Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for accessibility using a touch-sensitive surface

• US 8,681,106 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Fleizach, Christopher Brian, Seymour, Eric Taylor
• Primary Examiner(s): SIMPSON, LIXI CHOW
• Application Number:
  US12/565,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20100309148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,644 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/156, 715/823, 715/810
• 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 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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

Abstract

An accessibility method is performed by an electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes: mapping at least a first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface; concurrently displaying a plurality of user interface containers on the display; detecting a user interface container selection event that selects a first user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and, in response to detecting the user interface container selection event: ceasing to map the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface, and proportionally mapping the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

at an accessible electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display;

mapping at least a first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface;

concurrently displaying a plurality of user interface containers on the display;

detecting a user interface container selection event that selects a first user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the user interface container selection event;

ceasing to map the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally mapping the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface; and

outputting audible accessibility information associated with the first user interface container.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a user interface container navigation event that deselects the first user interface container; and

in response to detecting the user interface container navigation event;

ceasing to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

remapping the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements, the method further comprising:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting a first user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first user interface element navigation gesture contacts an area of the touch-sensitive surface to which at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements is mapped; and

in response to detecting the first user interface element navigation gesture, outputting accessibility information associated with the at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements, and wherein multiple user interface elements in the plurality of user interface elements are substantially aligned in one direction within the first user interface container, the method further comprising:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting a second user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein detecting the second user interface element navigation gesture includes;

detecting a finger contact, and

detecting movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction; and

in response to detecting the movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction, moving a current focus in the first user interface container in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, wherein locations for the current focus are substantially confined within a first axis aligned with the multiple user interface elements.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user interface containers comprises a hierarchy of user interface containers.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting another user interface container selection event that selects a second user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the another user interface container selection event;

ceasing to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally mapping the second user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface,

wherein the second user interface container is in a level of the hierarchy of user interface containers that is immediately below the first user interface container.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising traversing down the hierarchy of user interface containers in response to detecting the user interface container selection event.

8. An accessible electronic device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface;

a 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;

mapping at least a first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface;

concurrently displaying a plurality of user interface containers on the display;

detecting a user interface container selection event that selects a first user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the user interface container selection event;

ceasing to map the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally mapping the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface; and

outputting audible accessibility information associated with the first user interface container.

9. The accessible electronic device of claim 8, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

detecting a user interface container navigation event that deselects the first user interface container;

in response to detecting the user interface container navigation event;

ceasing to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

remapping the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface.

10. The accessible electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements and the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting a first user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first user interface element navigation gesture contacts an area of the touch-sensitive surface to which at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements is mapped; and

in response to detecting the first user interface element navigation gesture, outputting accessibility information associated with the at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements.

11. The accessible electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements, and wherein multiple user interface elements in the plurality of user interface elements are substantially aligned in one direction within the first user interface container, and the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting a second user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein detecting the second user interface element navigation gesture includes;

detecting a finger contact, and

detecting movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction; and

,

in response to detecting the movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction, moving a current focus in the first user interface container in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, wherein locations for the current focus are substantially confined within a first axis aligned with the multiple user interface elements.

12. The accessible electronic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of user interface containers comprises a hierarchy of user interface containers.

13. The accessible electronic device of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detecting another user interface container selection event that selects a second user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the another user interface container selection event;

ceasing to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally mapping the second user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface,

wherein the second user interface container is in a level of the hierarchy of user interface containers that is immediately below the first user interface container.

14. The accessible electronic device of claim 12, wherein the one or more programs further comprise instructions for comprising traversing down the hierarchy of user interface containers in response to detecting the user interface container selection event.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by an accessible electronic device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, cause the device to:

map at least a first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface;

concurrently display a plurality of user interface containers on the display;

detect a user interface container selection event that selects a first user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the user interface container selection event;

cease to map the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface; and

output audible accessibility information associated with the first user interface container.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, including instructions, which when executed by the accessible electronic device with the touch-sensitive surface and the display, cause the device to:

detect a user interface container navigation event that deselects the first user interface container; and

in response to detecting the user interface container navigation event;

cease to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

remap the first portion of the display to the touch-sensitive surface.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements, and the computer readable storage medium includes instructions, which when executed by the accessible electronic device with the touch-sensitive surface and the display, cause the device to:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detect a first user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein the first user interface element navigation gesture contacts an area of the touch-sensitive surface to which at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements is mapped; and

in response to detecting the first user interface element navigation gesture, output accessibility information associated with the at least one user interface element of the plurality of user interface elements.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first user interface container includes a plurality of user interface elements, and wherein multiple user interface elements in the plurality of user interface elements are substantially aligned in one direction within the first user interface container, and the computer readable storage medium includes instructions, which when executed by the accessible electronic device with the touch-sensitive surface and the display, cause the device to:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detect a second user interface element navigation gesture on the touch-sensitive surface, wherein detecting the second user interface element navigation gesture includes;

detecting a finger contact, and

detecting movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction; and

,

in response to detecting the movement of the finger contact in substantially one direction, move a current focus in the first user interface container in accordance with the movement of the finger contact, wherein locations for the current focus are substantially confined within a first axis aligned with the multiple user interface elements.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the plurality of user interface containers comprises a hierarchy of user interface containers.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, including instructions, which when executed by the accessible electronic device with the touch-sensitive surface and the display, cause the device to:

while the first user interface container is proportionally mapped to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, detect another user interface container selection event that selects a second user interface container in the plurality of user interface containers; and

,

in response to detecting the another user interface container selection event;

cease to proportionally map the first user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface, and

proportionally map the second user interface container to be substantially coextensive with the touch-sensitive surface,

wherein the second user interface container is in a level of the hierarchy of user interface containers that is immediately below the first user interface container.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 19, including instructions, which when executed by the accessible electronic device with the touch-sensitive surface and the display, cause the device to traverse down the hierarchy of user interface containers in response to detecting the user interface container selection event.