Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US8839155B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 00:19:00+00:00

Document:
A computer-implemented method is performed at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes detecting multiple input gestures by a user, beginning with an initial input gesture. For each input gesture after the initial input gesture, the method scrolls information on the display at a respective scrolling speed. The respective scrolling speed is determined based on the respective input gesture movement speed in the input gesture and a movement multiplier. The method determines whether the respective input gesture meets one or more swipe gesture criteria, and determines whether the respective input gesture meets one or more successive gesture criteria. When the input gesture meets the one or more swipe gesture criteria and the one or more successive gesture criteria, the method updates the movement multiplier in accordance with one or more movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/160,680, “Accelerated Scrolling for a Multifunction Device,” filed on Mar. 16, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
The disclosed embodiments relate generally to electronic devices with touch-sensitive surfaces and displays that present scrollable information to users. More particular, the disclosed embodiments relate to accelerated scrolling of information on devices with touch sensitive surfaces.
Applications on multifunction devices may show information to a user, and the information may not all fit within the display of the multifunction device. For example, a multi-page electronic document may extend beyond the display. In this case, a user must scroll through the information.
Typical scrolling methods scroll through information based on finger movement, and the amount of scrolling is the same as the amount of finger movement. For example, when scrolling through an electronic contact list, the list may scroll through five contacts when the user's finger moves two centimeters.
When the information on the display of a multifunction device is lengthy, scrolling at a fixed rate is slow and inefficient. For example, it could take a very long time to scroll through a hundred page document or a contact list with several hundred contacts.
Accordingly, there is a need for multifunction devices with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for scrolling information. Such methods and interfaces may complement or replace conventional methods for scrolling. Such methods and interfaces reduce the cognitive burden on a user and produce a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated multifunction devices, such methods and interfaces conserve power and increase the time between battery charges.
The above deficiencies and other problems associated with user interfaces for multifunction devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are reduced or eliminated by the disclosed devices. In some embodiments, the device is a desktop computer. In some embodiments, the device is portable (e.g., a notebook computer or handheld device). In some embodiments, the device has a touchpad. In some embodiments, the device has a touch-sensitive display (also known as a “touch screen” or “touch screen display”). In some embodiments, the device has a graphical user interface (GUI), one or more processors, memory and one or more modules, programs or sets of instructions stored in the memory for performing multiple functions. In some embodiments, the user interacts with the GUI primarily through finger contacts and gestures on the touch-sensitive surface. In some embodiments, the functions may include one or more of: image editing, drawing, presenting, word processing, website creating, disk authoring, spreadsheet making, game playing, telephoning, video conferencing, e-mailing, instant messaging, workout support, digital photographing, digital videoing, web browsing, digital music playing, and/or digital video playing. Executable instructions for performing these functions may be included in a computer readable storage medium or other computer program product configured for execution by one or more processors.
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The method includes detecting multiple input gestures by a user, beginning with an initial input gesture. For each input gesture after the initial input gesture, the method scrolls information on the display at a respective scrolling speed. The respective scrolling speed is determined based on the respective input gesture movement speed in the input gesture and a movement multiplier. The method determines whether the respective input gesture meets one or more swipe gesture criteria, and determines whether the respective input gesture meets one or more successive gesture criteria. When the input gesture meets the one or more swipe gesture criteria and the one or more successive gesture criteria, the method updates the movement multiplier in accordance with one or more movement multiplier adjustment criteria. It should be appreciated that this method has corresponding multifunction device and computer readable storage medium embodiments.
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer-implemented method is performed at a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. The computer-implemented method includes: detecting a succession of finger gestures by a user's finger on the touch-sensitive surface, including an initial finger gesture; and, for each respective finger gesture after the initial finger gesture in the succession of finger gestures: scrolling information on the display at a respective scrolling speed, where the respective scrolling speed is determined in accordance with a respective finger movement speed in the respective finger gesture and a finger movement multiplier; determining whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria; determining whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria; and, when the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria, updating the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
In accordance with some embodiments, a multifunction device includes a touch-sensitive surface, a display, one or more processors, memory, and one or more programs. The one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors. The one or more programs include instructions for: detecting a succession of finger gestures by a user's finger on the touch-sensitive surface, including an initial finger gesture; and, for each respective finger gesture after the initial finger gesture in the succession of finger gestures: scrolling information on the display at a respective scrolling speed, where the respective scrolling speed is determined in accordance with a respective finger movement speed in the respective finger gesture and a finger movement multiplier; determining whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria; determining whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria; and, when the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria, updating the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
In accordance with some embodiments, a computer readable storage medium has stored therein instructions which when executed by a multifunction device with a touch-sensitive surface and a display, cause the device to: detect a succession of finger gestures by a user's finger on the touch-sensitive surface, including an initial finger gesture; and, for each respective finger gesture after the initial finger gesture in the succession of finger gestures: scroll information on the display at a respective scrolling speed, where the respective scrolling speed is determined in accordance with a respective finger movement speed in the respective finger gesture and a finger movement multiplier; determine whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria; determine whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria; and, when the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria, update the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
In accordance with some embodiments, a multifunction device includes: a touch-sensitive surface; a display; means for detecting a succession of finger gestures by a user's finger on the touch-sensitive surface, including an initial finger gesture; means for scrolling information on the display at a respective scrolling speed, where the respective scrolling speed is determined in accordance with a respective finger movement speed in the respective finger gesture and a finger movement multiplier; means for determining, for each respective finger gesture after the initial finger gesture in the succession of finger gestures, whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria; means for determining whether the respective finger gesture meets one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria; and, means for updating the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria when the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria.
Thus, multifunction devices with touch-sensitive surfaces are provided with faster, more efficient methods and interfaces for scrolling, thereby increasing the effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction with such devices. Such methods and interfaces may complement or replace conventional methods for scrolling.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with some embodiments.
FIGS. 5A-5E illustrate scrolling on a touch screen display in accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 5F illustrates a non-gradual increase of the finger movement multiplier in accordance with some embodiments.
FIGS. 5G and 5H illustrate exemplary gradual increases of the finger movement multiplier during a finger gesture in accordance with some embodiments.
FIG. 5I illustrates a time line of a series of finger gestures in accordance with some embodiments.
FIGS. 6A-6E are flow diagrams illustrating a method of scrolling in accordance with some embodiments.
Embodiments of computing devices, user interfaces for such devices, and associated processes for using such devices are described. In some embodiments, the computing device is a portable communications device such as a mobile telephone that also contains other functions, such as PDA and/or music player functions. Exemplary embodiments of portable multifunction devices include, without limitation, the iPhone® and iPod Touch® devices from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.
The user interfaces may include one or more soft keyboard embodiments. The soft keyboard embodiments may include standard (QWERTY) and/or non-standard configurations of symbols on the displayed icons of the keyboard, such as those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/459,606, “Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, and Ser. No. 11/459,615, “Touch Screen Keyboards For Portable Electronic Devices,” filed Jul. 24, 2006, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The keyboard embodiments may include a reduced number of icons (or soft keys) relative to the number of keys in existing physical keyboards, such as that for a typewriter. This may make it easier for users to select one or more icons in the keyboard, and thus, one or more corresponding symbols. The keyboard embodiments may be adaptive. For example, displayed icons may be modified in accordance with user actions, such as selecting one or more icons and/or one or more corresponding symbols. One or more applications on the device may utilize common and/or different keyboard embodiments. Thus, the keyboard embodiment used may be tailored to at least some of the applications. In some embodiments, one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to a respective user. For example, one or more keyboard embodiments may be tailored to a respective user based on a word usage history (lexicography, slang, individual usage) of the respective user. Some of the keyboard embodiments may be adjusted to reduce a probability of a user error when selecting one or more icons, and thus one or more symbols, when using the soft keyboard embodiments.
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of portable devices with touch-sensitive displays. FIGS. 1A and 1B are block diagrams illustrating portable multifunction devices 100 with touch-sensitive displays 112 in accordance with some embodiments. The touch-sensitive display 112 is sometimes called a “touch screen” for convenience, and may also be known as or called a touch-sensitive display system. The device 100 may include memory 102, a memory controller 122, one or more processing units (CPU's) 120, a peripherals interface 118, RF circuitry 108, audio circuitry 110, a speaker 111, a microphone 113, an input/output (I/O) subsystem 106, other input or control devices 116, and an external port 124. The device 100 may include one or more optical sensors 164. These components may communicate over one or more communication buses or signal lines 103.
Memory 102 may include high-speed random access memory and may also include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid-state memory devices. Access to memory 102 by other components of the device 100, such as the CPU 120 and the peripherals interface 118, may be controlled by the memory controller 122. Memory 102, or the non-volatile memory of memory 102, includes one or more computer readable storage mediums.
The touch screen 112 may use LCD (liquid crystal display) technology, or LPD (light emitting polymer display) technology, although other display technologies may be used in other embodiments. The touch screen 112 and the display controller 156 may detect contact and any movement or breaking thereof using any of a plurality of touch sensing technologies now known or later developed, including but not limited to capacitive, resistive, infrared, and surface acoustic wave technologies, as well as other proximity sensor arrays or other elements for determining one or more points of contact with a touch screen 112. In an exemplary embodiment, projected mutual capacitance sensing technology is used, such as that found in the iPhone® and iPod Touch® from Apple Inc. of Cupertino, Calif.
In some embodiments, the software components stored in memory 102 (e.g., in a computer readable storage medium of memory 102) may include an operating system 126, a communication module (or set of instructions) 128, a contact/motion module (or set of instructions) 130, a graphics module (or set of instructions) 132, a text input module (or set of instructions) 134, a Global Positioning System (GPS) module (or set of instructions) 135, and applications (or set of instructions) 136.
In some embodiments, the contact/motion module 130 (FIG. 3) detects finger swipe gestures, and implements scrolling of information on the display (112, FIG. 2; 340, FIG. 3) of the device when one or more finger swipe gestures made with a user's finger meet predefined criteria. Scrolling information on a display is described below with reference to FIGS. 6A-6E.
In conjunction with touch screen 112, display system controller 156, contact module 130, graphics module 132, audio circuitry 110, speaker 111, RF circuitry 108, text input module 134, e-mail client module 140, and browser module 147, the online video module 155 allows the user to access, browse, receive (e.g., by streaming and/or download), play back (e.g., on the touch screen or on an external, connected display via external port 124), send an e-mail with a link to a particular online video, and otherwise manage online videos in one or more file formats, such as H.264. In some embodiments, instant messaging module 141, rather than e-mail client module 140, is used to send a link to a particular online video. Additional description of the online video application can be found in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/936,562, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos,” filed Jun. 20, 2007, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/968,067, “Portable Multifunction Device, Method, and Graphical User Interface for Playing Online Videos,” filed Dec. 31, 2007, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary computing device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface in accordance with some embodiments. Device 300 need not be portable. In some embodiments, the device 300 is a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a table computer, a multimedia player device, a navigation device, an educational device (such as a child's learning toy), a gaming system, or a control device (e.g., a home or industrial controller). The device 300 typically includes one or more processing units (CPU's) 310, one or more network or other communications interfaces 360, memory 370, and one or more communication buses 320 for interconnecting these components. The communication buses 320 may include circuitry (sometimes called a chipset) that interconnects and controls communications between system components. The device 300 includes an input/output (I/O) interface 330 comprising a display 340, which in some embodiments is a touch screen display 112. The I/O interface 330 also may include a keyboard and/or mouse (or other pointing device) 350 and a touchpad 355. Memory 370 includes high-speed random access memory, such as DRAM, SRAM, DDR RAM or other random access solid state memory devices; and may include non-volatile memory, such as one or more magnetic disk storage devices, optical disk storage devices, flash memory devices, or other non-volatile solid state storage devices. Memory 370 may optionally include one or more storage devices remotely located from the CPU(s) 310. In some embodiments, memory 370 stores programs, modules, and data structures analogous to the programs, modules, and data structures stored in the memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1), or a subset thereof. Furthermore, memory 370 may store additional programs, modules, and data structures not present in the memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100. For example, memory 370 of device 300 may store drawing module 380, presentation module 382, word processing module 384, website creation module 386, disk authoring module 388, and/or spreadsheet module 390, while memory 102 of portable multifunction device 100 (FIG. 1) may not store these modules.
Attention is now directed towards embodiments of user interfaces (“UI”) and associated processes that may be implemented on a multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface, such as device 300 or portable multifunction device 100.
FIGS. 5A-5E illustrate an exemplary series of finger gestures on a touch-screen device according to one embodiment. FIG. 5A show six items of information 502-1 to 502-6 on User Interface 200. These items may be items within a scrollable list of items. FIG. 5B illustrates an initial finger gesture, showing information item 502-6 at its initial location 502-6-a and at its final location 502-6-b after scrolling. The dotted circle 504A identifies the initial location of the user's finger during a first swipe, and dotted circle 504B identifies the final location of the user's finger during the first swipe. In FIG. 5B the amount of scrolling corresponds to the amount of finger movement. FIG. 5C illustrates a second finger gesture, with scrolling similar to FIG. 5B. FIGS. 5D and 5E illustrate accelerated scrolling during subsequent finger gestures, with the movement of information items on the display greater than the movement of the user's finger. The item of information at the bottom of the display is scrolled to the top while the user's finger moves part way up the display. FIGS. 5A-5E will be described more fully below with respect to FIGS. 6A-6E.
FIGS. 5F-5H illustrate exemplary ways to increase a finger movement multiplier. FIG. 5F illustrates the case where the finger movement multiplier changes in an instant from 1.0 to 1.5. FIGS. 5G and 5H illustrate cases where the increase in the finger movement multiplier is implemented gradually during a swipe gesture. FIGS. 5F-5H will be described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 6A-6E.
FIG. 5I illustrates a partial time line with a series of finger gestures. FIG. 5I also illustrates the time period between two successive finger gestures. FIG. 5I will be described in more detail below with respect to FIGS. 6A-6E.
FIGS. 6A-6E are flow diagrams illustrating a method of scrolling in accordance with some embodiments. The method 600 is performed at a multifunction device (e.g., device 100, FIG. 2) with a display and a touch-sensitive surface. Some operations in method 600 may be combined and/or the order of some operations may be changed. In some embodiments, the contact/motion module 130 (FIG. 3) detects finger swipe gestures, and implements the scrolling of information on the display (112, FIG. 2; 340, FIG. 3) of the device in accordance with one or more of the methods illustrated in FIGS. 6A-6E.
In some embodiments, the touch-sensitive surface is separate from the display. For example, in some embodiments, the touch-sensitive surface is a touch pad that is a component of the multifunction device, but separate from the display.
In some embodiments, the method is performed by a portable multifunction device with a touch screen display (e.g., portable multifunction device 100 in FIG. 2). In these embodiments, the aforementioned touch-sensitive surface is on the device's display. In other words, the multifunction device's display is a touch screen display (e.g., display 112, FIG. 2).
As described below, the method 600 provides an intuitive way to efficiently scroll information on a display. Method 600 employs various criteria to determine when to accelerate scrolling, thus enabling a user to reach desired information more quickly. The method reduces the cognitive burden on a user when scrolling, thereby creating a more efficient human-machine interface. For battery-operated computing devices, enabling a user to scroll information more quickly and efficiently conserves power and increases the time between battery charges.
A multifunction device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface detects (602) a series of finger gestures by a user's finger on the touch-sensitive surface. The series begins with an initial finger gesture. In some embodiments, method 600 scrolls (606) information on the display at an initial scrolling speed for the initial finger gesture. In some embodiments the initial scrolling speed is based on the initial finger movement speed in the initial finger gesture and a default finger movement multiplier. For example, the default value for the finger movement multiplier may be 1.0. In some embodiments, method 600 determines (608) whether the initial finger gesture is a “swipe.” This determination is based on one or more swipe gesture criteria. Exemplary criteria to determine whether a finger gesture is a swipe are described below at 628-634 in the flow diagram (FIG. 6C).
For each subsequent finger gesture, method 600 scrolls (612) information on the display at a scrolling speed that is determined by the finger movement speed during the finger gesture and the finger movement multiplier. For example, when the finger movement multiplier is 1.0, the scrolling on the display is at the same speed as the finger. If the finger movement multiplier is 2.0, the scrolling speed is twice as fast as the speed of the finger.
Described from another perspective, the amount of scrolling during a finger gesture is determined by the amount of finger movement during the finger gesture and the finger movement multiplier.
In some embodiments scrolling continues even after the user's finger lifts off the touch sensitive surface. For example, scrolling of the information on the display may be governed by a momentum and friction model, in which the displayed information is treated as having a certain speed (or momentum) at the end of each swipe gesture, and therefore continues to scroll after the swipe gesture. In the absence of any subsequent finger gestures that interrupt or further accelerate the scrolling, the scrolling slows down in accordance with a model, such as a friction model, or in accordance with a predefined amount of deceleration until either the scroll speed reaches a terminal value (e.g., zero), or the end of the displayed information is reached.
FIGS. 5A-5E illustrate the scrolling according to some embodiments. FIG. 5A illustrates an initial screen with items of information prior to a series of finger gestures. FIGS. 5B-5E illustrate subsequent finger gestures in the series. FIGS. 5B and 5C illustrate scrolling of a list of items, with a finger movement multiplier of 1.0. In each of these figures the item of information initially at the bottom (502-6-a and 502-15-a, respectively) scrolls to the top (502-6-b and 502-15-b, respectively) during a finger gesture. The dotted circles in FIGS. 5B and 5C indicate the position of the user's finger at the beginning and end of the finger gesture, thereby indicating the movement of the user's finger during those gestures (e.g., the first and second vertical swipes in a series of swipes). In FIG. 5B the user's finger moves from 504A to 504B, and in FIG. 5C the user's finger moves from 506A to 506B. In each of these figures the amount of scrolling matches the amount of finger movement.
FIGS. 5D and 5E illustrate accelerated scrolling according to some embodiments in response to successive swipe finger gestures by a user's finger. In these figures the information initially at the bottom (502-80-a and 502-200-a, respectively) scrolls to the top (502-80-b and 502-200-b, respectively) during a portion of the finger gesture. The dotted circles in FIGS. 5D and 5E illustrate the movement of the user's finger during the course of two successive swipe finger gestures. In FIG. 5D the user's finger moves from 508A to 508B, and in FIG. 5E the user's finger moves from 510A to 510B. In FIGS. 5D and 5E information formerly at the bottom of the display has scrolled all the way to the top in response to a finger movement whose length is smaller than the distance traveled by the respective information items (508A/508B, 510A/510B), thus illustrating accelerated scrolling. FIG. 5E illustrates greater accelerated scrolling than FIG. 5D because FIG. 5E shows greater scrolling relative to the amount of finger movement.
In some embodiments the information displayed is a list (614). For example, the information displayed may be a list of contacts, a list of calendar entries, a list of content in a media player, a list of electronic messages (e.g., email messages), a list of applications, a drop-down list, a list of search results, a list of files, or the like.
In some embodiments the information is an array (616). For example, the information may be an array of thumbnail images in an image management application.
In some embodiments the information is an electronic document (618). For example, the information may be an electronic book, a web page, a PDF file, a word processing document, an electronic presentation, a spreadsheet, or the like. Any electronic information whose rendering as an image is larger than the user's display will typically be scrolled to view different portions of the information.
There are a variety of ways to specify how the finger movement speed is calculated. In some embodiments, the finger movement speed is the average speed of the user's finger during the finger gesture (620). In some embodiments the finger movement speed is the speed of the user's finger at the end of the finger gesture (622). For example, once the user's finger lifts off of the touch sensitive surface (thus ending the finger gesture), the speed of the user's finger at lift off, or over a time interval immediately prior to detecting lift off, is used as the finger movement speed. When using a time interval immediately prior to lift off, exemplary time intervals may be 20 milliseconds, 50 milliseconds, or 100 milliseconds. In other embodiments, the finger movement speed may be determined by the average speed of the user's finger during a time interval that is not at the end of the finger gesture. In yet other embodiments, the finger movement speed may be determined during multiple successive time intervals, each having a fixed duration (e.g., 20 to 50 milliseconds).
In some embodiments the finger movement multiplier is determined based on a series of finger gestures (624). Each of the finger gestures in the series must satisfy certain swipe gesture criteria and certain successive gesture criteria (624). In some embodiments the initial (default) value for the finger movement multiplier is 1.0, and may increase as subsequent finger gestures meet both the swipe gesture criteria and the successive gesture criteria. In some embodiments, the finger movement multiplier resets to a default value when a subsequent finger gesture fails to satisfy either the swipe gesture criterion or the successive gesture criterion.
For each finger gesture after the initial finger gesture, method 600 determines (626) whether the finger gesture satisfies certain swipe gesture criteria. In some embodiments one of the swipe gesture criteria is a requirement that the finger gesture occurs in a single direction (628). For example, the finger gesture may be an upward swipe, a downward swipe, a right-to-left swipe, a left-to-right swipe, or a diagonal swipe where the user's finger moves substantially in a single direction.
Because scrolling is generally limited to specific directions, a human user need not be precise about the direction of finger movement. For example, an upward swipe may include portions who direction of movement differs from vertical by as much as ±10°, or in other embodiments by as much as ±20°. During such a finger gesture the user's finger moves in substantially a single direction: upward (i.e., with a predefined deviation, such as ±10°, and which does not exceed)±20°.
In some embodiments one of the swipe gesture criteria is a requirement that the speed of the user's finger stays above a specified minimum speed value during the finger gesture (630). For example, the specified minimum speed value could be 150 mm/sec. If the speed of the user's finger varies between 170 mm/sec and 250 mm/sec during the finger gesture, then it would satisfy the criterion. However, if the user's finger speed is only 140 mm/sec at some point in the finger gesture, the finger gesture would not satisfy the criterion. Of course, whether a finger gesture satisfies this criterion depends on the specified minimum speed value.
In some embodiments one of the swipe gesture criteria is a requirement that the speed of the user's finger is above a specified minimum final value at the end of the finger gesture (632). For example, once the user's finger lifts off of the touch sensitive surface, the speed of the user's finger at lift off, or over a time interval immediately prior to detecting lift off, must be above the specified minimum final value. When using a time interval immediately prior to lift off, exemplary time intervals may be 10 milliseconds, 20 milliseconds, 50 milliseconds, or 100 milliseconds.
In some embodiments one of the swipe gesture criteria is a requirement that the average speed of the user's finger during the finger gesture is above a specified minimum average value (634). For example, the specified minimum average value could be 150 mm/sec. Suppose the speed of the user's finger varies between 140 mm/sec and 200 mm/sec, with an average speed of 175 mm/sec. Even though the user's finger had a speed below 150 mm/sec during part of the finger gesture, the finger gesture satisfies the criterion because the average speed of 175 mm/sec was above the minimum 150 mm/sec.
For each finger gesture after the initial finger gesture, method 600 determines (636) whether the finger gesture satisfies certain successive gesture criteria. In some embodiments one of the successive gesture criteria is a requirement that the elapsed time between the end of the prior finger gesture and the beginning of the current finger gesture is less than or equal to a predefined maximum elapsed time (638). In one embodiment, the predefined maximum elapsed time is 1 second. In some other embodiments, the predefined maximum elapsed time is a fixed value equal to at least 0.6 seconds and that is not larger than 1.5 seconds. FIG. 5I illustrates two sequential finger gestures, and the elapsed time between the finger gestures is the time between t4 and t5. When the elapsed time between t4 and t5 exceeds the predefined maximum elapsed time, the finger gesture does not satisfy the criterion.
In some embodiments one of the successive gesture criteria is a requirement that the direction of the prior finger gesture is substantially the same as the direction of the current finger gesture (640). In some embodiments the directions of two finger gestures are substantially the same if their directions are both within a predefined number of degrees (e.g., ±5°, ±10°, or ±20°) of the same axial direction (i.e., vertically up, vertically down, horizontally left, or horizontally right). For example, if the maximum allowed deviation is 15 degrees, and a first finger gesture is 10 degrees to the left of vertically up, and the second finger gesture is 8 degrees to the right of vertically up, the “same direction” successive gesture criterion is met because both are within the allowed deviation of the vertically up direction. In some embodiments the angle of a finger gesture may be measured by drawing a line between the starting and ending points of the finger gesture, and determining the angle of that line within a coordinate system. In some embodiments the angle of a finger gesture may be determined by the movement of the finger at the end of the finger gesture, or during an interval of time just before the end of the finger gesture.
For each finger gesture after the initial finger gesture, method 600 updates (642) the finger movement multiplier according to finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria when the finger gesture satisfies the swipe gesture criteria and the successive gesture criteria. FIGS. 5F-5H illustrate exemplary ways that the finger movement multiplier may be adjusted during the finger gesture. FIG. 5F illustrates an embodiment where the finger movement multiplier changes in an instant (e.g., from a value of 1.0 to 1.5) at the beginning of the finger gesture. In alternative embodiments, the finger movement multiplier changes in an instant at the end of the finger gesture, or at some point in the middle of the finger gesture. In these embodiments the change to the finger movement multiplier is not gradual because it instantly changes from the old value to the new value.
In some embodiments updating the finger movement multiplier occurs gradually during the finger gesture (644). That is, updates to the finger movement multiplier occur so that the value of the finger movement multiplier changes gradually during the finger gesture. For example, the finger movement multiplier may increase by 0.002 each millisecond during a finger gesture, up to a predefined maximum increase (e.g., 0.5) per finger gesture. A gradual change to the finger movement multiplier can reduce the cognitive burden on the user by providing a smoother adjustment to the scrolling speed. Exemplary methods of gradually increasing the finger movement multiplier include linearly increasing the finger movement multiplier (646) during the finger gesture (e.g., the increase in multiplier may be a linear function of the distance traveled by the user's finger during the finger gesture, until a predefined maximum increase in the finger movement multiplier is reached), and incrementally increasing the finger movement multiplier (648) multiple times during the finger gesture (e.g., the finger movement multiplier may be increased by 0.05, or 0.10, each time the user's finger moves a predefined distance during the finger gesture, until a predefined maximum increase in the finger movement multiplier is reached). The finger movement multiplier vs. time graph in FIG. 5G shows how the finger movement multiplier could change during a finger gesture in embodiments where the finger movement multiplier is linearly increasing. The finger movement multiplier vs. time graph in FIG. 5H shows how the finger movement multiplier could change during a finger gesture in embodiments where the finger movement multiplier increases incrementally multiple times. As FIG. 5H shows, each incremental increase of the finger movement multiplier occurs in an instant, but each increase is small (e.g., steps of 0.10), unlike the single change to the finger movement multiplier illustrated in FIG. 5F. One of skill in the art would recognize that there are many other ways to implement changes to the finger movement multiplier.
In some embodiments one of the finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria is a requirement that a specified minimum number of successive finger swipe gestures must occur prior to adjusting the finger movement multiplier from the default value (650). This criterion may reduce the likelihood of scrolling past information desired by the user due to accelerated scrolling, especially when the desired information is close to the information displayed prior to the initiation of scrolling. In some embodiments the default value for the finger movement multiplier is 1.0.
In some embodiments one of the finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria is a requirement that adjustment of the finger movement multiplier is limited to a specified maximum value (652). For example, in some embodiments the maximum value of the finger movement multiplier is 3.0. If the finger movement multiplier might otherwise go above this value based on the other criteria, this criterion would limit the finger movement multiplier to 3.0.
In some embodiments, finger movements in the above described embodiments may be replaced with stylus movements or movements of any other input device capable of being used to produce a gesture. Furthermore, in some embodiments, finger movements may include movements of a user's finger or hand over a touch and hover sensitive surface.
The steps in the information processing methods described above may be implemented by running one or more functional modules in information processing apparatus such as general purpose processors or application specific chips. These modules, combinations of these modules, and/or their combination with general hardware (e.g., as described above with respect to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 3) are all included within the scope of protection of the invention.
in accordance with a determination that the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria, updating the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the same linear direction criteria comprises a requirement that the respective finger gesture and the prior finger gesture are both within a predefined number of degrees of the same axial direction.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the each finger gesture of the succession of finger gestures comprises a vertically up finger swipe gesture, vertically down finger swipe gesture, horizontally left finger swipe gesture or horizontally right finger swipe gesture.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the number of successive finger swipe gestures exceeds a predetermined threshold.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria comprises a requirement that a time period between detecting a finger swipe gesture immediately preceding the respective finger swipe gesture and detecting the respective finger swipe gesture be less than a predefined maximum value.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the finger movement multiplier includes gradually increasing the finger movement multiplier during the respective finger gesture.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the speed of a respective finger swipe gesture and the speed of a prior finger swipe gesture of the succession of finger swipe gestures exceed a predetermined threshold for finger swipe speed.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria includes a requirement that updating the finger movement multiplier is limited to a predefined maximum value.
10. The device of claim 9, wherein the same linear direction criteria comprises a requirement that the respective finger gesture and the prior finger gesture are both within a predefined number of degrees of the same axial direction.
11. The device of claim 9, wherein the each finger gesture of the succession of finger gestures comprises a vertically up finger swipe gesture, vertically down finger swipe gesture, horizontally left finger swipe gesture or horizontally right finger swipe gesture.
12. The device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the number of successive finger swipe gestures exceeds a predetermined threshold.
13. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria comprise a requirement that a time period between detecting a finger swipe gesture immediately preceding the respective finger swipe gesture and detecting the respective finger swipe gesture be less than a predefined maximum value.
14. The device of claim 9, wherein updating the finger movement multiplier includes gradually increasing the finger movement multiplier during the respective finger gesture.
15. The device of claim 9, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the speed of a respective finger swipe gesture and the speed of a prior finger swipe gesture of the succession of finger swipe gestures exceed a predetermined threshold for finger swipe speed.
in accordance with a determination that the respective finger gesture meets the one or more predetermined swipe gesture criteria and the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria, update the finger movement multiplier in accordance with one or more predetermined finger movement multiplier adjustment criteria.
17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the same linear direction criteria comprises a requirement that the respective finger gesture and the prior finger gesture are both within a predefined number of degrees of the same axial direction.
18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the each finger gesture of the succession of finger gestures comprises a vertically up finger swipe gesture, vertically down finger swipe gesture, horizontally left finger swipe gesture or horizontally right finger swipe gesture.
19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the number of successive finger swipe gestures exceeds a predetermined threshold.
20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the one or more predetermined successive gesture criteria comprise a requirement that a time period between detecting a finger swipe gesture immediately preceding the respective finger swipe gesture and detecting the respective finger swipe gesture be less than a predefined maximum value.
21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein updating the finger movement multiplier includes gradually increasing the finger movement multiplier during the respective finger gesture.
22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the predetermined successive gesture criteria includes a requirement that the speed of a respective finger swipe gesture and the speed of a prior finger swipe gesture of the succession of finger swipe gestures exceed a predetermined threshold for finger swipe speed.
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