Controlling window using touch-sensitive edge

• US 10,318,130 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2016
• Issued: 06/11/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Murphy, David Joseph, Foster, Nicholas, Moltoni, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Ruay
• Application Number:
  US15/375,787
• Publication Number:
  US 20180164987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 715740, 715788, 715799, 713186
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method includes: receiving, by a computing device, an input generated by a user touching a location on a touch-sensitive edge; determining whether a display contains a window split; when the display contains the window split, determining, in response to the input, whether the location is within a predefined proximity of the window split; when the location is within the predefined proximity of the window split, repositioning the window split on the display based on the input. When the display does not contain the window split, and when the location is not within the predefined proximity of the window split, a new window split can be created on the display, in response to the input, based on the location.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a computing device, an input generated by a user touching a location on a touch-sensitive hardware bezel;

determining whether a display contains a window split; and

when the display contains the window split;

determining, in response to the input, whether the location is within a predefined proximity of the window split;

when the location is within the predefined proximity of the window split, repositioning the window split on the display based on the input;

receiving a clear-split input generated using the hardware bezel; and

clearing, in response to the clear-split input, at least the window split from the display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein when the display does not contain the window split, and when the location is not within the predefined proximity of the window split, the method further comprises creating, in response to the input, a new window split on the display based on the location.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is included in a monitor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein to reposition the window split on the display, the user touches the location on the touch-sensitive hardware bezel and performs a swipe along the touch-sensitive hardware bezel, and wherein the window split is repositioned on the display based on the swipe.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive hardware bezel comprises multiple adjacent edges, wherein the predefined proximity comprises that the location is on a same edge as the window split and within a predefined distance of the window split, and wherein when the location is not on the same edge as the window split then the location is not within the predefined proximity of the window split.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the touch-sensitive hardware bezel is rectangular, and wherein all four edges are touch sensitive.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display has the window split and the new window split is created, such that a first window is defined on one side of the window split, and second and third windows are defined on an opposite side of the window split, the second and third windows separated by the new window split, and wherein:

(i) if another input is received that is made within the predefined proximity of the new window split on an edge adjacent the second and third windows, then the second and third windows, and not the first window, will be resized, whereas (ii) if the other input is made on an opposite edge adjacent the first window, then the first window, and not the second and third windows, will be resized.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the new window split is orthogonal to the window split.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the new window split extends between the touch-sensitive hardware bezel and the window split.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving, after creating the new window split, another input generated using the touch-sensitive hardware bezel, wherein the other input repositions the window split on the display, and wherein the repositioning resizes multiple windows defined in part by the new window split.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the new window split comprises diminishing a size of a window on the display, the method further comprising initiating a default window in a space created by the diminished size.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein creating the new window split comprises diminishing a size of a window on the display, the method further comprising prompting the user to choose a new window to be initiated in a space created by the diminished size.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive hardware bezel has multiple corners, and wherein the clear-split input is generated by touching at least one of the corners.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the clear-split input causes only a most recently created window split to be cleared.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the window split is included on the display and defines a boundary between a first window and a second window, and wherein repositioning the window split on the display based on the input comprises enlarging the first window, and reducing the second window by an amount corresponding to the enlargement.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is configured to have presented thereon windows without visible frames or other boundaries such that contents of adjacent windows abut each other.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a portable device in which a housing contains the display, the method further comprising distinguishing the input generated by the user touching the location on the touch-sensitive hardware bezel of the housing, from another input generated by the user when holding the portable device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device comprises a proxy device separate from the display, wherein the window split is associated with a proxy position on the proxy device, and wherein the predefined proximity is defined relative to the proxy position, the method further comprising sending a signal to the display corresponding to either the repositioning of the window split on the display based on the input, or the creation of the new window split on the display.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive hardware bezel comprises at least an edge and a corner of a housing, and wherein the input is generated using the edge of the housing, the method further comprising receiving another input generated using the corner of the housing, and, in response to the other input, actuating a rotary control in the computing device.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the display contains the window split and wherein the input includes a swipe gesture toward the window split, the method further comprising determining when the swipe gesture reaches a location of the window split, and thereafter matching the repositioning of the window split with the swipe gesture.

21. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computing device to perform operations including:

receiving, by the computing device, an input generated by a user touching a location on a touch-sensitive hardware bezel;

determining whether a display contains a window split; and

when the display contains the window split;

determining, in response to the input, whether the location is within a predefined proximity of the window split;

when the location is within the predefined proximity of the window split, repositioning the window split on the display based on the input;

receiving a clear-split input generated using the hardware bezel; and

clearing, in response to the clear-split input, at least the window split from the display.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein when the display does not contain the window split, and when the location is not within the predefined proximity of the window split, the operations further comprise creating, in response to the input, a new window split on the display based on the location.

23. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein to reposition the window split on the display, the user touches the location on the touch-sensitive hardware bezel and performs a swipe along the touch-sensitive hardware bezel, and wherein the window split is repositioned on the display based on the swipe.

24. A system comprising:

a display;

a computing device having a touch-sensitive hardware bezel; and

a computer program product tangibly embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including executable instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to perform operations including;

receiving, by the computing device, an input generated by a user touching a location on the touch-sensitive hardware bezel;

determining whether the display contains a window split;

when the display contains the window split;

determining, in response to the input, whether the location is within a predefined proximity of the window split;

when the location is within the predefined proximity of the window split, repositioning the window split on the display based on the input;

receiving a clear-split input generated using the hardware bezel; and

clearing, in response to the clear-split input, at least the window split from the display.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein when the display does not contain the window split, and when the location is not within the predefined proximity of the window split, the operations further comprise creating, in response to the input, a new window split on the display based on the location.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the display is included in the computing device.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the touch-sensitive bezel is positioned on a housing of the computing device.