METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GESTURE BASED COPYING OF ATTRIBUTES

• US 20130335335A1
• Filed: 06/13/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Neelakant, Vineeth
• Granted Patent: US 9,223,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method and apparatus for copying of attributes of user interface (UI) elements on a touch screen display is disclosed. The method comprises detecting a gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures made on a UI element displayed on a touch screen display, wherein the gesture selectively signifies at least one attribute to copy; determining a source UI element based on the gesture; determining the at least one attribute to copy based on the gesture; and applying the determined attribute from the source UI element to a target UI element displayed on the touch screen display.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for gesture based copying of attributes of user interface (UI) elements displayed on a touch screen display comprising:

detecting a gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures made on a UI element displayed on a touch screen display, wherein the gesture selectively signifies at least one attribute to copy;

determining a source UI element based on the gesture;

determining the at least one attribute to copy based on the gesture; and

applying the at least one determined attribute from the source UI element to a target UI element displayed on the touch screen display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a gesture occurs in response to a command on the target UI element to copy an attribute.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a gesture comprises determining a symbol drawn with a finger on the source UI element on the touch screen display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting a gesture comprises determining a point of impact of a finger on the touch screen display within the source UI element.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining the attribute comprises detecting a region of the source UI element at the point of impact on the touch screen display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the target UI element is determine to be the UI element located at a point of lift of the finger from the touch screen display.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, applying the determined attribute comprises performing a swipe with two fingers from the source UI element to the target UI element on the touch screen display.

8. A computer implemented method for gesture based copying of attributes from source user interface (UI) elements to a target UI element displayed on a touch screen display comprising:

detecting a selected target UI element;

detecting a first gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures made on a first UI element displayed on a touch screen display, wherein the gesture selectively signifies at least one attribute to copy;

determining a first source UI element based on the first gesture;

determining the at least one attribute to copy based on the first gesture;

detecting a second gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures made on a second UI element displayed on a touch screen display, wherein the gesture selectively signifies at least one attribute to copy;

determining a second source UI element based on the second gesture;

determining the at least one attribute to copy based on the second gesture; and

simultaneously applying the at least one determined attribute from the first source UI element and the at least one determined attribute from the second source UI element to the target UI element displayed on the touch screen display.

9. An apparatus for copying of attributes of user interface (UI) elements on a touch screen display using gesture comprising:

a touch detector for determining a point of impact of a gesture on a touch screen display, wherein the point of impact defines a source UI element;

a gesture reader for reading a gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures on the source UI element and determining at least one attribute associated with the gesture;

an attribute applier for applying the at least one associated attribute to a target UI element; and

an attribute map comprising a mapping of gestures to associated attributes.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein when the at least one associated attribute is a plurality of attributes, the attribute applier applies the attribute to the target UI element.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the target UI element is determined by a point of lift on the touch screen display within a UI element, wherein the point of lift is where the point of impact on the touch screen is deactivated.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the target UI element is determined in response to a command on the target UI element to copy an attribute.

13. A computer readable medium for storing executable code that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform a method, for copying of attributes of user interface (UI) elements on a touch screen display, the method comprising:

detecting a gesture of a plurality of predefined gestures made on a UI element displayed on a touch screen display, wherein the gesture selectively signifies at least one attribute to copy;

determining a source UI element based on the gesture;

determining the at least one attribute to copy based on the gesture; and

applying the at least one determined attribute from the source UI element to a target UI element displayed on the touch screen display.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein detecting a gesture occurs in response to a command on the target UI element to copy an attribute.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein detecting a gesture comprises determining a symbol drawn with a finger on the source UI element on the touch screen display.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein when the at least one attribute to copy is a plurality of attributes to copy, the applying comprise applying the plurality of attributes simultaneously to the target UI element.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein detecting a gesture comprises determining a point of impact of a finger on the touch screen display within the source UI element.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, wherein determining the attribute comprises detecting a region of the source UI element at the point of impact on the touch screen display.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the target UI element is determine to be the UI element located at source point of lift of the finger from the touch screen display.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, wherein, applying the determined attribute comprises performing a swipe with two fingers from source UI element to a target UI element on a touch screen display.