Abstract:
A method is disclosed for performing a user action to be applied on a digital item represented by a digital object displayable on a user interface touch screen of an electronic system. The electronic system is configured to apply the user action upon the digital item by means of an activation of a user operable element displayable on the user interface touch screen. The method includes displaying the digital object on the user interface touch screen, selecting the digital object, displaying a user operable element on the user interface touch screen, receiving an activation of the user operable element, executing the user action upon the digital item, showing an animation of a gesture to the digital object simultaneously with the execution of the user action upon the digital item, which gesture leads, when applied to the digital object, to execution of the user action upon the digital item.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) to Application No. 13160583.4, filed in Europe on Mar. 22, 2013, the entire contents of which is hereby incorporated by reference into the present application. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a method for performing a user action to be applied on a digital item represented by a digital object displayable on a user interface touch screen of an electronic system, the electronic system configured to apply the user action upon the digital item by means of an activation of a user operable element displayable on the user interface touch screen, the method comprising the steps of displaying the digital object on the user interface touch screen, receiving a selection of the digital object, displaying a user operable element on the user interface touch screen, receiving an activation of the user operable element, and executing the user action upon the digital item. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Background Art 
         [0005]    User interface touch screens are known, which display digital objects that represent a digital item such as a document or an image. Such a digital object is stored in a memory of the electronic system and may be selected by a user input device, such as a human finger, a stylus, etc. For example, a digital object displayed on the user interface touch screen may be an icon representing a document to be printed, to be edited or to be viewed. To apply a user action upon the document, the digital object may be selected and a user operable element for invoking the user action may be activated. In case of a gesture-enabled touch screen a gesture may be applied to the digital object. 
         [0006]    The electronic system may display operable user interface elements on the user interface touch screen, like action buttons for editing, copying, renaming, creating, viewing, printing, copying and deleting the digital object. Each operable user interface element represents a specific operation, which is activated when a piece of underlying function code program is executed. The electronic system may also be implemented as to react on gestures received upon the digital objects displayed on the user interface touch screen. A gesture may be a tap, double tap, drag, flick, pinch, spread, press, press and tap, press and drag, rotate, delete, etc. Applications on electronic systems may support both types of invoking a user action upon a digital item. A user that sees the user operable element on the user interface touch screen may want to invoke a user action by activating the user operable element, while he is unaware of the possibility of a gesture leading to the same user action. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    It is an object of the present invention to enable the user to find the optimal way to accomplish a user action on the user interface touch screen. 
         [0008]    According to the present invention, this object is achieved by the method described above, wherein the method comprises the further step of showing an animation of a gesture to the digital object simultaneously with the execution of the user action upon the digital item, which gesture is defined to lead, when applied to the digital object, to execution of the user action upon the digital item. 
         [0009]    The method is a computer-implemented method, wherein a user action is to be invoked by means of the user interface touch screen. If the user action is selected by means of the user operable element, the appropriate visualization of the gesture corresponding to the user action is shown on the user interface touch screen as if the user action was invoked directly by means of the gesture. This is helpful for the user who is starting to work with the system. If the user is not aware of certain functionality offered by a gesture to be applied on the digital object on the user interface touch screen, he at first recognizes the functionality for the action in the form of the user operable element availability on the user interface touch screen. By showing the animation of the gesture on the user interface touch screen after the activation of the user operable element, the user becomes aware of the possibility on the user interface touch screen of the application of the gesture for executing the same user action. Next time, the user will use the optimal way to establish the user action on the digital item, and apply the gesture on the user interface touch screen to achieve the user action on the digital item. 
         [0010]    According to an embodiment of the method, the animation comprises the appearance and movement of at least one finger image at the digital object. The finger image emphasizes that the user action can be accomplished by using your finger or stylus in order to make a gesture at the user interface touch screen. 
         [0011]    According to an embodiment, the digital object and the user operable element are displayed in a same window on the user interface touch screen. Since the user operable element is visible in combination with the digital object, the user always recognizes the possibility of applying a user action upon the digital item represented by the digital object by means of the user operable element. By showing the animation according to the method of the present invention, the user also becomes aware of the further possibility on the user interface touch screen of applying a gesture on the digital object which leads to the same user action upon the corresponding digital item. 
         [0012]    According to an embodiment of the method, the digital object is displayed in a first window of the user interface touch screen, the user operable element is displayed in a second window of the user interface touch screen, the first window is closed and the second window is opened after selecting the digital object, and the second window is closed and the first window is opened after receiving the activation of the user operable element. 
         [0013]    Electronic systems may have a first window, which supports at least a user action initiated by gestures directly applied upon a digital object and a second window, which supports at least a user action initiated by activating a visible user operable element like a button by applying a tap gesture or double tap gesture upon the user operable element. The second window may be at a lower level in a navigation hierarchy among the windows of the application than the first window, for example due to the fact that a lower level of the application is created according to an older design or according to older user interface techniques, or is of a more detailed level. 
         [0014]    In the example mentioned here-above, the first window may be configured to receive gestures to be applied on the first digital object—the icon—while the second window is provided with action buttons for actions to be applied on the digital item—the document. The action buttons may be activated by a tap gesture or a double tap gesture. 
         [0015]    The user action available on the first window is also offered on the second window. If the user action is selected in the second window by means of the user operable element, the first window with the appropriate visualization of the gesture corresponding to the user action is shown as if the user action was performed directly on the first window. This is helpful for the user who is starting to work with the system. If the user is not aware of certain functionality offered by a gesture to be applied on the first window, he probably has already navigated to the second window and recognizes the functionality for the action in the form of the user operable element availability on the second window. By showing the animation of the gesture on the first window after the selection of the user operable element on the second window, the user becomes aware of the possibility on the first window of the application of the gesture for executing the same user action. Next time, the user will use the optimal way to establish the user action on the digital item, and apply the gesture on the first window to achieve the user action on the digital item. 
         [0016]    According to an embodiment of the method, the user action is one of a delete action, an edit action and a view action. These user actions will be explained hereinafter in combination with the previous embodiment. However, these user actions are also suitable for application of the method according to the present invention, wherein the digital object and the user operable element are displayed in a same window on the user interface touch screen. 
         [0017]    A delete action is a user action which usually requires two steps of the user. In a first step, the user indicates that he wants to delete a digital item and in a second step the user explicitly confirms that he certainly wants to delete the digital item. The second window comprises a delete button. In the background art, the second window would show a confirmation window after selection of the delete button. According to the present invention, such a confirmation window has not been implemented, but another solution is implemented. Instead of showing a confirmation button on the second window, the second window closes and the first window appears together with an animation of the gesture leading to delete action, for example, a swipe gesture on the digital object on the first window. The swipe gesture may lead to the appearance of a delete confirmation button, for example, partly on top of the digital object. In this way, the same number of steps has been implemented in the method according to the present invention in order to complete the delete action, namely two steps. 
         [0018]    A view action on the first window may be implemented as a gesture, for example a tap, on a first specific part of a digital object. The digital object represents a digital item, for example a digital document. The specific part of the digital object may comprise a thumbnail image of the document. By applying a tap gesture on the thumbnail image, a preview of the document is shown. A user that is not aware of this feature on the first window may tap on another part of the digital object than the thumbnail image and get a second window comprising, for example, the print settings of the document instead of the preview of the document. This second window comprises also a view button. When the user taps on the view button, the second window closes and the first window appears and shows an animation of the tap gesture applied on the thumbnail image in order to show to the unaware user this shortcut for viewing the document. After the animation, the preview of the document is shown. 
         [0019]    An edit action on the first window may be implemented as a gesture, for example a tap, on a second specific part of a digital object. The digital object represents a digital item, for example a digital document. The specific part of the first digital object may comprise a selected number of settings for the document to be printed. By applying a tap gesture on the area in which the selected number of settings are displayed, a window comprising all settings of the document is shown. A user that is not aware of this feature on the first window may tap on another part of the digital object than the area with the selected number of settings, for example the thumbnail image, and get a second window comprising, for example, a preview of the document instead of a window comprising the settings of the document. This second window also comprises an edit button. When the user taps on the edit button, the second window closes and the first window appears and shows an animation of the tap gesture applied on the area with the selected number of settings in order to show to the unaware user this shortcut for editing the document. After the animation, the settings of the document are shown. 
         [0020]    The present invention also relates to an electronic system comprising a control unit and a user interface touch screen suitable for displaying a first window and a second window according to the method of the present invention and the control unit is configured to perform the steps of the method according to the present invention. An embodiment of the electronic system is an image reproduction apparatus. 
         [0021]    The invention also relates to a computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable medium that, when executed on a processor, performs the method according to the present invention. The present invention also relates to a recording medium comprising the computer program product according to present invention. 
         [0022]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0023]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
           [0024]      FIGS. 1A-1B  are diagrams, each illustrating a configuration of an electronic system according to the present invention; 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates a configuration of an electronic system as an image reproduction system according to the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIGS. 3-13  illustrate windows for implementations of the method according to the present invention, wherein the user action is a delete action, a view action or an edit action; and 
           [0027]      FIGS. 14-16  are flow diagrams of the method according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0028]      FIGS. 1A-1B  show an electronic system  1  comprising a user interface touch screen  2  connected to a control device  9 . The electronic system  1  may be, for example, a computer system with a processor and memory and user interface touch screen, or an image reproduction system like a printer with a local user interface touch screen. The control device  9  may be integrated with the user interface touch screen  2  in a single holding as shown in  FIG. 1B . The control device  9  may be connected to the user interface touch screen  2  by a connection  4 , which may be wired or wireless as shown in  FIG. 1A . The electronic system  1  may be an e-reader, a tablet personal computer, a phone, a smart phone, a laptop, a notebook, a photo camera, a video camera, a desktop computer, an intelligent white or black board or any other electronic system provided with a user interface touch screen suitable for user input. 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  illustrates the electronic system integrated in an image reproduction system  5 , for example a printer, a copier, a scanner, a multifunctional printer, a small format printer, a wide format printer, inkjet printer, electro-photographical printer, a printer for printing a three-dimensional object, etc. The present invention is particularly suited for use in this kind of environment, where the image reproduction system  5  is available via a network connection  6  for a user working with workstations  8 A,  8 B,  8 C, which are connected via a network N. The user may send a print job comprising a set of digital items from the workstations  8 A,  8 B,  8 C to the control device  9  of the image reproduction system  5 . The control device  9  comprises a storage device  7  configured to store print jobs, however a storage device for storing print jobs, documents or images may also be provided by an external system like a web server, a cloud service or an external server, which is connected via a network to the control device  9 . The display  2  acts as a user interface touch screen and is suitable for displaying a digital object like a thumb nail, an icon, a text item, an image, etc. in order to represent a digital item like an electronic document, an image, a print job, a user print mail box, a USB device, etc. 
         [0030]    The control device  9  may be suited to queue print jobs, to check whether or not the print queue is empty and to submit a document from a queued print job to the print engine of the image reproduction system  5  in order to be printed. The control device  9  may comprise a storage device  7  for storing digital items, for example documents of a print job. When a print job arrives at the image reproduction system  5  according to  FIG. 2 , it is stored in the control device  9 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 3-5  illustrate windows according to the present invention, wherein a first digital object and a user operable element are displayed in a same window on the user interface touch screen. According to this embodiment, digital objects representing digital documents are shown. The most important user action upon the digital documents is printing the digital documents, however other user actions like viewing, editing, calling, renaming, creating, scanning, scheduling, deleting, reverting, undoing, etc. are envisaged. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  shows a first window  900 , which comprises a status area  37 , a trajectory area  41 , a first delete button  30  and a document area  47 . The status area  37  comprises a thumbnail image  38  of a print job currently being printed, a filename  39  of a document of the print job, a name  48  of the owner of the print job and a status  40  of the print job. The trajectory area  41  comprises a bread crumb path indicating the path that leads to a directory in the file system of the electronic system. The directory indicated in the trajectory area  41  is the directory in which a selected print job resides. The first delete button  30  is a user operable element for deleting a selected document. The document area  47  comprises digital objects  31 - 36 , each of which represents a document. The documents  31 - 36  may be queued for printing, already scanned, already printed or suitable for other actions than printing, for example a digital item on a USB stick. Each digital object  31 - 36  consists of two parts. A first part  42  of the digital object  31 - 36  comprises a thumbnail image of the document represented by the digital object. A second part  43  of the digital object  31 - 36  corresponds to characteristics of the document, i.e. the filename and owner of the document, print settings  45  for the document to be printed, and a number  44  of prints. When a digital object  31 - 36  is selected by means of a tap on the digital object area—a rectangle in FIG.  3 —a print button  46  appears on top of the digital object. In an embodiment, a digital object may be preselected when the first window  900  is opened and the preselected digital object is already overlapped with the print button  46 . In  FIG. 3 , the fifth digital object  35  is selected. When a digital object is selected, tapping on the first part  42 , the second part  43  or the print button  46  results in different user action. Also, making a swiping gesture at the digital object will result in a different user action. 
         [0033]    For this example, tapping on the first area  42  results in a view action, tapping on the second area  43  results in an edit action, tapping on the print button results in a print action and making a swipe gesture at the digital object  35  results in a delete action. The tapping and swiping may also be applied on the fifth digital object  35  when the fifth digital object  35  is not selected. A user may be unaware of these possibilities and he may want to delete the document corresponding to the selected fifth digital object  35  and he notices the first delete button  30  on the first window  900 . So, the user taps on the delete button  30  in order to delete the document. The system then starts an animation on the first window  900  as if the delete action was initiated on the first window  900  by means of the swiping gesture at the fifth digital object  35 . Almost instantaneously, the print button  35  fades away from the fifth digital object  35  and, as shown in  FIG. 4  from the left side  61  of the digital object  35 , a second delete button  62  slides into the first area of the digital object  35  (the first area  42  as shown in  FIG. 3 ) in a direction indicated by an arrow  63 . In an alternative embodiment, in an additional step of the animation, the first delete button  30  disappears as long as the second delete button  62  is visible on the window  600 . The second delete button  62  partially overlaps the thumbnail image  64  corresponding to the document represented by the fifth digital object  35 . The end situation is shown in a window  600  of  FIG. 4 . The user becomes aware of the possibility of a delete action on the first window  900  by swiping at the fifth digital object  35 . By tapping on the second delete button  62  in the window  600 , the user confirms the delete action—initiated on the first window  900  by activation of the first delete button  30  on the first window  900 —and the document corresponding to the fifth digital object  35  is deleted from the file system of the electronic system. 
         [0034]      FIG. 5  shows the end situation of the delete action, i.e. a window  700  on which the fifth digital object is removed and, at the former place of the fifth digital object, an empty space  71  has emerged. In another embodiment, the sixth digital object is moved to the former place of the fifth digital element. The first delete button  30  is still present on the window  700 . 
         [0035]    This embodiment also comprises other actions than the delete action upon the digital item, like view, edit, revert, load, create, change, rename, move to, or make settings, etc. In case of another user action, an appropriate user operable element is configured to be displayed at the same first window  900 . 
         [0036]      FIGS. 6-11  illustrate an embodiment of the method according to the present invention, wherein the digital object is displayed in one window of the user interface touch screen, the user operable element is displayed in another window of the user interface touch screen, the one window is closed and the other window is opened after the selecting of the digital object, and the other window is closed and the one window is opened after receiving the activation of the user operable element. According to this embodiment, digital objects representing digital documents are shown. The most important user action upon the digital documents is printing the digital documents, however other user actions like viewing, editing, calling, renaming, creating, scanning, scheduling, deleting, reverting, etc. are envisaged. 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a second window  400 , similar to the first window  900  in  FIG. 3 . The second window  400  comprises a status area  37 , a trajectory area  41  and a document area  47 . The status area  37  comprises a thumbnail image  38  of incoming print job, a filename  39  of a document of the print job, a name  48  of the owner of the print job and a status  40  of the print job. The trajectory area  41  comprises a bread crumb path indicating the path that leads to a directory in the file system of the electronic system. The directory indicated in the trajectory area  41  is the directory in which a selected print job is resided. The document job area  47  comprises digital objects  31 - 36 , each of which represents a document. Each digital object  31 - 36  consists of two parts. A first part  42  of the digital object  31 - 36  comprises a thumbnail image of the document represented by the digital object. A second part  43  of the digital object  31 - 36  corresponds to characteristics of the document, i.e. the filename and owner of the document, print settings  45  for the document to be printed, and a number  44  of prints. When a digital object  31 - 36  is selected by means of a tap on the digital object area—a rectangle in FIG.  6 —a print button  46  appears on top of the digital object. In an embodiment, a digital object may be preselected when the second window  400  is opened and the preselected digital object is already overlapped with the print button  46 . In  FIG. 6 , the fifth digital object  35  is selected. When a digital object is selected, tapping on the first part  42 , the second part  43  or the print button  46  results in different user action. Also, making a swiping gesture at the digital object will result in a different user action. 
         [0038]    For this example, tapping on the first area  42  results in a view action, tapping on the second area  43  results in an edit action, tapping on the print button results in a print action and making a swipe gesture at the digital object  35  results in a delete action. A user may be unaware of these possibilities and may just tap on the middle part, i.e. the second area  43  of the digital object  35  in order to apply further actions on the document corresponding to the fifth digital object  35 . Since the user has tapped on the middle part  43 , a third window  500  appears as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0039]    The third window  500  comprises a status area similar to the status area  37  in  FIG. 6 , a trajectory area  51  comprising an adapted path that ends in the name of the selected document, a print settings area  52  and a small preview area  64 . Further, the third window  500  comprises a delete button  58 , a view button  59 , accounting information  60 , a sorting criterion  61 , and a print button  63 . The print button  63  comprises an indication of the number  62  of prints to be produced. The print settings area  52  comprises four digital objects  54 - 57  respectively representing the settings for the media options, the layout options, the image options and the finishing options. To allow the user to see all settings together, a selectable text object  53  is also available in the print settings area  52 . 
         [0040]    The user has missed the opportunity of using the delete action or the view action on the second window  400 , the user now has a second chance to delete or to view the document by tapping on the delete button  58  or the view button  59  respectively on this third window  500 . The user may have missed the opportunity for example, since he first of all changed the settings of the digital item, made a print and wanted to delete the digital item afterwards. Or the user may have missed the opportunity for example, since he first of all wanted to see a preview of the digital item before printing it, was unhappy with the result and wanted to delete the digital item afterwards. 
         [0041]    When tapping on the delete button  58  on the third window  500 , the third window  500  closes and the second window  400  as in  FIG. 6  appears again. The system then starts an animation on the second window  400  as if the delete action was initiated on the second window  400 . Almost instantaneously, the print button  35  (See  FIG. 6 ) fades away from the fifth digital object  35  and, as shown in  FIG. 8  from the left side  61  of the digital object  35 , a delete button  62  slides into the first area of the digital object  35  (the first area  42  as shown in  FIG. 6 ) in a direction indicated by an arrow  63 . The delete button  62  partially overlaps the thumbnail image  64  corresponding to the document represented by the fifth digital object  35 . The end situation is shown in a window  600  of  FIG. 8 . The user becomes aware of the possibility of a delete action on the second window  400  by swiping at the fifth digital object  35 . By tapping on the delete button  62  in the window  600 , the user confirms the delete action—initiated on the third window  500  by activation of the delete button  58  on the third window  500 —and the document corresponding to the fifth digital object  35  is deleted from the file system of the electronic system. 
         [0042]      FIG. 9  shows the end situation of the delete action, i.e. a window  700  on which the fifth digital object is removed and, at the former place of the fifth digital object, an empty space  71  has emerged. In another embodiment, the sixth digital object  36  is moved to the former place of the fifth digital object. 
         [0043]    A second case will now be explained starting with the third window  500  in  FIG. 7 . In addition to the delete button  58 , a view button  59  is also present. When the user taps on the view button  59 , the third window  500  is closed and the second window  300  as in  FIG. 10  is opened. The system then starts an animation on the second window  300 , as if the view action was initiated on the second window  300 . Almost instantaneously, the first area  42  of the fifth digital object  35  is shown as being tapped upon, for example by means of an appearance of a dashed rectangle  81  or a small movement of the first area  42  animating a tap gesture on the first area  42 . Then, the second window  300  is closed and a view window  800  appears as shown in  FIG. 11 . The user becomes aware of the possibility of a view action on the second window  300  by tapping on the first area  42 . 
         [0044]    The view window  800  comprises a preview image  84  of the document corresponding to the fifth digital object  35 , a delete button  86  and an edit button  85 . 
         [0045]    When the use taps at the edit button  85 , the view window  800  is closed and the second window  300  is opened again as shown in  FIG. 12 . 
         [0046]    The system then starts an animation on the second window  300  in  FIG. 12  as if the edit action was initiated on the second window  300 . Almost instantaneously, the second area  43  of the fifth digital object  35  is shown as being tapped upon, for example by means of an appearance of a dashed rectangle  91  or a small movement of the second area  43  animating a tap gesture on the second area  43 . Then, the second window  300  is closed and an edit window  500  appears as already shown in  FIG. 7 . The user becomes aware of the possibility of an edit action on the second window  300  by tapping on the second area  43 . The user has already performed this action—in first instance unaware of the consequences—by tapping on the middle part of the fifth digital object  35  on the second window  300  in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0047]    The user has now learned to apply implemented gestures at the second window  300 , which he was unaware of before he started to look at the documents to be printed. When the user now arrives during his work at the second window  1000  as shown in  FIG. 13  and he wants for example to delete the document corresponding to the sixth digital object  36 , he immediately applies a swiping gesture  95  at the sixth digital object  36  and the delete button will appear—being equivalent as shown in  FIG. 8  for the fifth digital object—on the first area  96  of the sixth digital object  36  in order to let the user confirm the delete action. The user has quickly learned the gestures to be used and has increased his productivity and thus the productivity of the electronic system. 
         [0048]    The windows shown in  FIGS. 3-13  may be combined in one way or another. Such combinations are within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0049]    In addition to a delete action, an edit action and a view action, other user actions may be envisaged, like a print action, a rename action, a change action, a revert action, a load action, a create action, or make settings. Such other user actions fall within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0050]    The digital item may be a digital image, a digital document, a print job, a copy job, a user mailbox, a directory in a filing system, a directory on a plugged in USB stick, etc. 
         [0051]      FIG. 14  shows a first flow diagram of the method according to the present invention. This flow diagram is in particular suitable when the digital object and the user operable element are visible on a same window displayed at the user interface touch screen. 
         [0052]    A starting point A leads to a first step S 910  wherein the digital object is displayed on the user interface touch screen. The digital object represents a digital item. A user action may be applied upon the digital item by means of a gesture on the digital object on the user interface touch screen of the electronic system. 
         [0053]    In a second step S 920 , the digital object is selected. The selection may be done by a user tapping on the digital object or by the electronic system that selects the digital object on the basis of predetermined selection criteria. In the latter case, the order of the steps S 910  and S 920  may be the other way around. 
         [0054]    In a third step S 930 , a user operable element is displayed on the user interface touch screen. The user operable element is suitable for applying a same user action to the digital item as the gesture on the user interface touch screen. 
         [0055]    In a fourth step S 940 , the electronic system registers a tap on the user operable element. The user wants to apply the user action on the digital item. 
         [0056]    In a fork step S 945  symbolized by the black rectangle S 945  two steps, a fifth step S 950  and a sixth step S 960  are executed before the procedure joins in a join step S 965  symbolized by the black rectangle S 965 . 
         [0057]    In the fifth step S 950 , the user action is executed upon the digital item. 
         [0058]    In the sixth step S 960 , an animation of the gesture suitable for application on the digital object in order to invoke the same user action on the digital item is shown. In a further embodiment, the animation is accompanied by at least one finger image which follows the movement of the animated gesture. 
         [0059]    After the join step S 965 , the procedure ends in an endpoint B. 
         [0060]      FIGS. 15-16  show a second flow diagram of the method according to the present invention. 
         [0061]    A starting point A leads to a first step T 910 , wherein the first digital object on the first window is displayed. The first digital object represents a digital item. A user action may be applied upon the digital item by means of a gesture on the first digital object on the first window of the user interface touch screen of the electronic system. 
         [0062]    In a second step T 920 , the first digital object is selected. The selection is done by a user tapping on the first digital object 
         [0063]    In a third step T 930 , a second digital object is displayed on a second window. The second digital object also represents the digital item. The second window may replace the first window on the user interface touch screen. 
         [0064]    In a fourth step T 940 , a user operable element is displayed on the second window. The user operable element is suitable for applying a same user action to the digital item as a gesture on the first window, which gesture is suitable for applying the same user action upon the digital item. 
         [0065]    The order of the third step T 930  and the fourth step T 940  may be the other way around. These two steps T 930  and T 940  may also be processed in parallel. 
         [0066]    In a fifth step T 950 , the electronic system registers a tap on the user operable element. The user wants to apply the user action on the digital item. 
         [0067]    In a sixth step T 960 , the second window is closed. 
         [0068]    In a seventh step T 970 , the first window is opened again leading to intermediate point B in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0069]    The method proceeds in intermediate point B in  FIG. 16 . 
         [0070]    In a fork step T 975 , symbolized by the black rectangle T 975  two steps, an eighth step T 980  and a ninth step T 990  are executed before the procedure joins in a join step T 995 , symbolized by the black rectangle T 995 . 
         [0071]    In the eighth step T 980 , the user action is executed upon the digital item. 
         [0072]    In the ninth step T 990 , an animation of the gesture suitable for application on the first digital object in order to invoke the same user action on the digital item is shown. In an embodiment, the animation is accompanied by at least one finger image which follows the movement of the animated gesture. 
         [0073]    After the join step T 995 , the procedure ends in an endpoint C. 
         [0074]    All foregoing described embodiments are suitable to be combined with or to be incorporated in the steps S 910 -S 965  of the flow diagram of  FIG. 14  or in the steps T 910 -T 995  of the flow diagram of  FIGS. 15-16 . The method may be adapted in an appropriate way in order to be applied to a plurality of digital objects displayed on the user interface touch screen, whereby a multi-selection on the plurality of digital objects is envisaged. 
         [0075]    The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.