Using Clamping to Modify Scrolling

• US 20140149921A1
• Filed: 11/29/2012
• Published: 05/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Meta Platforms, Inc. (f/k/a Facebook, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hauser, Jasper Reid, Kaldor, Jonathan M., Kolesnikov, Vladimir, Singh, Jasleen, Bailey, William S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,191,643 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving user input to scroll within a GUI on a touch screen. The user input includes a touch gesture having a path that includes a starting point and one or more other points on the touch screen. The computing device determines regions of the touch screen defined with respect to the starting point. A first one of the regions corresponds to a first scrolling axis, and a second one of the regions corresponds to a second scrolling axis perpendicular to the first scrolling axis. If the path corresponds to the first region, then the computing device scrolls within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis. If the path corresponds to the second region, then the computing device scrolls within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

by a computing device, receiving user input to scroll within a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a touch screen of the computing device, the user input comprising a touch gesture on the touch screen, the touch gesture comprising a path that comprises a starting point and one or more other points on the touch screen;

by the computing device, determining a plurality of regions of the touch screen defined with respect to the starting point, a first one of the regions corresponding to a first scrolling axis, a second one of the regions corresponding to a second scrolling axis that is perpendicular to the first scrolling axis; and

by the computing device;

if the path corresponds to the first one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the second one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a third one of the regions also corresponds to the first scrolling axis;

a fourth one of the regions also corresponds to the second scrolling axis; and

the method further comprises, by the computing device;

if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the fourth one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a third one of the regions does not correspond to the first or second scrolling axis; and

the method further comprises, by the computing device, if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI according to the user input independent of the first and second scrolling axes.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the regions are sectors of a circle with a center at the starting point and a radius of a pre-determined length.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein each sector comprises an arc that is one eighth of a circumference of the circle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first scrolling axis is horizontal and the second scrolling axis is vertical.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising, by the computing device, if the path corresponds to the first or second one of the regions, then scrolling within the GUI only linearly and parallel to the first or second scrolling axis respectively for a pre-determined amount of time after the touch gesture.

8. A system comprising:

a touch screen;

one or more processors; and

a memory coupled to the processors comprising instructions executable by the processors, the processors operable when executing the instructions to;

receive user input to scroll within a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on the touch screen, the user input comprising a touch gesture on the touch screen, the touch gesture comprising a path that comprises a starting point and one or more other points on the touch screen;

determine a plurality of regions of the touch screen defined with respect to the starting point, a first one of the regions corresponding to a first scrolling axis, a second one of the regions corresponding to a second scrolling axis that is perpendicular to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the first one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the second one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

a third one of the regions also corresponds to the first scrolling axis;

a fourth one of the regions also corresponds to the second scrolling axis; and

the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to;

if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the fourth one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein:

a third one of the regions does not correspond to the first or second scrolling axis; and

the processors are further operable when executing the instructions to, if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input independent of the first and second scrolling axes.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the regions are sectors of a circle with a center at the starting point and a radius of a pre-determined length.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein each sector comprises an arc that is one eighth of a circumference of the circle.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the first scrolling axis is horizontal and the second scrolling axis is vertical.

14. The system of claim 8, the processors further operable when executing the instructions to, if the path corresponds to the first or second one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI only linearly and parallel to the first or second scrolling axis respectively for a pre-determined amount of time after the touch gesture.

15. One or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to:

receive user input to scroll within a graphical user interface (GUI) displayed on a touch screen, the user input comprising a touch gesture on the touch screen, the touch gesture comprising a path that comprises a starting point and one or more other points on the touch screen;

determine a plurality of regions of the touch screen defined with respect to the starting point, a first one of the regions corresponding to a first scrolling axis, a second one of the regions corresponding to a second scrolling axis that is perpendicular to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the first one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the second one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

16. The media of claim 15, wherein:

a third one of the regions also corresponds to the first scrolling axis;

a fourth one of the regions also corresponds to the second scrolling axis; and

the software is further operable when executed to;

if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the first scrolling axis; and

if the path corresponds to the fourth one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input linearly and parallel to the second scrolling axis.

17. The media of claim 15, wherein:

a third one of the regions does not correspond to the first or second scrolling axis; and

the software is further operable when executed to, if the path corresponds to the third one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI according to the user input independent of the first and second scrolling axes.

18. The media of claim 15, wherein the regions are sectors of a circle with a center at the starting point and a radius of a pre-determined length, wherein each sector comprises an arc that is one eighth of a circumference of the circle.

19. The media of claim 15, wherein the first scrolling axis is horizontal and the second scrolling axis is vertical.

20. The media of claim 15, the software further operable when executed to, if the path corresponds to the first or second one of the regions, then scroll within the GUI only linearly and parallel to the first or second scrolling axis respectively for a pre-determined amount of time after the touch gesture.