System and method for processing touch input

• US 9,323,452 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2012
• Issued: 04/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Kuscher, Alexander Friedrich, Kuhne, Stefan, Jitkoff, John Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer
• Assistant Examiner(s): Repsher, III, John
• Application Number:
  US13/625,795
• Publication Number:
  US 20150205516A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,310 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• 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 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

A system and method for processing a touch input are provided. An initial press action that is associated with a number of simultaneous touches is detected on a touch interface. One or more commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction is determined based on the number of simultaneous touches, where each of the one or more sequences of user interaction is initiated by the initial press action. One or more graphical interface components, where each of the one or more graphical interface components correspond to a different one of the one or more sequences of user interaction are provided for display. Each of the one or more graphical interface components indicate at least part of the corresponding sequence of user interaction and indicates respective command mapped to the corresponding sequence of user interaction.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for processing touch input, the method comprising:

detecting, on a touch interface, touch input comprising an initial press action, wherein the initial press action is associated with a number of simultaneous touches, and wherein the initial press action is maintained for a predetermined period of time;

determining, based on the number of simultaneous touches, one or more commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more sequences of user interaction is initiated by the initial press action;

providing for display, one or more graphical interface components, each of the one or more graphical interface components corresponding to a different one of the one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more graphical interface components indicates at least part of the corresponding sequence of user interaction, and includes an icon indicating the respective command mapped to the corresponding sequence of user interaction;

detecting, on the touch interface, a follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, wherein the follow-through action corresponds to one of the one or more sequences of interaction;

identifying the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches;

removing display of the icon for each graphical interface component other than the identified graphical interface component;

modifying, while receiving the follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action;

detecting, on the touch interface a delay in a performance of the follow-through action greater than a threshold period of time; and

providing, in response to the detected delay in the performance of the follow-through action greater than the threshold period of time, additional instructions for performing the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action,

wherein when the follow-through action is associated with a decrease in the number of simultaneous touches, then continuing to display the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more graphical interface components comprise halo shaped graphical representations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a size of the one or more graphical interface components based on the identified graphical user interface component.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a color of the one or more graphical interface components based on the identified graphical user interface component.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a displayed position of the one or more graphical interface components relative to one another based on the identified graphical user interface component.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting, on the touch interface, a subsequent press action which is subsequent to the initial press action, wherein the subsequent press action is associated with an increase of the number of simultaneous touches, and wherein the subsequent press action is maintained for the predetermined period of time;

determining based on the number of simultaneous touches associated with the subsequent press action, one or more commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction that are initiated by the subsequent press action; and

providing for display one or more graphical interface components corresponding to the one or more sequences of user interaction that are initiated by the subsequent press action.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the one or more graphical interface components are provided in a radial menu.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising providing for display, one or more additional graphical interface components if no command is executed beyond a second predetermined period of time, wherein the second predetermined period of time is greater than the predetermined period of time.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the one or more additional graphical interface components are provided for display if the initial press action is maintained beyond the second predetermined period of time.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein one of the one or more additional graphical interface components comprise text-based content.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein one of the one or more additional graphical interface components comprise audio-based content.

12. A system for processing touch input, the system comprising:

one or more processors, and

a machine-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by the processors, cause the processors to perform operations comprising;

detecting, on a touch interface, touch input comprising an initial press action, wherein the touch input is associated with a number of simultaneous touches, and wherein the initial press action is maintained for a predetermined period of time;

determining, based on the number of simultaneous touches, one or more commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more sequences of user interaction is initiated by the initial press action;

providing for display, one or more graphical interface components, each of the one or more graphical interface components corresponding to a different one of the one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more graphical interface components indicates at least part of the corresponding sequence of user interaction, and includes an icon indicating the respective command mapped to the corresponding sequence of user interaction;

detecting, on the touch interface, a follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, wherein the follow-through action corresponds to one of the one or more sequences of interaction;

identifying the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches;

removing display of the icon for each graphical interface component other than the identified graphical interface component;

modifying, while receiving the follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action;

detecting, on the touch interface a delay in a performance of the follow-through action greater than a threshold period of time; and

providing, in response to the detected delay in the performance of the follow-through action greater than the threshold period of time, additional instructions for performing the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action,

wherein when the follow-through action is associated with a decrease in the number of simultaneous touches, then continuing to display the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches.

13. The system of claim 12, the operations further comprising:

detecting, on the touch interface, a subsequent press action which is subsequent to the initial press action, wherein the subsequent press action is associated with an increase of a number of simultaneous touches, and wherein the subsequent press action is maintained for the predetermined period of time;

determining based on the number of simultaneous touches associated with the subsequent press action, one or snore commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction that is initiated by the subsequent press action; and

providing for display one or more graphical interface components corresponding to the one or more sequences of user interaction that are initiated by the subsequent press action.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more graphical interface components are provided in a radial menu.

15. The system of claim 12, the operations further comprising providing for display, one or more additional graphical interface components if the one or more sequences of user interaction is not executed after a second predetermined period of time.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the one or more graphical interface components comprise halo shaped graphical representations.

17. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting, on a touch interface, touch input comprising an initial press action, wherein the touch input is associated with a number of simultaneous touches, and wherein the initial press action is maintained for a predetermined period of time;

determining, based on the number of simultaneous touches, one or more commands that are mapped to one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more sequences of user interaction is initiated by the initial press action;

providing for display, one or more graphical interface components, each of the one or more graphical interface components corresponding to a different one of the one or more sequences of user interaction, wherein each of the one or more graphical interface components indicates at least part of the corresponding sequence of user interaction, and includes an icon indicating the respective command mapped to the corresponding sequence of user interaction;

detecting, on the touch interface, a follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, wherein the follow-through action corresponds to one of the one or more sequences of interaction;

identifying the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches;

removing display of the icon for each graphical interface component other than the identified graphical interface component;

modifying, while receiving the follow-through action subsequent to the initial press action, the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action;

detecting, on the touch interface a delay in a performance of the follow-through action greater than a threshold period of time; and

providing, in response to the detected delay in the performance of the follow-through action greater than the threshold period of time, additional instructions for performing the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action,

wherein when the follow-through action is associated with a decrease in the number of simultaneous touches, then continuing to display the graphical interface component for the one sequence of interaction corresponding to the follow-through action and associated with the number of simultaneous touches.