Two-factor rotation input on a touchscreen device

• US 8,854,325 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2012
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Byrd, Thomas Edward, Paul-Cavallier, Julien Camille
• Primary Examiner(s): SPAR, ILANA L
• Application Number:
  US13/408,869
• Publication Number:
  US 20130222275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 951 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345173-178, 178 1801- 2004, 715/700, 715/856, 715/863
• 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 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• 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 electronic device and method are provided for rotating an object displayed at or by the device. The object may be an entire displayed region of a display screen, such as a window, frame, or other region or subregion, or a block element or other type of content component such as an image or map. A first input defining a reference point for the object is detected at a first user interface mechanism. After commencement of the detected first input, a second input at a second user interface mechanism, such as a touchscreen display, is detected. In response to the second input, a rotation transformation is applied to the object, the rotation transformation center being defined by the reference point, and the rotation transformation angle being defined by the second input. The object may be displayed by the touchscreen display, or by a display device external to the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method implemented at an electronic device, the method comprising:

displaying an object on a touchscreen display of the electronic device;

detecting a first input from a user interface mechanism of the electronic device other than the touchscreen display, the user interface mechanism comprising a pointing device, the first input comprising instructions moving a cursor to a position on the touchscreen display and selecting the position to define a reference point for the displayed object;

detecting, after the reference point is defined, a second input at the touchscreen display; and

in response to the detected second input, applying a rotation transformation to the displayed object, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touchscreen display is comprised in the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface mechanism is comprised in the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of a duration of the second input overlaps a duration of the first input, and further wherein a final angle of the rotation transformation is determined by an angle of rotation computed from the detected second input at a point that is the earlier of:

a detected end of the first input, and a detected end of the second input.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input and the second input are concurrent, the method further comprising:

detecting, after an end of the second input and while the first input continues, a third input at the touchscreen display; and

in response to the detected third input, applying a further rotation transformation to the displayed object, a center of the further rotation transformation being defined by the reference point defined by the first input, and an angle of the further rotation transformation being defined by the third input.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object is comprised in a webpage received by the electronic device, and the detected first input is associated with an event handler that operates to define the reference point, the event handler being defined in the webpage.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input and the second input are consecutive.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface mechanism is one of a mouse, trackball, and optical joystick.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first input also identifies the object for the rotation transformation.

10. An electronic device, comprising:

a touchscreen display;

a user interface mechanism other than the touchscreen display, the user interface mechanism comprising a pointing device;

a processor in operative communication with the touchscreen display and the user interface mechanism, the processor being configured to;

detect a first input from the user interface mechanism, the first input comprising instructions moving a cursor to a position on the touchscreen display and selecting the position to define a reference point for an object displayed on the touchscreen display;

detect, after the reference point is defined, a second input at the touchscreen display; and

in response to the detected second input, apply a rotation transformation to the displayed object, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second input.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of a duration of the second input overlaps a duration of the first input, and further wherein a final angle of the rotation transformation is determined by an angle of rotation computed from the detected second input at a point that is the earlier of:

a detected end of the first input, and a detected end of the second input.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first input and the second input are concurrent, and the processor is further configured to:

detect, after an end of the second input and while the first input continues, a third input at the touchscreen display; and

in response to the detected third input, apply a further rotation transformation to the displayed object, a center of the further rotation transformation being defined by the reference point defined by the first input, and an angle of the further rotation transformation being defined by the third input.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the object is comprised in a webpage received by the electronic device, and the detected first input is associated with an event handler that operates to define the reference point, the event handler being defined in the webpage.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first input and the second input are consecutive.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the user interface mechanism is one of a mouse, trackball, and optical joystick.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first input also identifies the object for the rotation transformation.

17. A program product comprising a non-transitory electronic device-readable medium bearing code which, when executed by a processor or processors of an electronic device, causes the electronic device to carry out a method of:

displaying an object on a touchscreen display of the electronic device;

detecting a first input from a user interface mechanism of the electronic device other than the touchscreen display, the user interface mechanism comprising a pointing device, the first input comprising instructions moving a cursor to a position on the touchscreen display and selecting the position to define a reference point for the displayed object;

detecting, after the reference point is defined, a second input at the touchscreen display; and

in response to the detected second input, applying a rotation transformation to the displayed object, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second input.