Electronic device and method of displaying information in response to a gesture

• US 9,684,378 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2012
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Hamilton, Alistair Robert, Wood, Todd Andrew, Rydenhag, Daniel Tobias, Lindsay, Donald James, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Benedek, Joseph Eytan, Lessing, Robert Simon, Lazaridis, Mihal
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): Takele, Meseker
• Application Number:
  US13/618,818
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,740 Days
• Field of Search: 715836, 715838, 345661, 345684
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

A method includes displaying information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device. A gesture is detected on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture indicates a request to display information associated with a second application. At least part of the information associated with the second application is displayed without opening the second application.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, in a window, information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

detecting, while only the information associated with a first application is displayed in the window, a gesture on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture is a request dedicated to display messaging information;

in response to detecting the gesture;

dividing the window into a first area and a second area and

gradually displaying the messaging information in the first area while reducing display of the information associated with the first application in the second area;

while the gesture continues to be detected, varying a size of the first area along with movement of the gesture;

in response to detecting discontinuation of the gesture;

when a characteristic of the gesture is an indication to view the messaging information, discontinuing display of the information associated with the first application and displaying only the messaging information in the window;

when a characteristic of the gesture in an indication to terminate display of the messaging information, discontinuing display of the messaging information and displaying only the information associated with the first application in the window.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the messaging information is previewed until the gesture terminates or a messaging application is opened.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a messaging application is opened when the gesture includes a characteristic that indicates opening of the messaging application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein opening the messaging application comprises engaging active inbox functions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein gradually displaying the messaging information comprises previewing the messaging information by displaying messaging information while active inbox functions are not operable.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to displaying the messaging information across available display area of the touch-sensitive display, discontinuing display of the messaging information in response to detecting a characteristic of the gesture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area progressively increases in size or decreases in size along with movement of the gesture.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising reducing display of the messaging information while increasing display of the information associated with the first application when the gesture changes direction.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a change in direction of the gesture causes the messaging application to begin to be displayed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring for the gesture is activated when a notification is activated.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the gesture is associated with a first edge of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the messaging information shifts onto the touch-sensitive display from a second edge of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the first edge is different from the second edge.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least part of the gesture is associated with a first edge of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the messaging information shifts onto the touch-sensitive display from the first edge.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging information shifts onto the touch-sensitive display from a first edge of the touch-sensitive display while the information associated with the first application shifts off a second edge of the touch-sensitive display, wherein the second edge is opposite the first edge.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the messaging information is a universal inbox.

15. A method comprising:

displaying information associated with a first application on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device by displaying, in a first area of the touch-sensitive display, the information associated with the first application;

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture indicates a request to preview messaging information;

in response to detecting the gesture;

previewing the messaging information by shifting a side of the messaging information into the first area while reducing display of the information associated with the first application in the first area as an area of display of the messaging information increases, wherein the shifting and reducing occurs along with movement of the gesture;

in response to detecting discontinuation of the gesture;

when a characteristic of the gesture in an indication from the gesture to view the messaging information, discontinuing display of the information associated with the first application and displaying the messaging information in the first area;

when a characteristic of the gesture indicates termination of the preview of the messaging information, discontinuing display of the messaging information and displaying the information associated with the first application in the first area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein at least part of the messaging information is previewed until the gesture terminates or a messaging application is opened.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a messaging application is opened when the gesture includes a characteristic that indicates opening of the messaging application.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising gradually shifting the information associated with the first application off the touch-sensitive display to gradually increase an area of display of the messaging information.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein an area of display of the messaging information progressively increases in size or decreases in size along with movement of the gesture.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the messaging information is displayed by shifting a side of the messaging information across the touch-sensitive display.

21. A method comprising:

while displaying first application information throughout a window displayed on an electronic device, detecting a gesture that requests messaging information to be displayed in the window;

in response to detecting the gesture;

dividing the window into a first area and a second area and

displaying the messaging information in the first area while displaying the first application information in the second area;

while the gesture continues to be detected, varying a size of the first area along with movement of the gesture;

in response to detecting discontinuation of the gesture;

when a characteristic of the gesture is an indication to view the messaging information, discontinuing display of the first application information and displaying the messaging information in the window;

when a characteristic of the gesture is an indication to terminate display of the messaging information, discontinuing display of the messaging information and displaying the first application information in the window.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein at least part of the messaging information is previewed until the gesture terminates or a messaging application is opened.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein a messaging application is opened when the gesture includes a characteristic that indicates opening of the messaging application.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising gradually shifting the information associated with the first application off the touch-sensitive display to gradually increase an area of display of the messaging information.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein an area of display of the messaging information progressively increases in size or decreases in size along with movement of the gesture.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the messaging information is displayed by shifting a side of the messaging information across the touch-sensitive display.

27. A method comprising:

displaying information associated with a first application in a window of a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, wherein only the information associated with the first application is displayed in the window;

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive display, which gesture is a dedicated request to preview an inbox;

in response to detecting the gesture;

previewing the inbox by;

shifting the information associated with the first application off a first side of the window;

displaying the inbox from a second side of the window, wherein the second side of the window is opposite the first side of the window;

wherein the shifting is controlled by movement of the gesture, such that the gesture controls a size of an area of the window in which the inbox is displayed;

detecting an indication from the gesture to open the inbox and in response to detecting the indication, displaying the inbox in the window and discontinuing display of the information associated with the first application, wherein the indication comprises movement of the gesture toward the first side of the window;

when a characteristic of the gesture indicates terminating display of the inbox, discontinuing display of the inbox and displaying the information associated with the first application in the window, wherein the characteristic comprises movement of the gesture toward the second side of the window.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the shifting comprises displaying the information associated with the first application in a reduced size.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein, in response to detecting the gesture, one or more message notifications are displayed with the information associated with the first application.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the size of the area of the window in which the inbox is displayed progressively increases in size or decreases in size along with movement of the gesture.