Methods for implementing multi-touch gestures on a single-touch touch surface

1. A method for implementing a multi-touch gesture on a computing device having a non-multi-touch touch surface user input device, comprising:

detecting a first location P 1 of a touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface user input device;

storing coordinates X1, Y1 of the first location P 1 of the touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface user input device;

detecting a jump in location of the touch event to a second virtual location P 3 on the non-multi-touch touch surface user input device without detecting a touch-up event;

activating multi-touch functionality when the jump in location determined as a distance c between locations P 1 and P 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold distance;

storing the distance c and coordinates X3, Y3 of the second virtual location P 3 of the touch event following the detected jump;

determining a third virtual location P 3 ′ of the touch event upon input of a multi-touch gesture without detecting a touch-up event;

storing coordinates X3′, Y3′ of the third virtual location P 3 ′;

determining and storing a distance c′ between locations P 1 and P 3 ′, an angle D between lines P 1 P 3 and P 1 P 3 ′, a distance C along an X-axis between P 1 and P 3 , and a distance C′ along the X-axis between P 3 and P 3 ′;

determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented based on applying the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′ to a gestures data table; and

implementing the determined graphical user interface function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is a transform function, the method further comprising determining a transform factor based on the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is an image zoom transform function,

further comprising determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′,

wherein implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is an image rotation transform function,

further comprising determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′,

wherein implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises rotating a displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the rotation transform factor non-linearly increases as an angle spanned by the multi-touch gesture increases.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a graphical user interface function comprises:

determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′, and

determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′,

wherein implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises:

applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor; and

rotating the displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is performed by an operating system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is performed by an application programming interface (API).

9. A computing device, comprising:

a processor;

a non-multi-touch touch surface user interface device coupled to the processor

a memory coupled to the processor; and

a display coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes comprising:

detecting a first location P 1 of a touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface user interface device;

storing coordinates X1, Y1 of the first location P 1 of the touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface user interface device;

detecting a jump in location of the touch event to a second virtual location P 3 on the non-multi-touch touch surface user interface device without detecting a touch-up event;

activating multi-touch functionality when the jump in location determined as a distance c between locations P 1 and P 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold distance;

storing the distance c and coordinates X3, Y3 of the second virtual location P 3 of the touch event following the detected jump;

determining a third virtual location P 3 ′ of the touch event upon input of a multi-touch gesture on the non-multi-touch touch surface without detecting a touch-up event;

storing coordinates X3′, Y3′ of the third virtual location P 3 ′;

determining and storing a distance c′ between locations P 1 and P 3 ′, an angle D between lines P 1 P 3 and P 1 P 3 ′, a distance C along an X-axis between P 1 and P 3 , and a distance C′ along the X-axis between P 3 and P 3 ′;

determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented based on applying the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′ to a gestures data table; and

implementing the determined graphical user interface function.

10. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein:

the determined graphical user interface function is a transform function; and

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes further comprising determining a transform factor based on the stored parameters of c, c′ ,D, C, and C′.

11. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein:

the determined graphical user interface function is an image zoom transform function;

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes further comprising determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′; and

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes for implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprising applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor.

12. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein:

the determined graphical user interface function is an image rotation transform function;

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes further comprising determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′; and

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions such that the determined graphical user interface function comprises rotating a displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

13. The computing device of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes such that the rotation transform factor non-linearly increases as an angle spanned by the multi-touch gesture increases.

14. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein:

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes such that determining a graphical user interface function comprises:

determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′; and

determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′; and

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes such that implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises:

applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor; and

rotating the displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

15. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes such that determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is performed by an operating system.

16. The computing device of claim 9 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform processes such that determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is performed by an application programming interface (API).

17. A computing device, comprising:

means for detecting a first location P 1 of a touch event on a non-multi-touch touch surface;

means for storing coordinates X1, Y1 of the first location P 1 of the touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface;

means for detecting a jump in location of the touch event to a second virtual location P 3 on the non-multi-touch touch surface without detecting a touch-up event;

means for activating multi-touch functionality when the jump in location determined as a distance c between locations P 1 and P 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold distance;

means for storing the distance c and coordinates X3, Y3 of the second virtual location P 3 of the touch event following the detected jump;

means for determining a third virtual location P 3 ′ of the touch event upon input of a multi-touch gesture without detecting a touch-up event;

means for storing coordinates X3′, Y3′ of the third virtual location P 3 ′;

means for determining a distance c′ between locations P 1 and P 3 ′, an angle D between lines P 1 P 3 and P 1 P 3 ′, a distance C along an X-axis between P 1 and P 3 , and a distance C′ along the X-axis between P 3 and P 3 ′;

means for storing parameters c′, D , C, and C′;

means for determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented based on applying the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′ to a gestures data table; and

means for implementing the determined graphical user interface function.

18. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is a transform function, the computing device further comprising means for determining a transform factor based on the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′.

19. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein:

the determined graphical user interface function is an image zoom transform function;

the computing device further comprises means for determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′; and

means for implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises means for applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor.

20. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein:

the determined graphical user interface function is an image rotation transform function;

the computing device further comprises means for determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′; and

means for implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises means for rotating a displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

21. The computing device of claim 20 , wherein the means for determining the rotation transform factor non-linearly increases the rotation transform factor as an angle spanned by the multi-touch gesture increases.

22. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein means for determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented comprises:

means for determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′; and

means for determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′,

wherein the means for implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises:

means for applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor; and

means for rotating the displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

23. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein means for determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is a processor executing part of an operating system.

24. The computing device of claim 17 , wherein means for determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is a processor executing an application programming interface (API).

25. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting a first location P 1 of a touch event on a non-multi-touch touch surface;

storing coordinates X1, Y1 of the first location P 1 of the touch event on the non-multi-touch touch surface;

detecting a jump in location of the touch event to a second virtual location P 3 on the non-multi-touch touch surface without detecting a touch-up event;

activating multi-touch functionality when the jump in location determined as a distance c between locations P 1 and P 3 exceeds a predetermined threshold distance;

storing the distance c and coordinates X3, Y3 of the second virtual location P 3 of the touch event following the detected jump;

determining a third virtual location P 3 ′ of the touch event upon input of a multi-touch gesture without detecting a touch-up event;

storing coordinates X3′, Y3′ of the third virtual location P 3 ′;

determining and storing a distance c′ between locations P 1 and P 3 ′, an angle D between lines P 1 P 3 and P 1 P 3 ′, a distance C along an X-axis between P 1 and P 3 , and a distance C′ along the X-axis between P 3 and P 3 ′;

determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented based on applying the stored parameters of c, c′, D, C, and C′ to a gestures data table; and

implementing the determined graphical user interface function.

26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is a transform function, further comprising stored processor-executable instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising determining a transform factor based on the stored parameters of c, c′ ,D, C, and C′.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is a image zoom transform function,

wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations further comprising determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′, and

wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises instructions configured to cause a processor to perform operations comprising applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor.

28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the determined graphical user interface function is an image rotation transform function,

wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations further comprising determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′, and

wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that implementing the determined graphical user interface function comprises rotating a displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 28 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that the rotation transform factor non-linearly increases as an angle spanned by the multi-touch gesture increases.

30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein:

the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented comprises:

determining a magnification transform factor based on the stored parameters of c and c′; and

determining a rotation transform factor based on the stored parameters of D, C, and C′; and

the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations for implementing the determined graphical user interface function by:

applying a zoom magnification to a displayed image based upon the determined magnification transform factor; and

rotating the displayed image based upon the determined rotation transform factor.

31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is implemented in an operating system.

32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 25 , wherein the stored processor-executable instructions are configured to cause a processor to perform operations such that determining a graphical user interface function to be implemented is implemented as an application programming interface (API).