Portable electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of controlling same

• US 8,624,858 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2011
• Issued: 01/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven Henry, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Orr, Kevin Howard, Mahan, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US13/027,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20120206375A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178 1801- 1809, 715/711, 715/754, 715/770, 715/773, 715/851, 715/856, 3156-179
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method includes: detecting a first touch at a first location on a touch-sensitive display; detecting a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display; and displaying a navigation indicator on the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting the second touch while first touch contact is maintained.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a first touch at a first location on a touch-sensitive display;

detecting a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display;

displaying a navigation indicator at a first indicator location on the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting the second touch while first touch contact is maintained, the first indicator location being spaced from the first location and the second location;

moving the navigation indicator to a second indicator location on the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting movement of at least one of the first touch and the second touch, the second indicator location being at a location on the touch-sensitive display that is different from the first indicator location;

detecting a third touch after the first touch and the second touch end; and

when the third touch is in a touch area generally centered at the second indicator location, performing a function associated with the second indicator location.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a contact area of the third touch is located entirely within the touch area.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising no longer displaying the navigation indicator when the third touch is not in the touch area.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, comprising displaying the navigation indicator between the first location and the second location.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the touch area is centered at the second indicator location.

6. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display information; and

a processor connected to the touch-sensitive display to;

detect a first touch at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

detect a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display;

display a navigation indicator at a first indicator location in a graphical user interface in response to detection of the second touch while first touch contact is maintained;

move the navigation indicator to a second indicator location in response to detecting movement of at least one of the first touch and the second touch, detect a third touch after the first touch and the second touch end and when the third touch is in a touch area generally centered at the second indicator location, performing a function associated with the second indicator location;

wherein the second indicator location is at a location that is different from the first indicator location.

7. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the navigation indicator is displayed between the first location and the second location.

8. The portable electronic device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the touch area is centered at the second indicator location.