Emulating fundamental forces of physics on a virtual, touchable object

• US 8,762,886 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2009
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lietzke, Matthew P., Dudkowski, Eric Edward, Humphrey, Timothy, Locker, Howard, Skinner, Jeffrey E., Smith, Adam Miles, Stewart, Aaron Michael, VanBlon, Russell Speight
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/512,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,790 Days
• Field of Search: 715/835, 715/809, 715/765, 345/156, 345/173
• US Class Current: 715/835
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An approach is provided that receives a gesture from a user with the gesture being directed at a graphical user interface element. The gesture is received by the user at a touch-enabled display screen. Emulated physics properties are retrieved that correspond to the selected graphical user interface element. The system detects a speed and a direction from the received gesture and, based on this information, determines an initial trajectory of the selected graphical user interface element. The initial trajectory is adjusted based on the retrieved emulated physics properties with the movement of the element being rendered on the display screen based upon the adjusted trajectory.

Claims

1. A machine-implemented method comprising:

assigning each of a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) elements into at least one category of a plurality of categories, wherein each of the categories includes one or more emulated physics attributes that are inherited by each of the graphical user interface elements assigned to the category;

automatically arranging the GUI elements on a display based on the emulated physics attributes of each respective category such that GUI elements associated with the same respective category are presented adjacent to each other on the display;

receiving, from a user, a gesture directed at a first graphical user interface element selected from the plurality of graphical user interface elements, wherein the gesture is received at a touch-enabled display screen, and wherein the first graphical user interface element is assigned to a first category selected from the plurality of categories;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element in response to receiving the gesture, wherein one of the retrieved emulated physics properties is an emulated attraction property, the emulated attraction property indicating an amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and a second graphical user interface element, and wherein the second graphical user interface element is assigned to a second category selected from the plurality of categories;

detecting a speed and a direction from the received gesture;

determining an initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the detected speed and direction;

adjusting the initial trajectory based on the retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element, wherein the adjusting is based partly on the amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element; and

rendering a movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the adjusted initial trajectory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the received gesture is a flick gesture, and wherein the method further comprises:

identifying the second graphical user interface element based on the identified second graphical user interface element'"'"'s proximity to the movement of the first graphical user interface element using the initial trajectory;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element; and

wherein the adjusting is further based partly on the one or more retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying a collision between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element;

further adjusting the initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the identified collision;

rendering the movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the further adjusted initial trajectory so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element bounces off of the second graphical user interface element;

determining a second trajectory of the second graphical user interface element based on the initial trajectory at the time of the collision; and

rendering a second movement of the second graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen using the second trajectory so that it appears that the second graphical user interface element was hit in a general direction of the initial trajectory by the first graphical user interface element.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

calculating that the initial trajectory has stopped moving the first graphical user interface element after a period of time;

rendering the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is not moving after the period of time elapses;

receiving, from the user, a drag gesture directed at the first graphical user interface element, wherein the drag gesture is received at the touch-enabled display screen;

retrieving an emulated friction property and an emulated mass from the one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element;

calculating a second movement of the first graphical user interface element as it is being dragged by the user'"'"'s drag gesture based upon the emulated friction property and the emulated mass of the first graphical user interface element; and

rendering the second movement of the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is being dragged on a surface with the emulated friction property and that the first graphical user interface element is the emulated mass.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one GUI element associated with at least one emulated physics attribute inherited from a first category causes the GUI element with the emulated physics attribute from the first category to be repelled by at least one GUI element associated with at least one emulated physics attribute inherited from a second category such that the GUI element with the emulated physics attribute from the first category is automatically arranged on the display nonadjacent to the GUI element with the emulated physics attribute from the second category.

5. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory accessible by at least one of the processors;

a touch-enabled display screen accessible by one or more of the processors; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory and executable by at least one of the processors in order to perform actions of;

assigning each of a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) elements into at least one category of a plurality of categories, at least one of the GUI elements being assigned to at least one category based on user input associating the respective GUI element with at least one category, wherein each of the categories includes one or more emulated physics attributes that are inherited by each of the graphical user interface elements assigned to the category;

receiving, from a user, a gesture directed at a first graphical user interface element selected from the plurality of graphical user interface elements, wherein the gesture is received at the touch-enabled display screen;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element in response to receiving the gesture, wherein one of the retrieved emulated physics properties is an emulated attraction property, the emulated attraction property indicating an amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and a second graphical user interface element, and wherein the second graphical user interface element is assigned to another category selected from the plurality of categories;

detecting a speed and a direction from the received gesture;

determining an initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the detected speed and direction;

adjusting the initial trajectory based on the retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element, wherein the adjusting is based partly on the amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element; and

rendering a movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the adjusted initial trajectory.

6. The information handling system of claim 5, wherein the received gesture is a flick gesture, and wherein the set of instructions perform further actions comprising:

identifying the second graphical user interface element based on the identified second graphical user interface element'"'"'s proximity to the movement of the first graphical user interface element using the initial trajectory;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element; and

wherein the adjusting is further based partly on the one or more retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element.

7. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the set of instructions perform further actions comprising:

identifying a collision between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element;

further adjusting the initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the identified collision;

rendering the movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the further adjusted initial trajectory so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element bounces off of the second graphical user interface element;

determining a second trajectory of the second graphical user interface element based on the initial trajectory at the time of the collision; and

rendering a second movement of the second graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen using the second trajectory so that it appears that the second graphical user interface element was hit in a general direction of the initial trajectory by the first graphical user interface element.

8. The information handling system of claim 5 wherein the set of instructions perform further actions comprising:

calculating that the initial trajectory has stopped moving the first graphical user interface element after a period of time;

rendering the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is not moving after the period of time elapses;

receiving, from the user, a drag gesture directed at the first graphical user interface element, wherein the drag gesture is received at the touch-enabled display screen;

retrieving an emulated friction property and an emulated mass from the one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element;

calculating a second movement of the first graphical user interface element as it is being dragged by the user'"'"'s drag gesture based upon the emulated friction property and the emulated mass of the first graphical user interface element; and

rendering the second movement of the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is being dragged on a surface with the emulated friction property and that the first graphical user interface element is the emulated mass.

14. The information handling system of claim 5, wherein the user input is directed to at least a first category selector element presented on a GUI element properties user interface (UI), the GUI element properties UI associated with the GUI element assigned to at the least one category based on the user input, the GUI element properties UI presentable on the display screen, the first category selector element associated with at least a first category, the GUI element properties UI including a plurality of category selector elements each associated with a separate category, the category selector elements each being selectable to provide user input to the processor to associate the GUI element associated with the GUI element properties UI with the respective category of the selected category selector element.

15. The information handling system of claim 14, wherein the GUI element properties UI includes a new category selector element selectable to create a new category associable with at least one emulated physics property.

16. The information handling system of claim 14, wherein the GUI element properties UI includes a text entry box configured to receive user input to rename at least one category.

17. The information handling system of claim 14, wherein the GUI element properties UI includes plural emulated physics property selector elements each associated with an emulated physics property attribute, each emulated physics property selector element being selectable to cause the respective emulated physics property associated therewith to be associated the GUI element of the GUI element properties UI.

9. A computer program product stored in a computer readable storage medium that is not a carrier wave, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to perform actions comprising:

assigning each of a plurality of graphical user interface elements into a plurality of categories, wherein each of the categories includes one or more emulated physics attributes that are inherited by each of the graphical user interface elements assigned to the category;

receiving, from a user, a gesture directed at a first graphical user interface element selected from the plurality of graphical user interface elements, wherein the gesture is received at a touch-enabled display screen;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element, wherein one of the retrieved emulated physics properties is an emulated attraction property, the emulated attraction property indicating an amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and a second graphical user interface element, and wherein the second graphical user interface element is assigned to a second category selected from the plurality of categories;

detecting a speed and a direction from the received gesture;

determining an initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the detected speed and direction;

adjusting the initial trajectory based on the retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element, wherein the adjusting is based partly on the amount of attraction between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element; and

rendering a movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the adjusted initial trajectory.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the received gesture is a flick gesture, and wherein the actions further comprise:

identifying the second graphical user interface element based on the identified second graphical user interface element'"'"'s proximity to the movement of the first graphical user interface element using the initial trajectory;

retrieving one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element; and

wherein the adjusting is further based partly on the one or more retrieved emulated physics properties corresponding to the second graphical user interface element.

11. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the actions further comprise:

identifying a collision between the first graphical user interface element and the second graphical user interface element;

further adjusting the initial trajectory of the first graphical user interface element based on the identified collision;

rendering the movement of the first graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen based upon the further adjusted initial trajectory so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element bounces off of the second graphical user interface element;

determining a second trajectory of the second graphical user interface element based on the initial trajectory at the time of the collision; and

rendering a second movement of the second graphical user interface element on the touch-enabled display screen using the second trajectory so that it appears that the second graphical user interface element was hit in a general direction of the initial trajectory by the first graphical user interface element.

12. The computer program product of claim 9 wherein the actions further comprise:

calculating that the initial trajectory has stopped moving the first graphical user interface element after a period of time;

rendering the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is not moving after the period of time elapses;

receiving, from the user, a drag gesture directed at the first graphical user interface element, wherein the drag gesture is received at the touch-enabled display screen;

retrieving an emulated friction property and an emulated mass from the one or more emulated physics properties corresponding to the first graphical user interface element;

calculating a second movement of the first graphical user interface element as it is being dragged by the user'"'"'s drag gesture based upon the emulated friction property and the emulated mass of the first graphical user interface element; and

rendering the second movement of the first graphical user interface element so that it appears that the first graphical user interface element is being dragged on a surface with the emulated friction property and that the first graphical user interface element is the emulated mass.

18. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the gesture directed at a first graphical user interface (GUI) element is a first gesture, and wherein the functional descriptive material, further includes receiving a second gesture directed to the first GUI element, the second gesture consisting of a double-tap on the touch-enabled display screen, the second gesture causing a GUI element properties user interface (UI) associated with the first GUI element to be presented on the touch-enabled display screen, the GUI element properties UI manipulable to configure properties associated with the first GUI element.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the GUI element properties UI includes an emulated attraction property selector element selectable to associate the first GUI element with an emulated attraction to other GUI elements of a different category than the category associated with the first GUI element.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the GUI element properties UI includes an emulated repulsion property selector element selectable to associate the first GUI element with an emulated repulsion to other GUI elements of a different category than the category associated with the first GUI element.