Link target accuracy in touch-screen mobile devices by layout adjustment

• US 20090128505A1
• Filed: 11/19/2007
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 6, LLC
• Original Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center, Inc. (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Newman, Mark W., Partridge, Kurt E., Begole, James M.A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,294,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for improving link target accuracy for a mobile browser with a touch-screen display. The system receives a page with a plurality of selectable text objects and adjusts the page layout. The method further includes placing a number of targets within the web page. Each target is associated with one selectable text object, and the selectable text object can only be activated by the target. The targets are sufficiently separated from each other, thus allowing a user to hold the touch-screen display and select the selectable text object by tapping on the target with substantial accuracy. Another embodiment of the present invention allows a user to select a selectable text object by performing a gesture.

Claims

1. A method for improving link target accuracy for a mobile device with a touch-screen display, the method comprising:

displaying a page which includes a plurality of selectable text objects on the touch screen;

defining a number of target regions on the touch screen, wherein a target is associated with one selectable text object, and wherein the selectable text object can only be activated by the target;

indicating to a user that the selectable text object can be selected by tapping on the target, wherein the target is sufficiently separated from other targets, thereby allowing a user to select the selectable text object with substantial accuracy.

2. The method of claim 1,

wherein the target includes one or more characters that are part of the selectable text object and are distinguishable from the rest of the selectable text object.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein the character is distinguishable from the rest of the selectable text object by:

the color of the character, and/or

the background color of the character.

4. The method of claim 2,

further comprising selecting the character for the target based on the distance between the selected character and target character of an adjacent selectable text object.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein a target includes a graphic element that indicates the position of the target;

and

wherein the target is optionally hidden until the user activates the appearance of the target.

6. A method for improving link target accuracy for a mobile device with a touch-screen display, the method comprising:

displaying a page which includes a plurality of selectable text objects on the touch screen;

indicating to a user to select a selectable text object by sliding a finger on the surface of the touch-screen, wherein the selectable text object is selected based on both the starting center of the contact and the sliding direction of the finger, thereby allowing the user to select the selectable text object with substantial accuracy.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

allowing the user to select the selectable text object by placing a finger at the center of the selectable text object and sliding it toward a direction that is the furthest away from the center of the nearest selectable text object.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying a suggested direction, wherein the suggested direction can be normally hidden unless the user activates the display of the suggested direction.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein the direction is indicated by an icon or a color gradation.

10. A computer-readable medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for improving link target accuracy for a mobile device with a touch-screen display, the method comprising:

displaying a page which includes a plurality of selectable text objects on the touch screen;

defining a number of target regions on the touch screen, wherein a target is associated with one selectable text object, and wherein the selectable text object can only be activated by the target; and

indicating to a user that the selectable text object can be selected by tapping on the target, wherein the target is sufficiently separated from other targets, thereby allowing a user to select the selectable text object with substantial accuracy.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10,

wherein the target includes one or more characters that are part of the selectable text object and are distinguishable from the rest of the selectable text object.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11,

wherein the character is distinguishable from the rest of the selectable text object by:

the color of the character, and/or

the background color of the character.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the method further comprises:

selecting the character for the target based on the distance between the selected character and target character of an adjacent selectable text object.

14. The computer medium of claim 11,

wherein a target includes a graphic element that indicates the position of the target;

and

wherein the target is optionally hidden until the user activates the appearance of the target.

15. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which when executed by a computer cause the computer to:

display a page including a plurality of selectable text objects on the touch screen; and

indicate to a user to select a selectable text object by sliding a finger on the surface of the touch-screen, wherein the selectable text object is selected based on both the starting center of the contact and the sliding direction of the finger, thereby allowing the user to select the selectable text object with substantial accuracy.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

allowing the user to select the selectable text object by placing a finger at the center of the selectable text object and sliding it toward a direction that is the furthest away from the center of the nearest selectable text object.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying suggested direction, wherein the suggested direction can be normally hidden unless the user activates the display of the suggested direction.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17,

wherein the direction is indicated by an icon or a color gradation.

19. A user interface for a mobile browser, the user interface comprising:

a touch-screen display;

a page presented on the touch-screen display showing a plurality of selectable text objects; and

a number of targets defined on the touch-screen display, wherein a target is associated with one selectable text object, wherein the hyperlink can only be activated by the target, wherein the target suggests to a user to select the selectable text object by tapping on the target or by performing a gesture, and wherein the target is sufficiently separated from other targets, thereby allowing the user to select the selectable text object with substantial accuracy.