Gestures for devices having one or more touch sensitive surfaces

• US 20080165255A1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Greg, Westerman, Wayne Carl
• Granted Patent: US 8,970,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/207.99
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/045 Zooming at least part of an image, i.e. enlarging it or shrinking it
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0464 Positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/08 Cursor circuits
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 for rolling or scrolling

Abstract

Rolling gestures on a touch sensitive surface of a device can be used to control the device or to remotely control another device. The device detects a roll, determines a parameter of the roll and performs an operation relating to the device or the other device based on the determined parameter. The touch sensitive surface of the device can be positioned on the device to enable a set of gestures for configuring the operation of the device, for operating the device and for enabling additional gestures for operating the device.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing operations on a device having a touch sensitive display, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a roll at a surface of the display by one or more fingers;

associating the roll with an object displayed on the display;

determining a parameter of the roll;

performing at least one operation on the object based on the parameter of the roll.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein

determining a parameter of the roll comprises determining a direction of the roll.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 2 wherein

performing at least one operation on the object based on the parameter of the roll comprising scrolling in the direction of the roll.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 3 wherein

determining a parameter of the roll further comprises determining a magnitude of the roll.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 4 wherein

performing at least one operation on the object based on the parameter of the roll further comprises scrolling in the direction of the roll at a speed based on the magnitude of the roll.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a gesture at the surface of the display by the one or more fingers; and

performing at least one operation on the object based on the detected gesture.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 6 wherein

detecting a gesture at the surface of the display comprises detecting a difference in distance between at least two of the fingers;

and

performing at least one operation on the object based on the detected gesture comprises changing the scale of the object based on the detected distance.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 6 wherein

said step of detecting a roll is simultaneous in time with said step of detecting a gesture.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein

associating the roll with an object comprises determining whether the detected roll is positioned over the object on the display.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein

detecting a roll at a surface of the display by one or more fingers comprises detecting a roll on the surface of the display by one or more fingers.

11. A program embodied in a computer-readable medium, said program containing executable instructions for causing a computer to perform a method, said computer having a touch sensitive display, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting a roll at a surface of the display by one or more fingers;

associating the roll with an object displayed on the display;

determining a parameter of the roll;

performing at least one operation on the object based on the parameter of the roll.

12. A computer system comprising:

a touch sensitive display;

means for detecting a roll at a surface of the display by one or more fingers;

means for associating the roll with an object displayed on the display;

means for determining a parameter of the roll;

means for performing at least one operation on the object based on the parameter of the roll.

13. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is a mobile telephone.

14. The computer system of claim 12 wherein the computer system is a digital media player.

15. A computer implemented method for performing operations on a hand-held device having at least two touch sensitive surfaces and a display displaying an object and having one or more sensors, said method comprising:

detecting touch inputs on each of the two touch sensitive surfaces;

determining a mode of use based on the detected touch inputs; and

configuring the device based on the determined mode of use.

16. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein

determining a mode of use comprises determining an orientation of the device based on the detected touch inputs.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 15 wherein

determining a mode of use comprises determining whether a right hand or a left hand is touching the device.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 17 wherein

configuring the device comprises changing the position of the object on the display based on whether the right hand or the left hand is touching the device.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 17 wherein

configuring the device comprises calibrating the one or more sensors based on whether the right hand or the left hand is touching the device.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 17 wherein

configuring the device comprises initiating detection of additional touch inputs on a touch sensitive surface.

21. A program embodied in a computer-readable medium, said program containing executable instructions for causing a hand-held device having a computer to perform a method, said device further comprising at least two touch sensitive surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:

detecting touch inputs on each of the two touch sensitive surfaces;

determining a mode of use based on the detected touch inputs; and

configuring the device based on the determined mode of use.

22. A hand-held device comprising:

at least two touch sensitive surfaces;

means for detecting touch inputs on each of the two touch sensitive surfaces;

means for determining a mode of use based on the detected touch inputs; and

means for configuring the device based on the determined mode of use.

23. The hand-held device of claim 22 wherein the hand-held device is a mobile telephone.

24. The hand-held device of claim 22 wherein the hand-held device is a digital media player.

25. A camera comprising:

a lens;

at least one touch sensitive surface associated with the lens;

means for detecting touch inputs on the at least one touch sensitive surface;

means for determining a mode of use based on the detected touch inputs; and

means for configuring the device based on the determined mode of use.

26. A gaming object comprising:

at least one touch sensitive surface;

means for detecting touch inputs on the at least one touch sensitive surface;

means for determining a mode of use based on the detected touch inputs; and

means for configuring the device based on the determined mode of use.

27. The gaming object of claim 26 wherein the gaming object is a baseball.

28. A method of using a first device to control a second device, said method comprising:

detecting a roll by one or more fingers on a touch sensitive surface of the first device;

determining a parameter of the roll;

generating a signal according to the determined parameter;

transmitting the generated signal from the first device to the second device; and

controlling the second device according to the transmitted signal.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein

determining a parameter of the roll comprises determining a direction of the roll.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein

controlling the second device comprises directing the second device in the direction of the roll.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein

determining a parameter of the roll further comprises determining a magnitude of the roll.

32. The method of claim 28 further comprising

detecting a gesture by one or more fingers on the touch sensitive surface of the first device;

generating a second signal according to the second gesture;

transmitting the generated second signal to the second device; and

adjusting control of the second device based on the generated second signal.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein

detecting a gesture comprises detecting a push by the one or more fingers;

and

adjusting control of the second device comprises directing the second device in a direction opposite to the direction of the roll.

34. The method of claim 28 wherein

transmitting the generated signal comprises transmitting the generated signal wirelessly from the first device to the second device.