Device, method, and graphical user interface for copying user interface objects between content regions

• US 9,098,182 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2010
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Migos, Charles J., Capela, Jay Christopher, Thimbleby, William John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ng, Amy
• Assistant Examiner(s): VU, TOAN H
• Application Number:
  US12/848,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030568A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/781, 715/856, 715/866, 715/764, 715/863, 715/255, 715/719, 715/767, 715/773, 715/810, 715/839, 345/157, 345/173, 345/145, 345/333
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device displays a user interface object in a first content region on a touch-sensitive display. The device detects a first finger input on the user interface object. While detecting the first finger input, the device detects a second finger input on the touch-sensitive display. When the first finger input is an M-finger contact, wherein M is an integer, in response to detecting the second finger input, the device selects a second content region and displays a copy of the user interface object in the second content region. After detecting the second finger input, the device detects termination of the first finger input while the copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region. In response to detecting termination of the first finger input, the device maintains display of the copy of the user interface object in the second content region.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a first touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for;

displaying a user interface object in a first content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

detecting a first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

detecting a second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display; and

when the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display is an M-finger contact, wherein M is an integer;

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display;

 

selecting a second content region,

 

replacing display of the first content region with display of the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display, and

 

displaying a copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

after detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while the copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, maintaining display of the copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display.

2. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

when the first finger input is an N-finger contact, wherein N is an integer other than M;

in response to detecting the second finger input;

selecting the second content region, and

displaying the user interface object in the second content region;

after detecting the second finger input, detecting termination of the first finger input while the user interface object is displayed in the second content region; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input, maintaining display of the user interface object in the second content region.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first finger input moves by less than a threshold amount.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein N is 2 and a distance between the N-finger contacts increases by less than a threshold amount.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the second finger input includes a dragging gesture.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein detecting the second finger input includes detecting the dragging gesture interacting with reduced scale representations of a plurality of content regions, including reduced scale representations of the first and second content regions.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the second finger input includes a tap gesture.

23. The device of claim 1, including instructions for:

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display, displaying the copy of the user interface object at a same location on the first touch-sensitive display as the user interface object.

8. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a first touch-sensitive display;

displaying a user interface object in a first content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

detecting a first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

detecting a second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display; and

when the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display is an M-finger contact, wherein M is an integer;

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display;

 

selecting a second content region,

 

replacing display of the first content region with display of the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display, and

 

displaying a copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

after detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while the copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, maintaining display of the copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display.

9. The method of claim 8, including:

when the first finger input is an N-finger contact, wherein N is an integer other than M;

in response to detecting the second finger input;

selecting the second content region, and

displaying the user interface object in the second content region;

after detecting the second finger input, detecting termination of the first finger input while the user interface object is displayed in the second content region; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input, maintaining display of the user interface object in the second content region.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first finger input moves by less than a threshold amount.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein N is 2 and a distance between the N-finger contacts increases by less than a threshold amount.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the second finger input includes a dragging gesture.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting the second finger input includes detecting the dragging gesture interacting with reduced scale representations of a plurality of content regions, including reduced scale representations of the first and second content regions.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the second finger input includes a tap gesture.

24. The method of claim 8, including:

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display, displaying the copy of the user interface object at a same location on the first touch-sensitive display as the user interface object.

13. A graphical user interface on an electronic device with a first touch-sensitive display, a memory, and one or more processors to execute one or more programs stored in the memory, the graphical user interface comprising:

a user interface object displayed in a first content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

wherein;

a first finger input is detected on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

a second finger input is detected on the first touch-sensitive display; and

when the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display is an M-finger contact, wherein M is an integer;

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display;

a second content region is selected,

display of the first content region is replaced with display of the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display, and

a copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

after detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display is detected while the copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, display of the copy of the user interface object is maintained in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a first touch-sensitive display, cause the device to:

display a user interface object in a first content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

detect a first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display;

detect a second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display; and

when the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display is an M-finger contact, wherein M is an integer;

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display;

select a second content region,

replace display of the first content region with display of the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display, and

display a copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display;

after detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, detect termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while the copy of the user interface object is displayed in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input on the first touch-sensitive display, maintain display of the copy of the user interface object in the second content region on the first touch-sensitive display.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, including instructions that cause the device to:

when the first finger input is an N-finger contact, wherein N is an integer other than M;

in response to detecting the second finger input;

select the second content region, and

display the user interface object in the second content region;

after detecting the second finger input, detect termination of the first finger input while the user interface object is displayed in the second content region; and

in response to detecting termination of the first finger input, maintain display of the user interface object in the second content region.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the first finger input moves by less than a threshold amount.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein N is 2 and a distance between the N-finger contacts increases by less than a threshold amount.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the second finger input includes a dragging gesture.

21. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 20, wherein the instructions which cause the device to detect the second finger input includes instructions which cause the device to detect the dragging gesture interacting with reduced scale representations of a plurality of content regions, including reduced scale representations of the first and second content regions.

22. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the second finger input includes a tap gesture.

25. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 14, including instructions that cause the device to:

in response to detecting the second finger input on the first touch-sensitive display while detecting the first finger input on the user interface object on the first touch-sensitive display, display the copy of the user interface object at a same location on the first touch-sensitive display as the user interface object.