Portable electronic device including touch-sensitive display and method of controlling same

• US 9,013,435 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven Henry, Griffin, Jason Tyler, Orr, Kevin Howard, Mahan, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US14/091,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20140078092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179, 178 1801- 1809, 715/711, 715/754
• 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 3/041661 using detection at multiple resolutions, e.g. coarse and fine scanning; using detection within a limited area, e.g. object tracking window
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method includes: detecting a first touch at a first location on a touch-sensitive display; detecting a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display; and displaying a navigation indicator on the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting the second touch while first touch contact is maintained.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a navigation indicator at a first indicator location on a touch-sensitive display in response to detecting a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display while a first touch at a first location on the touch-sensitive display is maintained, the first indicator location being spaced from the first location and the second location;

moving the navigation indicator to a second indicator location on the touch-sensitive display in response to detecting movement of at least one of the first touch and the second touch, the second indicator location being at a location on the touch-sensitive display that is different from the first indicator location; and

detecting a third touch after the first touch and the second touch end and in response to detecting the third touch, performing a function associated with the second indicator location;

wherein the third touch is in a touch area generally centered at the second indicator location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a contact area of the third touch is located entirely within the touch area.

3. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying the navigation indicator between the first location and the second location.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch and the second touch are simultaneous.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first touch and the second touch are spaced from the navigation indicator during movement of the navigation indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein perform a function comprises at least one of:

launching an application, opening a folder, activating a window, minimizing an active window, maximizing an active window and closing an active window.

7. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display information; and

a processor connected to the touch-sensitive display to;

detect a first touch at a first location on the touch-sensitive display;

detect a second touch at a second location on the touch-sensitive display;

display a navigation indicator at a first indicator location on the touch-sensitive display in response to detection of the second touch while first touch contact is maintained;

move the navigation indicator to a second indicator location in response to detecting movement of at least one of the first touch and the second touch;

detect a third touch after the first touch and the second touch end and when the third touch is in a touch area associated with an indicator location; and

perform a function associated with the second indicator location;

wherein the second indicator location is different from the first indicator location and the touch area is generally centered at the second indicator location.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the navigation indicator is displayed between the first location and the second location.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein a contact area of the third touch is located entirely within the touch area.

10. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first touch and the second touch are spaced from the navigation indicator during movement of the navigation indicator.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the first touch and the second touch are simultaneous.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein perform a function comprises at least one of:

launching an application, opening a folder, activating a window, minimizing an active window, maximizing an active window and closing an active window.