Devices, Methods, and Graphical User Interfaces for Providing Control of a Touch-Based User Interface Absent Physical Touch Capabilities

• US 20120306748A1
• Filed: 08/25/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fleizach, Christopher Brian, Seymour, Eric Taylor, Craig, James P.
• Granted Patent: US 9,513,799 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• 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 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• 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 electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch. The device receives a first input from an adaptive input device. In response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, the device displays a first menu on the display. The first menu includes a virtual touches selection icon. In response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display;

a touch-sensitive surface;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying, on the display, a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch;

receiving a first input from an adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, displaying a first menu on the display, the first menu including a virtual touches selection icon, wherein in response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first visual indicator comprises one of:

a ring, donut, circle, oval, ellipse, arrow, cross, I-beam, star, or virtual finger.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input moves the first visual indicator to a predefined region of the display.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input corresponds to activation of a control on the adaptive input device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first input corresponds to moving a control on the adaptive input device from side-to-side.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the adaptive input device includes a joystick and the first input corresponds to moving the joystick from side-to-side.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first menu includes icons displayed radially about a center of the first menu.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein a first user interface is displayed on the display immediately prior to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, and the first menu is displayed over the first user interface.

9. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

in response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, displaying the first visual indicator in a center region of the first menu.

10. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, displaying the menu of virtual multitouch contacts, the menu of virtual multitouch contacts including a plurality of icons representing types of virtual multitouch contacts;

detecting selection of a respective virtual multitouch contacts icon in the menu of virtual multitouch contacts; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the respective virtual multitouch contacts icon in the menu of virtual multitouch contacts, displaying one or more second visual indicators that correspond to the respective virtual multitouch contacts icon.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein displaying the second visual indicators includes displaying a number of visual indicators that correspond to the respective virtual multitouch contacts icon.

12. The device of claim 10, including instructions for:

receiving a second input from the adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the second input from the adaptive input device;

moving the one or more second visual indicators, and

performing an operation in accordance with the movement of the one or more second visual indicators.

13. The device of claim 10, including instructions for:

while displaying the one or more second visual indicators, waiting to receive input from the adaptive input device for more than a predefined time period; and

,

in response to waiting to receive input from the adaptive input device for more than the predefined time period, replacing display of the one or more second visual indicators with display of the first visual indicator.

14. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

displaying a virtual gestures icon;

detecting selection of the virtual gestures icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual gestures icon, displaying a menu of virtual gestures, the menu of virtual gestures including a plurality of icons representing types of virtual gestures;

detecting selection of a respective virtual gesture icon in the menu of virtual gestures; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the respective virtual gesture icon in the menu of virtual gestures, performing an action that corresponds to the respective virtual gesture.

15. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

displaying a virtual gestures icon;

detecting selection of the virtual gestures icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual gestures icon, displaying a menu of virtual gestures, the menu of virtual gestures including a plurality of icons representing types of virtual gestures;

detecting selection of a respective virtual gesture icon in the menu of virtual gestures;

in response to detecting selection of the respective virtual gesture icon in the menu of virtual gestures, displaying a number of visual indicators that correspond to the respective virtual gesture icon;

receiving a second input from the adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the second input from the adaptive input device, performing an operation in accordance with the respective virtual gesture.

16. The device of claim 15, including instructions for:

in response to receiving the second input from the adaptive input device, moving the displayed visual indicators that correspond to the respective virtual gesture to simulate movement of actual contacts on the touch sensitive surface.

17. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

displaying a pinch/depinch gesture icon;

detecting selection of the virtual pinch/depinch gesture icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual pinch/depinch gesture icon, displaying two visual indicators that correspond to contacts in the virtual pinch/depinch gesture;

receiving a second input from the adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the second input from the adaptive input device, performing an operation in accordance with the virtual pinch/depinch gesture.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein a zooming operation is performed in accordance with the virtual pinch/depinch gesture.

19. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

displaying a virtual device icon;

detecting selection of the virtual device icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual device icon, displaying a menu of virtual device operations, the menu of virtual device operations including a plurality of icons representing types of virtual device operations;

detecting selection of a respective virtual device operation icon in the menu of virtual device operations; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the respective virtual device operation icon in the menu of virtual device operations, performing an action that corresponds to the respective virtual device operation.

20. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

displaying a virtual device rotation icon;

detecting selection of the virtual device rotation icon;

in response to detecting selection of the virtual device rotation icon, displaying a menu of virtual device orientations, the menu of virtual device orientations including a plurality of icons representing types of virtual device orientations;

detecting selection of a respective virtual device orientation icon in the menu of virtual device orientations; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the respective virtual device orientation icon in the menu of virtual device orientations, orienting the display in accordance with the respective virtual device orientation.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a home button, the device including instructions for:

displaying a home button icon;

detecting selection of the home button icon; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the home button icon, performing an action that corresponds to activation of the home button.

22. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

while displaying a menu on the display, constraining movement of the first visual indicator such that the first visual indicator remains on the menu.

23. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

while displaying the first menu on the display, receiving a second input from the adaptive input device when the first visual indicator is displayed off the first menu; and

,

in response to the second input, ceasing to display the first menu.

24. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

while displaying the first menu on the display, waiting to receive input from the adaptive input device for more than a predefined time period; and

,

in response to waiting to receive input from the adaptive input device for more than the predefined time period, ceasing to display the first menu.

25. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface;

displaying, on the display, a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch;

receiving a first input from an adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, displaying a first menu on the display, the first menu including a virtual touches selection icon, wherein in response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.

26. A computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:

display, on the display, a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch;

receive a first input from an adaptive input device; and

,

in response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, display a first menu on the display, the first menu including a virtual touches selection icon, wherein in response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.

27. A graphical user interface on an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch, wherein:

a first input is received from an adaptive input device;

in response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, a first menu is displayed on the display, the first menu including a virtual touches selection icon; and

,

in response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.