Selecting at least one graphical user interface item

• US 10,620,803 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2015
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Jansky, Martin, Tuli, Apaar, Anttila, Erkko, Viljamaa, Timo-Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): Augustine, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US14/868,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20170090725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,659 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

An apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises at least one processing unit, at least one memory, a pressure level sensitive user input device, and a graphical user interface. The at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to detect that a pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a touching point exceeds a predetermined pressure level, the touching point corresponding to a location on the graphical user interface, detect an increase in the applied pressure level, and expand a selection area from the location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select at least one graphical user interface item.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one memory;

a pressure level sensitive user input device; and

a graphical user interface;

wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to;

detect that a pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a touching point exceeds a predetermined pressure level, the touching point corresponding to a location on the graphical user interface;

detect an increase in the applied pressure level;

while detecting the increase in the applied pressure level from the location on the graphical user interface, detecting a second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface;

expanding the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface only in the direction of the second location until a graphical user interface item is within the expanded selection area; and

select the graphical user interface item within the expanded selection area.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the expanding of the selection is stopped upon reaching the graphical user interface item.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface radially.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface only in one direction.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface from a first object to a second object based on the applied pressure level being held for a predefined period of time.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area a first defined amount in response to the increased applied pressure level being held for a predefined period of time and expand the selection area a second defined amount in response to the increased applied pressure level being held for an additional of the predefined period of time.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area in a text document at least one of from a word to a sentence, from the sentence to a paragraph, or from the paragraph to a page in response to the increase in the applied pressure level.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

expand the selection area in a spreadsheet document at least one of from a cell to a column or row or from the column or row to a table in response to the increase in the applied pressure level.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

detect that the pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at the touching point becomes lower than the predetermined pressure level; and

maintain selection of the graphical user interface item.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

detect a touch on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

expand the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

detect a touch on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

expand the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item between the location and the second location on the graphical user interface.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

detect that a pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point exceeds the predetermined pressure level, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

expand the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item between the location and the second location on the graphical user interface.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to:

detect that a pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point exceeds the predetermined pressure level, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

expand the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item.

14. A method, comprising:

detecting that a pressure level applied on a pressure level sensitive user input device at a touching point exceeds a predetermined pressure level, the touching point corresponding to a location on a graphical user interface;

detecting an increase in the applied pressure level;

while detecting the increase in the applied pressure level from the location on the graphical user interface, detecting a second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

expanding the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface only in the direction of the second location until a graphical user interface item is within the expanded selection area; and

selecting the graphical user interface item within the expanded selection area.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the expansion of the selection area is directly proportional to the increase in the applied pressure level.

16. A method according to claim 14, wherein the expanding comprises expanding the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface radially or expanding the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface only in one direction.

17. A method according to claim 14, wherein the expanding comprises expanding the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface as long as the applied pressure level exceeds the predetermined pressure level.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

detecting a touch on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

wherein the expanding comprises expanding the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

detecting that a pressure level applied on the pressure level sensitive user input device at a second touching point exceeds the predetermined pressure level, the second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface; and

wherein the expanding comprises expanding the selection area from the location towards the second location in response to the increase in the applied pressure level to select the graphical user interface item between the location and the second location on the graphical user interface.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processing unit;

at least one memory; and

a touch and pressure level sensitive display configured to provide a graphical user interface;

wherein the at least one memory stores program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processing unit, cause the apparatus to;

detect that a pressure level applied on the touch and pressure level sensitive display at a touching point exceeds a predetermined pressure level, the touching point corresponding to a location on the graphical user interface;

detect an increase in the applied pressure level;

while detecting the increase in the applied pressure level from the location on the graphical user interface, detect a second touching point corresponding to a second location on the graphical user interface;

expand the selection area from the location on the graphical user interface only in the direction of the second location until a graphical user interface item is within the expanded selection area; and

select the graphical user interface item within the expanded selection area.