Methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a portable multifunction device

• US 8,201,109 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Van Os, Marcel, Ording, Bas, Lemay, Stephen O., Westerman, Wayne C., Victor, B Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Stevens, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): TANK, ANDREW L
• Application Number:
  US12/242,852
• Publication Number:
  US 20090228792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,351 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715710-711, 715/715, 715/767, 715/768, 715771-773, 715/780, 715/821, 715/835
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• 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 3/0488 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

Abstract

Methods and graphical user interfaces for editing on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display are disclosed. While displaying an application interface of an application, the device detects a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display. In response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, the device displays a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture. The device also displays a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, while displaying an application interface of an application;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture; and

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface, wherein the start point object and end point object each have a displayed magnifier for showing a magnified image of a respective end point of selected content in the application interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed at predefined times.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein displaying the user-selectable edit option icons in the area comprises replacing context information for the application with the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the portable multifunction device includes a plurality of applications;

each application includes a plurality of application interfaces;

each respective application interface includes a predefined area with a title for the respective application interface; and

displaying the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in the area of the touch screen display that is independent of the location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture comprises replacing display of the predefined area with the title in the application interface with display of an area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein

the area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons is displayed at the same location on the touch screen display in the plurality of applications.

7. The method of claim 1, including

detecting user selection of a copy icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the copy icon, copying text when the selected content includes only text, copying an image when the selected content includes only the image, and copying structured content when the selected content includes both text and one or more images.

8. The method of claim 7, including detecting user selection of a paste icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the paste icon, pasting text when the copied content includes only text, pasting an image when the copied content includes only the image, and pasting the structured content when the copied content includes both text and the one or more images.

9. A method comprising:

on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, while displaying an application interface of an application;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture; and

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface;

detecting when a user gesture for moving the start point object reaches an upper edge of the application interface; and

in response to detecting when the user gesture for moving the start point object reaches the upper edge of the application interface, displaying a vertically flipped version of the start point object.

10. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display while displaying an application interface of an application;

displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture; and

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface, wherein the start point object and end point object each have a displayed magnifier for showing a magnified image of a respective end point of selected content in the application interface.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed at predefined times.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein displaying the user-selectable edit option icons in the area comprises replacing context information for the application with the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein

the portable multifunction device includes a plurality of applications;

each application includes a plurality of application interfaces;

each respective application interface includes a predefined area with a title for the respective application interface; and

displaying the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in the area of the touch screen display that is independent of the location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture comprises replacing display of the predefined area with the title in the application interface with display of an area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein

the area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons is displayed at the same location on the touch screen display in the plurality of applications.

16. The device of claim 10, including instructions for:

detecting user selection of a copy icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the copy icon, copying text when the selected content includes only text, copying an image when the selected content includes only the image, and copying structured content when the selected content includes both text and one or more images.

17. The device of claim 16, including instructions for:

detecting user selection of a paste icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the paste icon, pasting text when the copied content includes only text, pasting an image when the copied content includes only the image, and pasting the structured content when the copied content includes both text and the one or more images.

18. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display while displaying an application interface of an application;

displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture;

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface;

detecting when a user gesture for moving the start point object reaches an upper edge of the application interface; and

,

in response to detecting when the user gesture for moving the start point object reaches the upper edge of the application interface, displaying a vertically flipped version of the start point object.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

detect a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display while an application interface of an application is displayed;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, display a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture;

display a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface;

detect when a user gesture for moving the start point object reaches an upper edge of the application interface; and

,

in response to detecting when the user gesture for moving the start point object reaches the upper edge of the application interface, display a vertically flipped version of the start point object.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed at predefined times.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which application context information is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein displaying the user-selectable edit option icons in the area comprises replacing context information for the application with the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein

the portable multifunction device includes a plurality of applications;

each application includes a plurality of application interfaces;

each respective application interface includes a predefined area with a title for the respective application interface; and

displaying the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in the area of the touch screen display that is independent of the location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture comprises replacing display of the predefined area with the title in the application interface with display of an area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 23, wherein

the area that includes the plurality of user-selectable edit option icons is displayed at the same location on the touch screen display in the plurality of applications.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19, including instructions that cause the device to:

detect user selection of a copy icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the copy icon, copy text when the selected content includes only text, copy an image when the selected content includes only the image, and copy structured content when the selected content includes both text and one or more images.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 25, including instructions that cause the device to:

detect user selection of a paste icon;

in response to detecting user selection of the paste icon, paste text when the copied content includes only text, paste an image when the copied content includes only the image, and paste the structured content when the copied content includes both text and the one or more images.

27. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

detect a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display while an application interface of an application is displayed;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, display a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture; and

display a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface, wherein the start point object and end point object each have a displayed magnifier for showing a magnified image of a respective end point of selected content in the application interface.

28. A method, comprising:

on a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, while displaying an application interface of an application;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which a send icon is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed; and

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the application is an email application.

30. A portable multifunction device, comprising:

a touch screen display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

detecting a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, displaying a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which a send icon is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed; and

displaying a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the application is an email application.

32. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display, cause the device to:

detect a multitouch edit initiation gesture on the touch screen display;

in response to detection of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, display a plurality of user-selectable edit option icons in an area of the touch screen display that is independent of a location of the multitouch edit initiation gesture, wherein the area in which user-selectable edit option icons are displayed comprises a fixed position region of the application interface in which a send icon is displayed when the user-selectable edit option icons are not displayed; and

display a start point object and an end point object to select content displayed by the application in the application interface.

33. The computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the application is an email application.