Collaboration System

• US 20170097746A1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Published: 04/06/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Doray, Bernard, To, Paul, Haller, Michael, Brandl, Peter, Seifried, Thomas J.
• Granted Patent: US 10,338,778 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15

Abstract

A collaboration system provides enhanced user interface to enable users to interact with electronic devices. In one embodiment, users can add content to a digital system by using a pen that streams coordinates so that input to the digital system may be based on conventional pen and paper handwriting. In another embodiment, a pie-based menu system is used for input to large display area digital devices in which an occluded portion of the pie-based menu system is not used for direct input by the user. The selection of which areas of the pie-based menu system should be omitted from use is adaptive and responsive to whether the user is left-handed or right-handed, and the wrist angle defined by the user'"'"'s posture. In still another embodiment, an ergonomic open-shaped pie menu system is provided to facilitate selection of options on a digital surface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display;

detecting a stylus input at a point on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to content displayed on the touch-sensitive display;

while the stylus continues to be detected at the point on the touch-sensitive surface, continuing to detect the stylus input; and

in response to the continued detection of the stylus input;

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input includes a menu display input, displaying a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display; and

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input does not include the menu display input, preparing to perform a content manipulation operation with the content instead of displaying a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu display input is a press of a button on the stylus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu display input is an increase in pressure of the stylus on the touch-sensitive display.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu display input includes a predetermined number of repetitions of an input in which the pressure of the stylus increases on the touch-sensitive display and then decreases.

5. The method of claim 1, including, while displaying the menu, receiving an input on a respective menu item of a plurality of displayed menu items in the menu, and in response to the input, displaying a sub-menu that corresponds to the respective menu item.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein, when the menu is displayed curving in a first direction, the sub-menu is displayed curving in the first direction.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the sub-menu is displayed within a reachable area relative to the menu.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the sub-menu is displayed below the respective menu item.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the menu includes a gesture region.

10. The method of claim 1, including, while displaying the menu, detecting movement of the stylus and in response to detecting movement of the stylus, scrolling at least a portion of the menu in accordance with the movement of the stylus.

11. The method of claim 10, including, while scrolling the portion of the menu, maintaining a portion of the menu stationary without scrolling.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a stylus;

one or more processors; and

memory storing one or more programs, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform operations including;

detecting a stylus input, made using the stylus, at a point on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to content displayed on the touch-sensitive display;

while the stylus continues to be detected at the point on the touch-sensitive surface, continuing to detect the stylus input; and

in response to the continued detection of the stylus input;

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input includes a menu display input, displaying a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display; and

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input does not include the menu display input, preparing to perform a content manipulation operation with the content instead of displaying a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the stylus includes a button, and the menu display input is a press of the button on the stylus.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs including instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and a stylus, cause the electronic device to:

detect a stylus input, made using the stylus, at a point on the touch-sensitive display that corresponds to content displayed on the touch-sensitive display;

while the stylus continues to be detected at the point on the touch-sensitive surface, continue to detect the stylus input; and

in response to the continued detection of the stylus input;

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input includes a menu display input, display a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display; and

in accordance with a determination that the stylus input does not include the menu display input, prepare to perform a content manipulation operation with the content instead of displaying a menu proximate to the point on the touch-sensitive display.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the stylus includes a button, and the menu display input is a press of the button on the stylus.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the menu display input is an increase in pressure of the stylus on the touch-sensitive display.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the menu display input includes a predetermined number of repetitions of an input in which the pressure of the stylus increases on the touch-sensitive display and then decreases.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more programs include instructions, which, when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to:

while displaying the menu, receive an input on a respective menu item of a plurality of displayed menu items in the menu, and in response to the input, display a sub-menu that corresponds to the respective menu item.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein, when the menu is displayed curving in a first direction, the sub-menu is displayed curving in the first direction.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the sub-menu is displayed within a reachable area relative to the menu.