System and Method for Selecting Objects on a Touch-Sensitive Display of a Mobile Communications Device

• US 20130055164A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bergsbjrk, Hanna
• Application Number:
  US13/216,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20130055164A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/845
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A mobile communications device has a touch-sensitive display screen and a processor. The touch-sensitive display screen displays a collection of items arranged as a list or grid to a user of the mobile device. The processor is programmed to allow the user to select and unselect one or more items in the displayed collection using only the touch-sensitive display. More particularly, the processor is programmed to allow the user to select and unselect a plurality of items without requiring the user to select or unselect each item individually.

Claims

1. A mobile communications device comprising:

a memory configured to store application logic;

a touch-sensitive display screen configured to display a collection of items to a user; and

a processor operatively connected to the memory and the touch-sensitive display screen and configured to;

select a first item in the collection of items responsive to detecting a single-tap of the first item on the touch-sensitive display screen by the user; and

expand the selection by selecting a second item in the collection of items and any intervening items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of the second item on the touch-sensitive display screen by the user.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

unselect one of the selected items responsive to detecting a subsequent single-tap of the selected item; and

unselect all selected items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of any of the selected items.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to expand the selection by selecting a third item in the collection of items and any intervening items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of the third item on the touch-sensitive display screen by the user.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a contact location on a surface of the touch-sensitive display for the double-tap relative to an area displaying the selected items; and

expand the selection, or clear the selection, based on the determined contact location.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the detected double-tap occurred within an area of the touch-sensitive display displaying the selected items, or outside of the area displaying the selected items.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to visually indicate the selected items to the user.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether a user contact on the touch-sensitive display is a single-tap or a double-tap; and

if no items are selected and the user contact is a double-tap, select the first item in the collection of items.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein the collection of items comprises a plurality of items arranged in a list.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the collection of items comprises a plurality of items arranged as a grid.

10. A method of selecting items from a collection of items displayed on a touch-sensitive display of a mobile communications device, the method comprising:

displaying a collection of items on a touch-sensitive display screen of a mobile communications device;

selecting a first item in the collection responsive to detecting a single-tap of the first item on the touch-sensitive display screen by a user; and

expanding the selection by selecting a second item in the collection and any intervening items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of the second item on the touch-sensitive display screen by the user.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

unselecting one of the selected items responsive to detecting a subsequent single-tap of the selected item; and

unselecting all selected items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of any of the selected items.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising expanding the selection by selecting a third item in the collection of items and any intervening items between the third item and one of the previously selected items responsive to detecting a subsequent double-tap of the third item on the touch-sensitive display screen by the user.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining a contact location on a surface of the touch-sensitive display for the double-tap relative to an area displaying the selected items; and

expanding the selection, or clearing the selection, based on the determined contact location.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein determining a contact location for the double-tap relative to an area displaying the selected items comprises determining whether the double-tap occurred within an area of the touch-sensitive display displaying the selected items, or outside of the area displaying the selected items.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising visually indicating each selected item to the user.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining whether a user action on the touch-sensitive display is a single-tap or a double-tap;

selecting the first item in the collection of items if the user contact is a double-tap and there are no items already selected.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the collection of items comprises a plurality of items arranged in a list.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the collection of items comprises a plurality of items arranged as a grid.