Method and system for moving a cursor and selecting objects on a touchscreen using a finger pointer

• US 8,826,187 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Willis, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdul-Ali, Omar
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHARGAVA, ANIL K
• Application Number:
  US12/339,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20090288043A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 715/776, 715/859
• US Class Current: 715/859
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• 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 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A finger pointer is used for moving a cursor and selecting objects on a touchscreen. The finger pointer includes a cursor indicator and a finger contact area. The cursor indicator points to a location on the touchscreen that would be activated when the finger pointer is selected. The finger contact area indicates the location on the touchscreen where a user may touch the screen to activate or move the finger pointer. The finger pointer may be used to select objects such as hyperlinks on a browser web page, and items from an application of menu. The user touches the touchscreen within the finger contact area. The user then contacts the touchscreen at a different location to move the finger pointer to the different location such that the cursor indicator is positioned on an object is to be selected.

Claims

1. A method for moving a cursor and selecting objects, the method comprising:

outputting a finger pointer for display at a first location of a touchscreen, wherein the finger pointer comprises a cursor indicator coupled to a finger contact area;

receiving an activation signal from the touchscreen, wherein the activation signal is generated in response to detecting a contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area;

receiving a movement signal, wherein the movement signal is generated in response to detecting a movement from the first location to a second location of the touchscreen that is substantially at an edge of the touchscreen;

responsive to receiving the movement signal;

outputting the finger pointer for display at the second location of the touchscreen;

outputting, for display, a visual scrolling of a page away from the edge of the touchscreen and beyond an edge of the page, wherein the visual scrolling enables at least a portion of the finger contact area to be displayed at the touchscreen in an area that is beyond the edge of the page and substantially between the edge of the touchscreen and the edge of the page, such that the cursor indicator coupled to the finger contact area indicates an object in the page that is positioned substantially at the edge of the page;

receiving an object selection signal from the touchscreen at the second location, wherein the object selection signal is generated in response to activation of the finger pointer to select the object indicated by the cursor indicator; and

activating the object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cursor indicator protrudes from the finger contact area such that the tip of the cursor indicator indicates to a user a location on the touchscreen that would be activated by the cursor indicator if the finger pointer is selected.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the cursor indicator is arrow-shaped.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement signal is generated in response to detecting continuous contact at the touchscreen that moves from the first location to the second location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the movement signal is generated in response to detecting cessation of the contact at the first location and then detecting the contact at the second location without detecting continuous contact that moves from the first location to the second location.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation of the finger pointer is generated in response to detecting the contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area after detecting a cessation of the contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the activation of the finger pointer is generated in response to detecting a cessation of the contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an appearance of the finger pointer fades to allow content of the page to show through the finger pointer in response to detecting a cessation of the contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein an inactive finger pointer is provided with a back button in response to detecting a cessation of the contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the finger pointer at a distance from a center of the touchscreen starts scrolling the page displayed at the touchscreen.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein a direction of the scrolling depends on a position of the finger pointer relative to the center of the touchscreen.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein a speed of the scrolling is determined by a position of the finger pointer relative to the edge of the touchscreen.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger pointer includes selectable menu keys for zooming and re-accessing web pages.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically moving the finger pointer to a nearest selectable object.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

at least one processor,

wherein the at least one processor is configured to;

output a finger pointer for display at a first location of a touchscreen, wherein the finger pointer comprises a cursor indicator coupled to a finger contact area

receive an activation signal from the touchscreen, wherein the activation signal is generated in response to detecting a contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area;

receive a movement signal, wherein the movement signal is generated in response to detecting a movement from the first location to a second location of the touchscreen that is substantially at an edge of the touchscreen;

responsive to receiving the movement signal;

output the finger pointer for display at the second location of the touchscreen; and

output, for display, a visual scrolling of a page away from the edge of the touchscreen and beyond an edge of the page, wherein the visual scrolling enables at least a portion of the finger contact area to be displayed at the touchscreen in an area that is beyond the edge of the page and substantially between the edge of the touchscreen and the edge of the page, such that the cursor indicator coupled to the finger contact area indicates an object in the page that is positioned substantially at the edge of the page;

receive an object selection signal from the touchscreen at the second location, wherein the object selection signal is generated in response to activation of the finger pointer to select the object indicated by the cursor indicator; and

activate the object.

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed by at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:

outputting a finger pointer for display at a first location of a touchscreen, wherein the finger pointer comprises a cursor indicator coupled to a finger contact area;

receiving an activation signal from the touchscreen, wherein the activation signal is generated in response to detecting a contact at the touchscreen in the finger contact area;

receiving a movement signal, wherein the movement signal is generated in response to detecting a movement from the first location to a second location of the touchscreen that is substantially at an edge of the touchscreen;

responsive to receiving the movement signal;

outputting the finger pointer for display at the second location of the touchscreen;

outputting, for display, a visual scrolling of a page away from the edge of the touchscreen and beyond an edge of the page, wherein the visual scrolling enables at least a portion of the finger contact area to be displayed at the touchscreen in an area that is beyond the edge of the page and substantially between the edge of the touchscreen and the edge of the page, such that the cursor indicator coupled to the finger contact area indicates an object in the page that is positioned substantially at the edge of the page;

receiving an object selection signal from the touchscreen at the second location, wherein the object selection signal is generated in response to activation of the finger pointer to select the object indicated by the cursor indicator; and

activating the object.