IP Library Granted Patent US 8,446,376
Granted Patent B2
US 8,446,376 · App. 12/353,187 · Granted May 21, 2013

Visual response to touch inputs

Inventors: Robert Levy (Seattle, WA); Sarah Graham Williams (Seattle, WA); Michael Cronin (Sammamish, WA); Maxim Mazeev (Redmond, WA); Bryan Beatty (Sammamish, WA); Daniel Wigdor (Toronto, CA)
Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,446,376
App. No.
12/353,187
Filed
Jan 13, 2009
Granted
May 21, 2013
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2695
USPC
345/173
Abstract

The provision of visual responses to touch inputs is disclosed. For example, one disclosed embodiment provides a computing device comprising a touch-sensitive display, a processor in operative communication with the touch-sensitive display, and memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to detect a touch input made via the touch-sensitive display, display on the touch-sensitive display a first visual response to the touch input indicating that the touch input was detected by the computing device, and if the touch input is made in a touch-interactive area on the touch-sensitive display, then to display a second visual response to the touch input indicating that the touch was made in the touch-interactive area of the display.

Claims (41)

1. A computing device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to:

detect a touch input made via the touch-sensitive display;

display on the touch-sensitive display a first visual response to the touch input indicating that the touch input was detected by touch-sensitive display hardware, irrespective of whether the touch is made over a touch-interactive area of the display on which a touch-enabled user interface control is associated; and

if the touch input is made over the touch-interactive area of the display with which the touch-enabled user interface control is associated and if the touch input is detected by an application controlled by the touch-enabled user interface control, then to determine if the touch input is captured by the touch-enabled user interface control in the touch-interactive area of the display,

display a second visual response to the touch input comprising a “captured” visual response if the touch input is captured by the touch-enabled user interface control, and

display a third visual response comprising an “uncaptured” visual response if the touch input is made in the touch-interactive area of the display but not captured by the touch-enabled user interface control.

2. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are executable to not display the second visual response if the touch input is made over an area of the touch-sensitive display with which the touch-enabled user interface control is not associated.

3. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the “captured” visual response comprises an animation converging toward a location of the touch input, and wherein the “uncaptured” visual response comprises an animation diverging from the location of the touch input.

4. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the “captured” visual response comprises a display of a first color, and the “uncaptured” visual response comprises a display of a second color.

5. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first visual response comprises an illumination of a location beneath the touch input.

6. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the second visual response comprises an animation converging toward a location of the touch input.

7. The computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions are further executable to display a “constraint notification” visual response if a touch input is received that is ignored due to a constraint.

8. The computing device of claim 7 , wherein the touch-sensitive display comprises a multi-touch display, wherein the second visual response is a “captured” visual response that shows that the touch input was captured by the touch-enabled control displayed on the touch-sensitive display, and wherein the “constraint notification” visual response is displayed in response to an “overcaptured” touch state where a maximum number of touches recognized by the touch-enabled control is exceeded.

9. The computing device of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a lifting of the touch input, and continuing displaying the first visual response for a pre-determined period of time after detecting the lifting of the touch input.

10. A computing device, comprising:

a multi-touch display;

a processor in operative communication with the multi-touch display; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to:

detect a touch input made via the multi-touch display;

display on the multi-touch display a “touch detected” visual response to the touch input indicating that the touch input was detected by touch-sensitive display hardware, irrespective of whether the touch is made in an area of the multi-touch display associated with a touch-enabled user interface control;

if the touch input is made in an area of the multi-touch display associated with the touch-enabled control displayed on the multi-touch display and activates the touch-enabled control, then displaying a “captured” visual response to the touch input if the touch input is captured by the touch-enabled control, and displaying an “uncaptured” visual response to the touch input if the touch input is not captured by the touch-enabled control; and

if the touch input is made in an area of the multi-touch display that is not touch-enabled, then not displaying the “captured” visual response or the “uncaptured” visual response.

11. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the “touch detected” visual response comprises an illumination of a location beneath the touch input.

12. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the “captured” visual response comprises an animation converging toward a location of the touch input.

13. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the “uncaptured” visual response comprises an animation diverging from a location of the touch input.

14. The computing device of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further executable to detect an additional touch that causes a plurality of touches in the area associated with the touch-enabled control to exceed a maximum number of recognized touches, and to display an “overcaptured” visual response in response.

15. The computing device of claim 10 , wherein the instructions are executable to detect a movement of a touch from over the touch-enabled control to a location spaced from the control, and to display a visual response indicating that the touch remains captured by the control.

16. A computing device, comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a processor in operative communication with the touch-sensitive display; and

memory comprising instructions stored thereon that are executable by the processor to:

detect a touch input made via the touch-sensitive display;

display on the touch-sensitive display a first visual response to the touch input indicating that the touch input was detected by computing device hardware, irrespective of whether the touch is made in an area of the touch-sensitive display associated with a touch-enabled user interface control;

detect a movement of the touch input on the touch-sensitive display from a first location to a second location;

display on the touch-sensitive display an animated movement of the first visual response to move the first visual response from the first location to the second location; and

if the touch input is made over a touch-interactive area of the display with which the touch-enabled user interface control is associated and if the touch input is detected by an application controlled by the touch-enabled user interface control, then display a second visual response to the touch input comprising a “captured” response indicating that the touch input is captured by the touch-enabled user interface control, and display a third visual response to the touch input comprising an “uncaptured” response if the touch input is made over the touch-interactive area of the display but is not captured by the touch-enabled user interface control.

17. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the animated movement comprises an animation of a tail extending along a path of movement of the first visual response.

18. The computing device of claim 16 , wherein the first visual response comprises an illumination of a location beneath the touch input.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2014
From: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 034564/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 022530 FRAME 0676. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECT APPLICATION NUMBER IS 12/353,187 FILED JANUARY 13, 2009. Recorded May 16, 2013
From: LEVY, ROBERT; WILLIAMS, SARAH GRAHAM; CRONIN, MICHAEL; MAZEEV, MAXIM; BEATTY, BRYAN; WIGDOR, DANIEL
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 030453/0469 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2009
From: LEVY, ROBERT; WILLIAMS, SARAH GRAHAM; CRONIN, MICHAEL; MAZEEV, MAXIM; BEATTY, BRYAN; WIGDOR, DANIEL
To: MICROSOFT CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022530/0676 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20100177049A1 · Jul 15, 2010