TEXT SELECTION USING A TOUCH SENSITIVE SCREEN OF A HANDHELD MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20160179347A1
• Filed: 02/29/2016
• Published: 06/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: FYKE, Steven Henry, KORNILOVSKY, Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 10,423,311 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/26 for modifying the character dimensions, e.g. double width, double height

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed that provides for character or text selection and editing. The text and character selection is made by user contact with a touch sensitive screen. In order to allow for refinement of the selection, a second expanded view is implemented as compared to the original display configuration of the screen. Furthermore, the selection is described in relation to two endpoints of the block of text. Additionally, a point is specified as the point desired for insertion of the selected text. The expanded view is implemented along with the original view as required when making character selection.

Claims

1. A method for accommodating character or text selection by a user on a touch screen of a handheld electronic device where displayed characters available for selection are small enough that user contact with the touch screen when making a character selection is capable of overlapping a plurality of simultaneously displayed characters, said method comprising:

displaying text on a touch screen of a handheld electronic device in which selectable characters are smaller than an area of user contact with the screen, said display of text constituting an original display configuration;

detecting that a first area of the touch screen has been user contacted, said first area encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two have been partially covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

displaying an expanded view of the first area that has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by similar user contact with the touch screen;

detecting a first character from the at least two characters that is being selected in the first expanded view by being predominantly covered by said similar user contact with the touch screen in said expanded view; and

resuming the original display configuration of the text with the first character that has been detected as being user selected in the first expanded view being signified.

2. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

detecting that a second area of the touch screen is being user contacted, said second area encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two have been at least partially covered by the area of user contact with the touch screen;

displaying a second expanded view of the second area that has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

detecting a second character from the said at least two characters that is being user selected in the expanded view by being predominantly covered by said user contact with the touch screen in said expanded view; and

resuming the original display configuration of the text with text between said first character and said second character being signified as designated text.

3. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

detecting that a third area of the touch screen has been user contacted and that the area of contact has moved across the touch screen to a third location where a third area is defined by the user contact, said third area encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two have been at least partially covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

displaying an expanded view of the third area upon detection that the user contact has disengaged from the touch screen and wherein the expanded view has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters in the expanded view is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

detecting a third character from said at least two characters that is being user selected in the expanded view by being predominantly covered by user contact with the touch screen in said expanded view; and

inserting the designated text adjacent the third character and resuming the original display configuration.

4. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said original display configuration is a default view of the handheld electronic device.

5. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said user engagement is a fingertip engagement of the touch screen.

6. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said signification is visual signification.

7. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein more than three lines of text are shown on the screen when in said original display configuration.

8. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein less than four lines of text are displayed on the screen in said first expanded view.

9. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein one line above and one line below the first area are displayed on the screen in said first expanded view.

10. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein less than six characters are displayed on either side of the first area in the first expanded view.

11. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein the characters that are individually sufficiently large have a height greater than six millimeters.

12. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 11, wherein the height is between six and fourteen millimeters.

13. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said handheld electronic device is capable of transmitting data to, and receiving data from a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

14. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said handheld electronic device supports voice and textual messaging.

15. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein said handheld electronic device is sized to be cradled in the palm of a user'"'"'s hand.

16. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 15, wherein said handheld electronic device is longer than wide.

17. The method for accommodating character or text selection as recited in claim 1, wherein the width of the handheld electronic device is between approximately fifty and approximately seventy-six millimeters thereby facilitating the device being palm cradled.

18. A handheld electronic device capable of displaying characters for user selection and in which the displayed characters are small enough that user contact with the touch screen can overlap a plurality of simultaneously displayed characters, said handheld electronic device comprising:

a body;

a touch screen mounted within the body, wherein said touch screen is arranged to display text in an original display configuration with selectable characters that are smaller than an area of user contact with the screen;

a microprocessor in signal communication with said touch screen for receiving data indicative of a sensed location and area of user contact and for transmitting data to said touch screen indicative of characters to be displayed on the touch screen; and

a microprocessor-run software program that is programmed to;

assess a first area of the touch screen that has been user contacted and wherein said first area encompasses a plurality of characters of which at least two have been partially covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

present on the touch screen an expanded view of the first area that has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by similar user contact with the touch screen;

determine a first character from the at least two characters that is user selected in the first expanded view by being predominantly covered by similar contact with the touch screen in the expanded view; and

display text in the original display configuration on the touch screen the first character signified that has been determined as being user selected in the first expanded view.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 18, wherein said microprocessor-run software program is further programmed to:

assess that a second area of the touch screen has been user contacted, said second are encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two have been at least partially covered by the area of user contact with the touch screen;

present on the touch screen a second expanded view of the second area that has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

determining that a second character from the said at least two characters that is being user selected in the expanded view being predominantly covered by said user contact with the touch screen in said expanded view; and

resuming the original display configuration of the text with text between said first character and said second character being signified as designated text.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 19, wherein said microprocessor-run software program is further programmed to:

assess that a third area of the touch screen has been user contacted and that the area of contact has moved across the touch screen to a third location where a third area is defined by the user contact, said third area encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two have been at least partially covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

present on the touch screen an expanded view of the third area upon detection that the user contact has disengaged from the touch screen and wherein the expanded view has been expanded to an extent that each of the at least two partially covered characters in the expanded view is individually sufficiently large that only one of said at least two characters can be predominantly covered by the user'"'"'s contact with the touch screen;

determine that a third character from said at least two characters that is being user selected in the expanded view by being predominantly covered by user contact with the touch screen in said expanded view; and

insert the designated text adjacent the third character and resume the original display configuration.

21-23. -23. (canceled)