Pointer tool with touch-enabled precise placement
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
- activating a pointer tool in a touch screen display in response to a contact with an area of the touch screen display to display the pointer tool, the pointer tool displayed independent of a location of text in a floating mode such that the pointer tool can be positioned in locations in which a cursor cannot be located, the pointer tool being independent of a location of the cursor and a position of the pointer tool is independent of the text, wherein, in the floating mode, the pointer tool moves in relation to the text without duplication or magnification of the text;
when the pointer tool enters an area that is a predetermined distance relative to a possible cursor position in the text, automatically relocating the pointer tool to notch to the possible cursor position in the text, so as to transition from the floating mode to a notched mode wherein the pointer tool is dependent upon the text;
persisting the displaying of the pointer tool in the touch screen display after the contact with the touch screen display is removed; and
removing the pointer tool from the touch screen display in response to receiving editing data.
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Abstract
A pointer tool in a touch-screen display is disclosed. The method includes activating a pointer tool in a touch screen display in response to contact with an area of the touch screen and persisting the displaying of the pointer tool in the touch screen display after the contact with the touch screen is removed. Once editing data is received, the pointer tool is removed from the touch screen display.
170 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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activating a pointer tool in a touch screen display in response to a contact with an area of the touch screen display to display the pointer tool, the pointer tool displayed independent of a location of text in a floating mode such that the pointer tool can be positioned in locations in which a cursor cannot be located, the pointer tool being independent of a location of the cursor and a position of the pointer tool is independent of the text, wherein, in the floating mode, the pointer tool moves in relation to the text without duplication or magnification of the text; when the pointer tool enters an area that is a predetermined distance relative to a possible cursor position in the text, automatically relocating the pointer tool to notch to the possible cursor position in the text, so as to transition from the floating mode to a notched mode wherein the pointer tool is dependent upon the text; persisting the displaying of the pointer tool in the touch screen display after the contact with the touch screen display is removed; and removing the pointer tool from the touch screen display in response to receiving editing data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable storage medium, which is non-volatile, storing computer-executable instructions that cause a computing device coupled to a touch screen to perform a method, the method comprising:
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activating a pointer tool in a touch screen display to display the pointer tool in response to a contact with the touch screen display, a location of the pointer tool upon activation being independent of a cursor location and a location of text, the pointer tool movable in a floating mode to locations in the touch screen display in which the cursor cannot be located and locations where the cursor can be located and, in the floating mode, the pointer tool moves in relation to the text without duplication or magnification of the text; when the pointer tool enters an area that is a predetermined distance relative to an insertion point in the text, automatically relocating the pointer tool in the touch screen display to be notched at the insertion point at character level precision, at least by displaying the pointer tool relative to a contact movement indicating the insertion point, wherein the pointer tool at the insertion point is displayed such that the text in the touch screen display is not overlapped; persisting the displaying of the pointer tool in the touch screen display after the contact with the touch screen display is removed; and removing the pointer tool from the touch screen display in response to receiving editing data. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer-implemented method comprising:
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activating a pointer tool on a touch screen display in response to a contact with an area of the touch screen display that coincides at least in part with a single line edit field, wherein the activating comprises; detecting a press and hold gesture on a selection of text; responsive to the detecting of the press and hold gesture on the selection of the text, dismissing the selection of the text; and responsive to the detecting of the press and hold gesture on the selection of the text, displaying the pointer tool that is independent of a cursor, the pointer tool displayed such that part of the pointer tool is not visible while overlapping a boundary of the touch screen display above the area of a contact with the touch screen display; moving the pointer tool, in response to a user input, in a free floating mode to a location that the cursor cannot be positioned, the pointer tool movement in the free floating mode being independent of a cursor placement; when the pointer tool enters an area that is a predetermined distance relative to a first cursor position in an editable text field, automatically relocating the pointer tool in the touch screen display to the first cursor position in the editable text field to be aligned with text at character level precision, at least by moving the pointer tool in the touch screen display relative to a first contact movement indicating the first cursor position in the editable text field, wherein the pointer tool at the first cursor position is displayed so that the text is not overlapped in the editable text field; wherein the pointer tool moves in a floating fashion without duplication or magnification of the text until the pointer tool enters the area that is the predetermined distance relative to the first cursor position in the editable text field; moving the pointer tool in a notched fashion when the pointer tool enters the area that is the predetermined distance relative to the first cursor position in the editable text field, wherein moving in the notched fashion comprises locating the pointer tool in possible cursor positions such that the pointer tool does not obscure the text; persisting the displaying of the pointer tool in the touch screen display after the contact with the touch screen display is removed; relocating the pointer tool by re-grabbing the displayed pointer tool through a different contact with the touch screen display within a pointer tool hit target area and moving the pointer tool to a second cursor position relative to a second contact movement; and removing the pointer tool from the touch screen display when a text character is entered into the editable text field.
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Specification