Pointer tool for touch screens

• US 8,839,156 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2011
• Issued: 09/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Original Assignee: Disney Enterprises Incorporated (The Walt Disney Company)
• Inventors: Backer, Jonathan Todd, Fleischacker, Robert F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weber, Joy M
• Application Number:
  US13/020,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20120200603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• Field of Search: 715/764, 715/863, 715/773, 715856-858, 345/173
• US Class Current: 715/863
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Pointing tools for use in connection with touch screen displays are described. The pointing tools are provided with a visually offset pointer tip that can be rotated easily by user manipulation provided to the computing device through an interface. The pointing tools may include one or more buttons. The button(s) may be visually connected with the pointing tool on the display screen and/or logically associated therewith. The pointing tools described provide for accurate and precise inputs, and are useful in many applications, such as those where fine positioning and input within a touch screen environment is desirable.

Claims

1. A method of providing a pointing tool on a touch screen, the method comprising:

ascertaining a first input with a touch screen;

displaying a pointing tool on the touch screen responsive to the first input, the displayed pointing tool being centered about a point of contact of the first input and including;

a pointer tip that rotates about a central point of the displayed pointing tool responsive to an input provided to the touch screen outside of the displayed pointing tool; and

a finger pad portion of the displayed pointing tool that responds to user input thereto with manipulation of positioning of the displayed pointing tool on the touch screen; and

responsive to ascertaining operational input provided by the displayed pointing tool, performing one or more operations on an object displayed in the touch screen.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

defining a rotation area on the touch screen; and

rotating the pointer tip responsive to an input with the touch screen in the rotation area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising providing one or more buttons for user input.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more buttons are logically associated with the pointing tool.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the one or more buttons are visually connected to the pointing tool on the touch screen.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more operations comprise an operation associated with selection of one or more buttons associated with the pointing tool.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the operational input comprises user provided movement input associated with the finger pad;

and

wherein the one or more operations comprise moving the pointing tool according to the movement input.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the touch screen is a multi-touch touch screen, and further wherein the first input and the operational input are simultaneously ascertainable.

9. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory operatively connected to the one or more processors; and

a touch screen operatively connected to the one or more processors;

wherein, responsive to execution of instructions accessible to the one or more processors, the one or more processors are configured to;

ascertain a first input with the touch screen;

display a pointing tool on the touch screen responsive to the first input, the displayed pointing tool being centered about a point of contact of the first input and including;

a pointer tip that rotates about a central point of the displayed pointing tool responsive to an input provided to the touch screen outside of the displayed pointing tool; and

a finger pad portion of the displayed pointing tool that responds to user input thereto with manipulation of positioning of the displayed pointing tool on the touch screen; and

responsive to ascertaining operational input provided by the displayed pointing tool, perform one or more operations on an object displayed in the touch screen.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

define a rotation area on the touch screen; and

rotate the pointer tip responsive to an input with the touch screen in the rotation area.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:

provide one or more buttons for user input.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the one or more buttons are visually connected to the pointing tool on the touch screen.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the one or more operations comprise an operation associated with selection of one or more buttons associated with the pointing tool.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the operational input comprises user provided movement input associated with the finger pad;

and

wherein the one or more operations comprise moving the pointing tool according to the movement input.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the touch screen is a multi-touch touch screen, and further wherein the first input and the operational input are simultaneously ascertainable.

16. A computer program product comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to ascertain a first input with a touch screen;

computer readable program code configured to display a pointing tool on the touch screen responsive to the first input, the displayed pointing tool being centered about a point of contact of the first input and including;

a pointer tip that rotates about a central point of the displayed pointing tool responsive to an input provided to the touch screen outside of the displayed pointing tool; and

a finger pad portion of the displayed pointing tool that responds to user input thereto with manipulation of positioning of the displayed pointing tool on the touch screen; and

computer readable program code configured to, responsive to ascertaining operational input provided by the displayed pointing tool, perform one or more operations on an object displayed in the touch screen.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16, wherein the pointing tool further comprises one or more buttons for executing one or more operations.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to define a rotation area on the touch screen; and

computer readable program code configured to rotate the pointer tip responsive to an input with the touch screen in the rotation area.