USER INTERFACE FOR A COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20140189578A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canonical Group Limited
• Original Assignee: Canonical Group Limited
• Inventors: SHUTTLEWORTH, Mark, WEEVERS, Ivo, MESKANEN, Mika, HOREV, Oren, PRINGLE, Calum, LEA, John, GREENSLADE, Otto, HASLAM, Marcus, MAJIC, Ivanka, ZHU, Xi
• Granted Patent: US 9,930,160 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/784
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• 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 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

There is disclosed a smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which a swipe in from an edge causes the device to behave (e.g. display a UI graphic, open an app, open a control pane, invoke a function), in a way that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

Claims

1. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which a swipe in from an edge causes the device to behave (e.g. display a UI graphic, open an app, open a control pane, invoke a function), in a way that depends on the specific edge swiped-in from (e.g. left, right, top or bottom).

2. The device of claim 1 in which a swipe in from an edge must commence at the edge of or outside, the touch-screen display.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the behaviour relates to the interaction with the device system, settings, applications or controls.

4. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which starting or switching to an app is initiated by a swipe in from one edge of the screen and switching back to a previously opened app is initiated by a swipe in from the opposite edge of the screen.

5. The device of claim 4 in which a swipe in from the left edge reaches an app and a swipe in from the right edge reaches previously used but still running apps.

6. The device of claim 4 in which ‘

start’

is initiated with a swipe right from the left edge to brings across an application launcher; and

conversely, a swipe left from the right edge brings up previously opened apps, so acts as a ‘

back’

function.

7. The device of claim 4 in which further swipes left from the right edge scroll the user back through all previously used apps, in the order in which they were last used.

8. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which the user can select a system status icon placed close to the top edge and swipe down from it (e.g touch it directly and then pull-down) to reveal a screen that lists the setting(s) relevant to that icon, allowing the user to rapidly update the setting(s) and then swipe the settings page back up, to show the still-running current app.

9. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which app controls are placed at an edge (e.g. the bottom edge), but are only revealed by a short swipe up from the edge, whilst the app is running and controlling the device display, and then concealed by a swipe back to the edge.

10. A smartphone, tablet or other computing device in which a single gestural input leads to two or more different (but typically connected) outcomes or functions being triggered or invoked, depending on the extent (e.g. distance, length, direction, path, end-point or destination) of the gestural input.

11. The device of claim 10 in which a swipe from an edge causes a first outcome, and if the user continues to swipe in from that edge, that leads to a different outcome.

12. The device of claim 10 in which if the gestural input continues to a predefined region on the screen to select that region, then a specific outcome results.

13. The device of claim 10 in which a swipe from one edge causes a different outcome compared with a swipe from a different edge.

14. The device of claim 10 in which a short swipe from the left edge reveals the launcher, continuing that gesture allows you to select a particular item on the launcher (to launch or switch to), continuing further to the right (in the same fluid gesture) shows all the running apps, and those are part of the “

apps”

page of the home screen.

15. The device of claim 10 in which a short swipe from the top right edge causes a pane relating to one system information function to be displayed, and continuing that swipe down expands the pane to include user-selectable parameters for that function.

16. The device of claim 10 in which a short swipe up from the bottom edge when an app is open causes functions relating to that app to be displayed, and continuing that swipe up to select a defined target region causes a search function (e.g. HUD search) to be invoked.

17. The device of claim 10 in which a short swipe (in the tablet implementation) from the right edge causes a rectangular region (‘

side-stage’

) to be displayed and continuing that swipe causes a previously opened app to be displayed.

18. The device of claim 10 in which a release up from the touch screen is a commit gesture, not tapping down.

19. The device of claim 10 in which a single gesture involves the user'"'"'s fingers continuously contacting the touch screen, moving across the screen in one or more directions.