Touch based selection of graphical elements
First Claim
1. At a computing device, the computing device including a touch screen display device, a method for selecting a graphical element, the method comprising:
- rendering part of a scene graph into a data visualization on the touch screen display device, the data visualization presenting an arrangement of a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having a first specified shape and representing a portion of data, the arrangement formatted based at least on a first format defined in the scene graph, the first format defining that each graphical element in the arrangement be presented having the first specified shape;
calculating that a finger touch area on the touch screen display device covers at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of graphical elements, the calculation indicative of ambiguity as to which of the plurality of graphical elements is being selected;
rendering another part of the scene graph to supplement the data visualization by presenting a semi-circular arrangement of a plurality of new graphical elements on the touch screen display device around the touch area, each new graphical element presented with a uniform size, each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement corresponding to a graphical element in the at least a sub-plurality of graphical elements and having a second specified shape, the uniform size defined in a second format defined in the scene graph, the second format defining that each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement be presented having the second specified shape, the second specified shape differing from the first specified shape, the semi-circular arrangement including a further new graphical element linking to additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements, the further new graphical element visually indicating the linkage to the additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements; and
detecting a further touch based selection gesture on the touch screen display device, the further touch based selection gesture indicating an unambiguous intent to perform a data activity associated with a graphical element by detecting that a further finger touch area primarily covers the new graphical element corresponding to the graphical element, the data activity related to a portion of data represented by the graphical element.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for touch based selection of graphical elements. Embodiments of the invention improve the usability of interacting with data visualizations. When multiple graphical elements are covered by a finger touch, a gesture recognition component detects ambiguity in the selection. In response, a visualization component draws additional regions around the touched location. The additional regions correspond to the covered graphical elements covered. Thus, a user is made aware of the graphical elements covered by his or her finger. These additional regions are touch friendly and more easily selectable. A finger can be moved into one of the additional regions and released to finish the selection. The gesture recognition component interprets this gesture as if the user tapped directly and unambiguously on the corresponding graphical element.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. At a computing device, the computing device including a touch screen display device, a method for selecting a graphical element, the method comprising:
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rendering part of a scene graph into a data visualization on the touch screen display device, the data visualization presenting an arrangement of a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having a first specified shape and representing a portion of data, the arrangement formatted based at least on a first format defined in the scene graph, the first format defining that each graphical element in the arrangement be presented having the first specified shape; calculating that a finger touch area on the touch screen display device covers at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of graphical elements, the calculation indicative of ambiguity as to which of the plurality of graphical elements is being selected; rendering another part of the scene graph to supplement the data visualization by presenting a semi-circular arrangement of a plurality of new graphical elements on the touch screen display device around the touch area, each new graphical element presented with a uniform size, each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement corresponding to a graphical element in the at least a sub-plurality of graphical elements and having a second specified shape, the uniform size defined in a second format defined in the scene graph, the second format defining that each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement be presented having the second specified shape, the second specified shape differing from the first specified shape, the semi-circular arrangement including a further new graphical element linking to additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements, the further new graphical element visually indicating the linkage to the additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements; and detecting a further touch based selection gesture on the touch screen display device, the further touch based selection gesture indicating an unambiguous intent to perform a data activity associated with a graphical element by detecting that a further finger touch area primarily covers the new graphical element corresponding to the graphical element, the data activity related to a portion of data represented by the graphical element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A computer program product for use at computing device, the computing device including a touch screen display device, the computer program product for implementing a method for selecting a graphical element, the computer program product comprising one or more hardware computer storage memories having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause the computing device to perform the method, including the following:
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render part of a scene graph into a data visualization on the touch screen display device, the data visualization presenting an arrangement of a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having a first specified shape and representing a portion of data, the arrangement formatted based at least on a first format defined in the scene graph, the first format defining that each graphical element in the arrangement be presented having the first specified shape; calculate that a finger touch area on the touch screen display device covers at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of graphical elements, the calculation indicative of ambiguity as to which of the plurality of graphical elements is being selected; render another part of the scene graph to supplement the data visualization by presenting a semi-circular arrangement of a plurality of new graphical elements on the touch screen display device around the touch area, each new graphical element presented with a uniform size, each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement corresponding to a graphical element in the at least a sub-plurality of graphical elements and having a second specified shape, the uniform size defined in a second format defined in the scene graph, the second format defining that each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement be presented having the second specified shape, the second specified shape differing from the first specified shape, the semi-circular arrangement including a further new graphical element linking to additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements, the further new graphical element visually indicating the linkage to the additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements; and detect a further touch based selection gesture on the touch screen display device, the further touch based selection gesture indicating an unambiguous intent to perform a data activity associated with a graphical element by detecting that a further finger touch area primarily covers the new graphical element corresponding to the graphical element, the data activity related to a portion of data represented by the graphical element.
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14. A system, the system comprising:
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a hardware processor; system memory coupled to the hardware processor, the system memory storing instructions that are executable by the hardware processor; a touch screen display device; and the hardware processor configured to execute the instructions stored in the system memory to select a graphical element from the touch screen display device, including the following; render part of a scene graph into a data visualization on the touch screen display device, the data visualization presenting an arrangement of a plurality of graphical elements, each graphical element having a first specified shape and representing a portion of data, the arrangement formatted based at least on a first format defined in the scene graph, the first format defining that each graphical element in the arrangement be presented having the first specified shape; calculate that a finger touch area on the touch screen display device covers at least a sub-plurality of the plurality of graphical elements, the calculation indicative of ambiguity as to which of the plurality of graphical elements is being selected; render another part of the scene graph to supplement the data visualization by presenting a semi-circular arrangement of a plurality of new graphical elements on the touch screen display device around the touch area, each new graphical element presented with a uniform size, each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement corresponding to a graphical element in the at least a sub-plurality of graphical elements and having a second specified shape, the uniform size defined in a second format defined in the scene graph, the second format defining that each new graphical element in the semi-circular arrangement be presented having the second specified shape, the second specified shape differing from the first specified shape, the semi-circular arrangement including a further new graphical element linking to additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements, the further new graphical element visually indicating the linkage to the additional graphical elements from within the sub-plurality of graphical elements; and detect a further touch based selection gesture on the touch screen display device, the further touch based selection gesture indicating an unambiguous intent to perform a data activity associated with a graphical element by detecting that a further finger touch area primarily covers the new graphical element corresponding to the graphical element, the data activity related to a portion of data represented by the graphical element. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification