Variable orientation input mode

• US 20070188518A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Vale, Peter, Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 7,612,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/619
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

User input methods may employ an input sensitive display screen that is agnostic with regard to the orientation in which the user is viewing the screen. Input methods may involve touching objects displayed on the screen, and movement of the objects may be determined by the release of a selected object, and a positional relationship involving the released and selected objects. A released object may automatically move towards, or away from, other selected objects. Alternatively, other selected objects may automatically move towards, or away from, the released object. Selection of objects may be performed in a sequence, and the particular sequence may help determine the direction of movement. Selection of multiple objects may be accomplished through a user simultaneously holding a finger over multiple objects, or a selection timer may be used to select multiple objects within a predetermined time. Gestures, such as a tilting of a finger on a display screen, may also determine movement characteristics.

Claims

1. A method of interacting with a computing device, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of graphical objects on a touch sensitive display;

selecting a subset of said graphical objects by detecting a plurality of user inputs, said user inputs each including positioning a physical control member over one of said objects on said display;

detecting a selection release input regarding one of said selected objects; and

in response to said selection release input, moving one of said selected objects in a direction based on a positional relationship between said released object and one or more others of said selected objects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said positioning of said physical control member includes a step of touching said display with a finger.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said positioning of said physical control member includes a step of holding a finger over said objects for at least a predetermined period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection release input includes a step of said user ceasing to position said physical control member over one of said objects on said display.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

initiating a selection timer for user selection of one or more displayed objects; and

maintaining a sequence in which selected objects are selected, wherein said selection release input is an automatic identification of one of said selected objects upon expiration of said timer and based on said sequence.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said automatic identification identifies a first selected object in said sequence.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said selection release input includes a gesture made using a physical control member, and said step of moving further comprises applying a movement characteristic based on said gesture.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said movement characteristic defines a non-linear path taken by said moving object in said direction.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said movement characteristic adjusts a speed with which said object is moved in said direction.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the released object is moved in said step of moving.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said direction is towards one or more other selected objects.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

maintaining a sequence in which said objects are selected; and

wherein said direction is based on said sequence.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said released object is neither the first nor the last in said sequence, and said direction is based on a comparison of a number of selected objects appearing before said released object in said sequence with a number of selected objects appearing after said released object in said sequence.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more selected objects, other than said released object, are moved in said step of moving.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said moving moves said one or more selected objects, other than said released object, towards said released object.

16. A computing device, comprising:

one or more processors;

a horizontal display communicatively coupled to said one or more processors, said display being sensitive to detect a physical control member; and

one or more memories communicatively coupled to said one or more processors, said one or more memories storing one or more computer-executable instructions for causing the one or more processors to perform the following steps;

(i) displaying a plurality of graphical objects on said display;

(ii) selecting a subset of said graphical objects by detecting a plurality of user inputs, said user inputs each including positioning a physical control member over one of said objects on said display;

(iii) detecting a selection release input regarding one of said selected objects; and

(iv) in response to said selection release input, moving one of said selected objects in a direction based on a positional relationship between said released object and one or more others of said selected objects.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said one or more computer-executable instructions for said step of moving causes said one or more processors to maintain a position of said released object on said display, and to move one or more others of said selected objects towards said released object.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said one or more computer-executable instructions further include instructions for causing said one or more processors to generate information identifying a sequence in which said selected objects are selected, and to base said movement on said sequence.

19. A computer display method, comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of virtual objects on a horizontal touch sensitive display;

detecting concurrent placement and holding of two user fingers on two virtual objects on said display;

detecting a removal of one of said fingers from one of said virtual objects; and

responsive to said removal, moving one or more of said two virtual objects in a direction based on a positional relationship between said two virtual objects.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of moving further moves said one or more of said two virtual objects in a manner based on a gesture made by one or more of said fingers.