GESTURE-BASED OBJECT MANIPULATION METHODS AND DEVICES

• US 20120062489A1
• Filed: 09/08/2011
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: ANDERSSON, Ola, SVEDBERG, Johan, HUBER, Michael, KWARNMARK, Johan
• Granted Patent: US 8,842,084 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Gesture based control of objects displayed on touch screen displays is described. An object is displayed on a touch screen display, and a first touch operation is detected at a first position on the display. The first position is within an area that is associated with the displayed object. A second touch operation is detected within the area. After detecting the first and second touch operations another, a third touch operation is detected at a third position. A distance between the third position and the first position is calculated. When the distance is greater than a predetermined value, a copy of the object is displayed on the touch screen display.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method performed on a processing system that includes at least one processor, the processing system coupled to a memory, the processing system coupled to a touch screen display, the method comprising:

displaying a first object on the touch screen display;

detecting a first touch input on the touch screen at a first position within an area that is associated with the first object;

detecting a second touch input on the touch screen within the area at a second position that is different from the first position;

detecting a third touch input on the touch screen at a third position after detecting the first and second touch inputs, the third position being different from the second position;

determining a distance between the third position and the first position; and

displaying a copy of the first object on the touch screen enabled display when the distance is determined to be greater than a predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second touch input and the third touch inputs are included in a continuous touch input that is between at least the second and third positions.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second and third inputs are non-contiguous touch inputs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch input is detected before the second touch input, or the second touch input is detected before the first touch input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second touch inputs are substantially simultaneously detected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the copy is displayed at or proximate to the third position on the touch screen display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first object includes a plurality of objects and the area that is associated with the first object encompasses the plurality of objects.

8. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing computer readable instructions for use with a computing system that includes at least one processor, the computing system including display that is associated with a touch screen and a memory that is operatively coupled to the at least one processor, the stored instructions comprising instructions that are configured to:

display at least one object on the touch screen display;

detect a first touch input on the touch screen at a first position within an area that is associated with the at least one object;

detect a second touch input on the touch screen within the area at a second position that is different from the first position;

detect a third touch input on the touch screen at a third position after detecting the first and second touch inputs, the third position being different from the second position;

perform a test against a duplication criteria based at least in part on the third position; and

display a copy of the at least one object on the touch screen display when the test is successful.

9. The medium of claim 8, wherein the duplication criteria includes a distance between the third position and the first and/or second position being greater than a predetermined value.

10. The medium of claim 8, wherein the duplication criteria includes the third position being outside the area that is associated with the at least one object.

11. The medium of claim 10, wherein the duplication criteria further includes a distance between a position within the area associated with the at least one object and the third position, the position not including the first and/or second position.

12. The medium of claim 8, wherein the third touch input is detected while the first touch input is still detected and the second touch input at the second position is not detected.

13. The medium of claim 8, wherein the second touch input and the third touch input includes a contiguous touch input therebetween along the touch screen display.

14. The medium of claim 8, wherein the at least one object includes a plurality of objects and the area that is associated with the at least one object encompasses the plurality of objects.

15. The medium of claim 8, wherein the first and second touch inputs are substantially, simultaneously detected.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a touch screen display;

a processing system that includes at least one processor, the processing system configured to;

display an object on the touch screen display;

detect a first touch input on the touch screen display at a first position that is within an area that is associated with the object;

detect a second touch input on the touch screen display within the area at a second position that is different from the first position;

detect a third touch input on the touch screen at a third position after detecting the first and second touch inputs, the third position being different from the second position;

calculate a distance between the third position and a position that is associated with the object, the area, the first position, and/or the second position;

duplicate the object based if the distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value; and

display the duplicated object on the touch screen display.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the displayed duplicated object is displayed on the touch screen display proximate to the third position.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the distance is calculated between the third position and the first position.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the predetermined value is not greater than a distance between a thumb and index finger of a user of the apparatus.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the second touch operation and the third touch operation are part of a contiguous touch operation between the second and third positions on the touch screen display.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the object includes a plurality of objects and the area encompasses the plurality of objects.