an interactive element comprises an area defined by a disambiguation boundary around the interactive element and represents a specified distance beyond bounds of the interactive element, such that the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements when the initial position is located within disambiguation areas for at least two of the two or more interactive elements;

when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements;

while the contact is maintained on the touchscreen display,

displaying a region of the document comprising the initial position at an enlarged scale in a pop-up which partially overlays the first view, the two or more interactive elements being displayed at the enlarged scale in the pop-up;

detecting a further touch input in the pop-up for selecting one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements; and

in response to the further touch input, automatically initiating an interaction function with the selected interactive element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, while the contact is maintained:

detecting a moving touch input within the first view indicating movement of the first touch point from the initial position to a further position; and

updating the pop-up as a position of the first touch point changes during detection of the moving touch input, the pop-up thus comprising a region of the document defined by a current position of the first touch point within the first view, and including any of the plurality of interactive elements included in the region thus defined.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction function comprises initiating a request over a network for a resource identified by the selected interactive element.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, when the initial position is determined to not be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, processing the starting touch input in accordance with a default process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display is multitouch-enabled.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the further touch input comprises detecting a contact region in the pop-up which intersects the one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements.

7. An electronic device, including:

a touchscreen display; and

a processor in communication with the touchscreen display, the processor being configured to be capable of;

displaying a document at an initial scale in a first view on a touchscreen display, the document comprising a plurality of interactive elements;

detecting a starting touch input initiating a contact on the touchscreen display at a first touch point, the first touch point having an initial position within the first view;

determining whether the initial position is within a disambiguation region for two or more of the plurality of interactive elements, wherein a disambiguation area for an interactive element comprises an area defined by a disambiguation boundary around the interactive element and represents a specified distance beyond bounds of the interactive element, such that the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements when the initial position is located within disambiguation areas for at least two of the two or more interactive elements;

when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements;

while the contact is maintained on the touchscreen display,

displaying a region of the document comprising the initial position at an enlarged scale in a pop-up which partially overlays the first view, the two or more interactive elements being displayed at the enlarged scale in the pop-up;

detecting a further touch input in the pop-up for selecting one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements; and

in response to the further touch input, automatically initiating an interaction function with the selected interactive element.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further capable of, when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, while the contact is maintained:

detecting a moving touch input within the first view indicating movement of the first touch point from the initial position to a further position; and

updating the pop-up as a position of the first touch point changes during detection of the moving touch input, the pop-up thus comprising a region of the document defined by a current position of the first touch point within the first view, and including any of the plurality of interactive elements included in the region thus defined.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the interaction function comprises initiating a request over a network for a resource identified by the selected interactive element.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further capable of, when the initial position is determined to not be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, processing the starting touch input in accordance with a default process.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the touchscreen display is multitouch-enabled.

12. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein detecting the further touch input comprises detecting a contact region in the pop-up which intersects the one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements.

13. A non-transitory electronic device-readable medium bearing code which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, causes the electronic device to implement the method of:

displaying a document at an initial scale in a first view on a touchscreen display, the document comprising a plurality of interactive elements;

detecting a starting touch input initiating a contact on the touchscreen display at a first touch point, the first touch point having an initial position within the first view;

determining whether the initial position is within a disambiguation region for two or more of the plurality of interactive elements, wherein a disambiguation area for an interactive element comprises an area defined by a disambiguation boundary around the interactive element and represents a specified distance beyond bounds of the interactive element, such that the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements when the initial position is located within disambiguation areas for at least two of the two or more interactive elements;

when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region for the two or more interactive elements;

while the contact is maintained on the touchscreen display,

displaying a region of the document comprising the initial position at an enlarged scale in a pop-up which partially overlays the first view, the two or more interactive elements being displayed at the enlarged scale in the pop-up;

detecting a further touch input in the pop-up for selecting one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements; and

in response to the further touch input, automatically initiating an interaction function with the selected interactive element.

14. The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises, when the initial position is determined to be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, while the contact is maintained:

detecting a moving touch input within the first view indicating movement of the first touch point from the initial position to a further position; and

updating the pop-up as a position of the first touch point changes during detection of the moving touch input, the pop-up thus comprising a region of the document defined by a current position of the first touch point within the first view, and including any of the plurality of interactive elements included in the region thus defined.

15. The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the interaction function comprises initiating a request over a network for a resource identified by the selected interactive element.

16. The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises, when the initial position is determined to not be within the disambiguation region of the two or more interactive elements, processing the starting touch input in accordance with a default process.

17. The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the touchscreen display is multitouch-enabled.

18. The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of claim 13, wherein detecting the further touch input comprises detecting a contact region in the pop-up which intersects the one of the two or more enlarged interactive elements.