Touch-sensitive display method and apparatus

• US 9,141,280 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Van Eerd, Peter Anthony, Wilson, Sean David Drew, Ehrismann, James Clement
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/339,155
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,364 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An example method includes associating a first area of a non-display area of a touch-sensitive display with a first control, wherein a touch associated with the first control results in moving an indicator through the information in a first direction and in a second direction. The method may also include associating a second area of the non-display area with a second control, wherein a touch associated with the second control results in moving the indicator through the information in the first direction and in the second direction. The method may also include detecting a first touch associated with the first control, in response to detecting the first touch, moving the indicator in the first direction, detecting a second touch associated with the second control, and in response to detecting the second touch, moving the indicator in the first direction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying information on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a non-display area;

associating a first area of the non-display area with a first control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the first control in a first direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the first direction and a swipe gesture associated with the first control in a second direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction;

associating a second area of the non-display area with a second control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the second control in a first direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction and a swipe gesture associated with the second control in a second direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction;

detecting a first swipe gesture associated with the first control, wherein the first swipe gesture has a component at least in part in the first direction;

in response to detecting the first swipe gesture, moving the indicator in the first direction;

detecting a second swipe gesture associated with the second control, wherein the second swipe gesture has a component at least in part in the first direction; and

in response to detecting the second swipe gesture, moving the indicator in the first direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area comprises a substantial area of the non-display area, and a touch anywhere in the first area controls movement of the indicator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area extends along substantially an entire length of a side of the touch-sensitive display, and a touch anywhere in the first area controls movement of the indicator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein a location of the first area within the non-display area is movable within the non-display area independent of movement of the indicator.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first area is stationary during movement of the indicator.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising associating the first area with a location in the non-display area in response to detecting the first swipe gesture at the location.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying an indication of the first area on the touch-sensitive display.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising controlling the indicator based on the first swipe gesture and the second swipe gesture when the first swipe gesture and the second swipe gesture overlap at least partially in time.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first swipe gesture and the second swipe gesture overlap at least partially in time.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a default direction for the first control and the second direction is a default for the second control.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising moving the indicator in a third direction in response to detecting a third swipe gesture associated with the first control and a fourth swipe gesture associated with the second control, wherein the third direction is different from the first direction and the second direction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-display area is an area of the touch-sensitive display that is not used for dynamic information display.

13. Anon-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of an electronic device to cause the electronic device to:

display information on a touch-sensitive display of the electronic device, wherein the touch-sensitive display has a non-display area;

associate a first area of the non-display area with a first control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the first control results in moving an indicator through the information in a first direction;

associate a second area of the non-display area with a second control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the second control results in moving the indicator through the information in the second direction;

detect a first swipe gesture associated with the first control, wherein the first swipe gesture has a component moving at least in part in the first direction;

in response to detecting the first swipe gesture, move the indicator in the first direction;

detect a second swipe gesture associated with the second control, wherein the second swipe gesture has a component moving at least in part in the first direction; and

in response to detecting the second swipe gesture, move the indicator in the first direction, wherein the indicator is a cursor displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display having a non-display area; and

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive display and configured to;

display information on the touch-sensitive display of the electronic device;

associate a first area of the non-display area with a first control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the first control in a first direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the first direction and a swipe gesture associated with the first control in a second direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction;

associate a second area of the non-display area with a second control, wherein a swipe gesture associated with the second control in a first direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction and a swipe gesture associated with the second control in a second direction results in moving an indicator through the information in the second direction;

detect a first swipe gesture associated with the first control;

in response to detecting the first swipe gesture, move the indicator in the first direction;

detect a second swipe gesture associated with the second control, wherein the second swipe gesture has a component at least in part in the first direction; and

in response to detecting the second swipe gesture, move the indicator in the first direction.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch-sensitive display does not include pixels in the non-display area.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch-sensitive display cannot display information in the non-display area.

17. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the non-display area extends around the periphery of a display area of the touch-sensitive display.

18. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the touch-sensitive display includes an electrical connection in the non-display area, wherein the electrical connection is associated with a pixel in a display area of the touch-sensitive display.