METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TEXT SELECTION

• US 20130285930A1
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: THORSANDER, Simon Martin, KUO, Margaret Elizabeth, ANDERSSON REIMER, Nils Roger
• Granted Patent: US 9,354,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting

Abstract

A method includes, displaying a content selection icon on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, detecting touch input at a touch location on the display operable to select a content selection function associated with the content selection icon, and, modifying the displayed content selection icon to display a touch portion at a location on the display corresponding to said detected touch location and a content selection portion operatively coupled to, but spatially separated from, the touch portion.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a content selection icon on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

detecting touch input at a touch location on the touch-sensitive display operable to select a content selection function associated with the content selection icon; and

,

modifying the displayed content selection icon to display a touch portion at a location on the touch-sensitive display corresponding to said detected touch location and a content selection portion operatively coupled to, but spatially separated from, the touch portion.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising detecting a subsequent touch input representing a drag of the content selection handle and further modifying the displayed content selection icon to increase a spatial separation between the touch portion and the content selection portion.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the content selection icon is modified to include a neck portion that extends between the touch portion and the content selection portion.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the neck portion is extendable.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising displacing a location of content displayed on the touch-sensitive display relative to a display location of the content selection icon.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein responsive to the selection of the content selection handle, displacing a display location of content on the touch-sensitive display relative to a display location of the content selection handle.

7. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display to receive a touch;

at least one processor configured to;

display a content selection icon on the touch-sensitive display;

detect touch input at a touch location on the touch-sensitive display operable to select a content selection function associated with the content selection icon; and

,

modify the displayed content selection icon to display a touch portion at a location on the touch-sensitive display corresponding to said detected touch location and a content selection portion operatively coupled to, but spatially separated from, the touch portion.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to detect a subsequent touch input representing a drag of the content selection handle and further modifying the displayed content selection icon to increase a spatial separation between the touch portion and the content selection portion.

9. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the content selection icon is modified to include a neck portion that extends between the touch portion and the content selection portion.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the neck portion is extendable.

11. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one processor is configured to displace a location of content displayed on the touch-sensitive display relative to a display location of the content selection icon.

12. The electronic device according to claim 7, the at least one processor is configured to, responsive to the selection of the content selection handle, displace a display location of content on the touch-sensitive display relative to a display location of the content selection handle.