Multiple touch selection control

• US 9,927,892 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2015
• Issued: 03/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chen, Qi, Dong, Fang Liang, Lei, Chang, Mao, Xiao Xia, Yang, Wen Wen, Zheng, Chao, Zhu, Jie
• Primary Examiner(s): Chow, Doon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nicholas, Wendy
• Application Number:
  US14/670,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20160283205A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 345173, 345157, 345 11, 345619, 345642, 345650, 715753, 715751, 715764, 715765, 715702, 715767, 715769, 715771, 715857, 463 30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0304 Detection arrangements using opto-electronic means constructional details of pointing devices not related to the detection arrangement using opto-electronic means G06F3/033; optical digitisers G06F3/042
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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

In an approach for managing a user interface a computer identifies a first user that is utilizing the user interface. The computer determines the identified first user is utilizing an aiming tool. The computer receives an input, the input including at least: an orientation of the aiming tool, wherein the orientation includes at least one of: a direction and a force to be applied upon release of the aiming tool. The computer calculates a trajectory from the aiming tool to a first location on the user interface based on the received input.

Claims

1. A method for managing a user interface, the method comprising:

identifying, by one or more computer processors, a first user that is utilizing the user interface;

determining, by one or more computer processors, the identified first user is utilizing an aiming tool that is a displayed user interface object utilized by the identified first user to select and perform actions with a second user interface object that is out of reach of the identified first user;

receiving, by one or more computer processors, an input, the input including at least;

an orientation of the aiming tool, wherein the orientation includes a direction and a force to be applied upon release of the aiming tool wherein the force is a deformation of the aiming tool based on an identified number of received finger taps associated with the aiming tool;

calculating, by one or more computer processors, a trajectory from the aiming tool to a first location on the user interface based on the received input;

displaying, by one or more computer processors, the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein the location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receiving, by one or more computer processors, a release command, wherein the release command includes a merge command, wherein the merge command incorporates a beta version within the user interface object; and

performing, by one or more computer processors, the received release command.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, by one or more computer processors, the first user a workspace, wherein the workspace identifies at least a portion of the user interface dedicated to the first user and the workspace includes the aiming tool and

assigning, by one or more computer processors, a unique color and a line style to the aiming tool associated with the assigned workspace associated with the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, by one or more computer processors, the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein a location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receiving, by one or more computer processors, an update to the input, wherein the update includes changes to at least the orientation of the aiming tool;

calculating, by one or more computer processors, an updated trajectory from the aiming tool to a second location on the user interface based on the received update to the input; and

displaying, by one or more computer processors, the calculated updated trajectory from the aiming tool to the second location on the user interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the received release command further comprises:

determining, by one or more computer processors, that the first location includes a user interface object selected by a second user;

creating, by one or more computer processors, the beta version of the user interface object selected by the first user in a workspace associated with the first user;

receiving, by one or more computer processors, one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

storing, by one or more computer processors, the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within the workspace associated with the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the received release command further comprises:

determining, by one or more computer processors, that the first location includes a user interface object that is not selected by a second user;

creating, by one or more computer processors, the beta version of the user interface object in a workspace associated with the first user;

receiving, by one or more computer processors, one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

storing, by one or more computer processors, the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within one or more of the workspace associated with the first user and the determined location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface operates on a touchscreen device that includes a touch wall.

7. A computer program product for managing a user interface, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a first user that is utilizing the user interface;

program instructions to determine the identified first user is utilizing an aiming tool that is a displayed user interface object utilized by the identified first user to select and perform actions with a second user interface object that is out of reach of the identified first user;

program instructions to receive an input, the input including at least;

an orientation of the aiming tool, wherein the orientation includes a direction and a force to be applied upon release of the aiming tool wherein the force is a deformation of the aiming tool based on an identified number of received finger taps associated with the aiming tool;

program instructions to calculate a trajectory from the aiming tool to a first location on the user interface based on the received input;

display the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein the location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receive a release command, wherein the release command includes a merge command, wherein the merge command incorporates a beta version within the user interface object; and

perform the received release command.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

assign the first user a workspace, wherein the workspace identifies at least a portion of the user interface dedicated to the first user and the workspace includes the aiming tool and

assign a unique color and a line style to the aiming tool associated with the assigned workspace associated with the first user.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

display the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein a location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receive an update to the input, wherein the update includes changes to at least the orientation of the aiming tool;

calculate an updated trajectory from the aiming tool to a second location on the user interface based on the received update to the input; and

display the calculated updated trajectory from the aiming tool to the second location on the user interface.

10. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein performing the received release command further comprises program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

determine that the first location includes a user interface object selected by a second user;

create the beta version of the user interface object selected by the first user in a workspace associated with the first user;

receive one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

store the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within the workspace associated with the first user.

11. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein performing the received release command further comprises program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

determine that the first location includes a user interface object that is not selected by a second user;

create the beta version of the user interface object in a workspace associated with the first user;

receive one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

store the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within one or more of the workspace associated with the first user and the determined location.

12. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the user interface operates on a touchscreen device that includes a touch wall.

13. A computer system for managing a user interface, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by at least one of the one or more processors, the program instructions comprising;

program instructions to identify a first user that is utilizing the user interface;

program instructions to determine the identified first user is utilizing an aiming tool that is a displayed user interface object utilized by the identified first user to select and perform actions with a second user interface object that is out of reach of the identified first user;

program instructions to receive an input, the input including at least;

an orientation of the aiming tool, wherein the orientation includes a direction and a force to be applied upon release of the aiming tool wherein the force is a deformation of the aiming tool based on an identified number of received finger taps associated with the aiming tool;

program instructions to calculate a trajectory from the aiming tool to a first location on the user interface based on the received input;

display the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein the location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receive a release command, wherein the release command includes a merge command, wherein the merge command incorporates a beta version within the user interface object; and

perform the received release command.

14. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

assign the first user a workspace, wherein the workspace identifies at least a portion of the user interface dedicated to the first user and the workspace includes the aiming tool and

assign a unique color and a line style to the aiming tool associated with the assigned workspace associated with the first user.

15. The computer system of claim 13, further comprising program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

display the calculated trajectory from the aiming tool to the first location on the user interface as a unique color and a line style associated with the first user, wherein a location comprises one of;

a blank space and a user interface object;

receive an update to the input, wherein the update includes changes to at least the orientation of the aiming tool;

calculate an updated trajectory from the aiming tool to a second location on the user interface based on the received update to the input; and

display the calculated updated trajectory from the aiming tool to the second location on the user interface.

16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein performing the received release command further comprises program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

determine that the first location includes a user interface object selected by a second user;

create the beta version of the user interface object selected by the first user in a workspace associated with the first user;

receive one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

store the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within the workspace associated with the first user.

17. The computer system of claim 13, wherein performing the received release command further comprises program instructions, stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, to:

determine that the first location includes a user interface object that is not selected by a second user;

create the beta version of the user interface object in a workspace associated with the first user;

receive one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version; and

store the received one or more updates performed by the first user to the beta version within one or more of the workspace associated with the first user and the determined location.