Mechanism for switching between document viewing windows

• US 9,645,733 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2011
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Weber, Arnaud Claude, Shah, Roma Rajni, Ainslie, Alex Neely, Murphy, Glen
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US13/312,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20130145290A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,981 Days
• Field of Search: 715760, 715769, 715864, 715202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Methods for switching between opened web pages in a web browser using a dragging motion across a touchscreen device are provided. In one aspect, a method includes receiving an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion beginning near a first lateral edge of a touchscreen interface towards a second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, and controlling the switching of a currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of opened web pages in the web browser based on the touch gesture. The selection of which open web page to switch to is determined based on the distance of the dragging motion of the touch gesture. Systems, graphical user interfaces, and machine-readable media are also provided.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for switching between open web pages in a web browser using a dragging motion across a touchscreen device, the method comprising:

receiving an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touchscreen interface of the touchscreen device;

determining whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface and proceeds towards a second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface; and

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge and proceeds towards the second lateral edge, controlling the switching of a currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser based on the touch gesture,

wherein a selection of which open web page to switch to is determined based on a pixel distance of the dragging motion of the touch gesture and a threshold based on a number of the plurality of open web pages in the web browser.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the dragging motion begins in an input area defined in the web browser between the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, a predefined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface towards the second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, and a lateral height of the touchscreen interface.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein a touch gesture received within the input area is used for switching of the currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of opened web pages in the web browser, and a touch gesture received outside the input area within the web browser is used for interacting with the currently displayed open web page.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the selection of which open web page to switch to is also determined based on a velocity of the dragging motion of the touch gesture.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the switching from the currently displayed open web page in the web browser to the another one of the plurality of open web pages in the web browser is completed when the input of the touch gesture is completed.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input is receivable within a predetermined distance from any lateral edge of the touchscreen interface.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input of the touch gesture is received at the first lateral edge of a touchscreen interface.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing, for display, the open web page to which the web browser will be switched to during the dragging motion.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing, for display, an indicator of a location of the touch gesture on the touchscreen interface.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein content displayed within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface is made non-active during the input of the touch gesture that begins within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge and proceeds towards the second lateral edge.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1,

wherein the touch gesture beginning within an input area defined by the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge and proceeding towards the second lateral edge comprises the touch gesture moving in a first direction,

wherein the controlling the switching of the currently displayed open web page in the web browser to the another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser based on the touch gesture comprises switching from the currently displayed open web page to the another one of the plurality of open web pages in the first direction, and

wherein if the touch gesture continues in a second direction opposite the first direction, switching from the another one of the plurality of open web pages to a further one of the plurality of open web pages in the second direction opposite the first direction.

12. A system for switching between open web pages in a web browser using a dragging motion across a touchscreen device, the system comprising:

a memory comprising a web browser; and

a processor configured to;

receive an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touchscreen interface of the touchscreen device;

determine whether the touch gesture begins within a predetermined distance from a first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface and proceeds towards a second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface;

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge and proceeds towards the second lateral edge, control, based on the touch gesture, the switching of a currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser; and

provide, for display, the open web page to which the web browser will be switched to during the dragging motion,

wherein a selection by a processor of which open web page to switch to is determined based on a pixel distance of the dragging motion of the touch gesture and a threshold based on a number of the plurality of open web pages in the web browser.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the dragging motion begins in an input area defined in the web browser between the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, a predefined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface towards the second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, and a lateral height of the touchscreen interface.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein a touch gesture received within the input area is used for switching of the currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser, and a touch gesture received outside the input area within the web browser is used for interacting with the currently displayed open web page.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein a selection of which open web page to switch to is also determined based on a velocity of the dragging motion of the touch gesture.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the input is receivable within a predetermined distance from any lateral edge of the touchscreen interface.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the input of the touch gesture is received at the first lateral edge of a touchscreen interface.

18. The system of claim 12, further comprising providing, for display, an indicator of a location of the touch gesture on the touchscreen interface.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to make non-active content displayed within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface is during the input of the touch gesture that begins within the predetermined distance from the first lateral edge and proceeds towards the second lateral edge.

20. A computing device comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, provide a web browser with functionality for switching between open web pages, the web browser comprising:

an input area configured to receive an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via a touchscreen interface, the input area defined in the web browser between a first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, a predefined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface towards a second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, and a lateral height of the touchscreen interface; and

a document viewer configured to control, based on the touch gesture, using a processor, and in response to a determining that the touch gesture begins within the input area and proceeds towards the second lateral edge, the switching of a currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser,

wherein a selection of which open web page to switch to is determined based on a distance of the dragging motion of the touch gesture.

21. The web browser of claim 20, wherein content displayed within the input area is made non-active during the input of the touch gesture that begins within the input area and proceeds towards the second lateral edge.

22. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions for causing a processor to execute a method for switching between open web pages in a web browser using a dragging motion across a touchscreen device, the method comprising:

receiving, within a first input area defined in the web browser between a first lateral edge of a touchscreen interface, a predefined distance from the first lateral edge of the touchscreen interface towards a second lateral edge of the touchscreen interface, and a lateral height of the touchscreen interface, an input of a touch gesture comprising a dragging motion via the touchscreen interface of the touchscreen device;

determining whether the touch gesture begins within the first input area and proceeds towards the second lateral edge;

in response to determining that the touch gesture begins within the first input area and proceeds towards the second lateral edge, controlling, based on the touch gesture, the switching of a currently displayed open web page in the web browser to another one of a plurality of open web pages in the web browser; and

providing, for display, the open web page to which the web browser will be switched to and an indicator of a location of the touch gesture on the touchscreen interface during the dragging motion,

wherein a selection of which open web page to switch to is determined based on a pixel distance of the dragging motion of the touch gesture and a threshold based on a number of the plurality of open web pages in the web browser.

23. The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of claim 22, wherein content displayed within the first input area is made non-active during the input of the touch gesture that begins within the first input area and proceeds towards the second lateral edge.