Electronic device and method of controlling same

• US 9,274,698 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Fyke, Steven, Kornilovsky, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRIS, DOROTHY H
• Application Number:
  US11/925,619
• Publication Number:
  US 20090109182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,049 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/26 for modifying the character dimensions, e.g. double width, double height

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed that provides for character or text selection and editing. The text and character selection is made by user contact with a touch sensitive screen. In order to allow for refinement of the selection, a second expanded view is implemented as compared to the original display configuration of the screen. Furthermore, the selection is described in relation to two endpoints of the block of text. Additionally, a point is specified as the point desired for insertion of the selected text. The expanded view is implemented along with the original view as required when making character selection.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying text on a touch screen in an original configuration;

detecting a touch associated with a first area of the touch screen;

displaying an enlarged view of the first area comprising at least two characters of the text;

detecting selection of a first character from the at least two characters;

resuming the original configuration after detecting the selection of the first character, wherein the first character is shown as designated text when the original configuration is resumed.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a touch associated with a second area of the touch screen;

displaying an enlarged view of the second area comprising a plurality of characters of the text;

detecting selection of a second character from the plurality of characters;

resuming the original configuration with text between the first character and the second character signified as designated text.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a third touch associated with a third area of the touch screen and that the third touch moved across the touch screen to a third location, the third area encompassing a plurality of characters of which at least two are at least partially covered by the third touch;

displaying an enlarged view of the third area comprising at least a third character of the text;

detecting selection of the third character;

inserting the designated text adjacent the third character and resuming the original configuration.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the original configuration is a default view.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing text editing on the designated text.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first character and the second character are visually signified as designated text.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein more than three lines of text are shown when in the original configuration.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein less than four lines of text are displayed in the first enlarged view.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one line of text above and one line of text below the first area are displayed in the enlarged view.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein less than six characters are displayed on either side of the first area in the enlarged view.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the characters that are individually sufficiently large have a height greater than six millimeters.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing a text editing function on the designated text.

13. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor to perform the method of claim 1.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein a most-likely character associated with the touch is visually signified in the enlarged view.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the enlarged view shows all characters as larger than those characters are shown in the original configuration.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the enlarged view of the first area comprises at least one line of text above and one line of text below the first character.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a touch screen arranged to display text in an original display configuration;

a microprocessor in communication with the touch screen for receiving data indicative of a location and area of contact;

a processor configured to;

detect a touch associated with a first area of the touch screen;

display an enlarged view of the first area comprising at least two characters of the text that can be predominantly covered by contact with the touch screen;

detect selection of a first character from the at least two characters;

display text in the original display configuration in response to detecting the selection of the first character, wherein the first character is signified as designated text in the original display configuration.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to perform a text editing function on the designated text.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a touch associated with a third area of the touch screen;

display an enlarged view of the third area comprising at least a third character of the text;

detect selection of the third character;

insert the designated text adjacent to the third character and resume the original display configuration.

20. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a touch associated with a second area of the touch screen;

display an enlarged view of the second area comprising a plurality of characters of the text;

detect selection of a second character from the plurality of characters;

resume the original configuration with text between the first character and the second character signified as designated text.

21. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to visually signify in the enlarged view a most-likely character associated with the touch.

22. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein in the enlarged view all characters are shown larger than those characters are shown in the original configuration.

23. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the enlarged view of the first area comprises at least one line of text above and one line of text below the first character.

24. A method comprising:

displaying text on a touch screen in an original configuration;

detecting a touch associated with a first area of the touch screen;

determining a most likely character associated with the touch;

displaying an enlarged view of the first area comprising at least two characters of the text including the most likely character associated with the touch, wherein the most likely character associated with the touch is shown as a designated character;

detecting selection of a first character from the at least two characters;

resuming the original configuration after detecting the selection of the first character, wherein the first character is shown as designated text when the original configuration is resumed.

25. A method comprising:

displaying text on a touch screen in an original configuration;

detecting a touch associated with a first area of the touch screen;

displaying an enlarged view of the first area;

detecting selection of a first character from the enlarged view of the first area;

resuming the original configuration after detecting the selection of the first character, wherein the first character is shown as designated text when the original configuration is resumed;

detecting a touch associated with a second area of the touch screen;

displaying an enlarged view of the second area;

detecting selection of a second character from the enlarged view of the second area;

resuming the original configuration with text between the first character and the second character signified as designated text.