Apparatus and method for manipulating the orientation of an object on a display device

1. A method of manipulating a three-dimensional object, the method comprising:

configuring visually undelineated portions of a touchscreen such that each portion is associated with one of a northwest isometric view, a northeast isometric view, a southwest isometric view, a southeast isometric view, a rear elevation view, a left elevation view, a right elevation view, a front elevation view, or a top plan view of a three-dimensional object, wherein the entire touchscreen is free of visual indicia related to manipulation of the three-dimensional object;

displaying a first view of the three-dimensional object on the touchscreen;

receiving a touch input on the touchscreen in one of the visually undelineated portions;

determining a second view of the three-dimensional object based on the view assigned to the visually undelineated portion receiving the touch input; and

displaying the second view of the three-dimensional object on the touchscreen.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the second view based on the touch input comprises:

determining the second view based on a location on the touchscreen of the touch input.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining the second view based on the touch input comprises:

determining the second view based on a location on the touchscreen of a three-finger tap.

4. A computer program product including a non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer code thereon for manipulating a three-dimensional object, the computer code comprising:

program code for configuring visually undelineated portions of a touchscreen such that each portion is associated with one of a northwest isometric view, a northeast isometric view, a southwest isometric view, a southeast isometric view, a rear elevation view, a left elevation view, a right elevation view, a front elevation view, or a top plan view of a three-dimensional object, wherein the entire touchscreen is free of visual indicia related to manipulation of the three-dimensional object;

program code for displaying the first view of a three-dimensional object on a touchscreen;

program code for receiving a touch input on the touchscreen in one of the visually undelineated portions;

program code for determining a second view of the three-dimensional object based on the view assigned to the visually undelineated portion receiving the touch input; and

program code for displaying the second view of the three-dimensional object on the touchscreen.

5. The computer program product of claim 4 wherein the program code for determining the second view comprises program code for determining the second view based on a location on the touchscreen of the touch input.

6. The computer program product of claim 5 wherein the program code for determining the second view further comprises program code for determining the second view based on a location on the touchscreen of a three-finger tap.

7. An apparatus for displaying a three-dimensional object, the apparatus comprising:

a touchscreen for displaying a plurality of views of a three-dimensional object, wherein (1) the touchscreen is configured to have visually undelineated touchscreen portions, and (2) the entire touchscreen is free of visual indicia related to manipulation of the three-dimensional object;

a sensor operatively coupled with the touchscreen, the sensor being configured to detect and determine selection of the visually undelineated portions of the touchscreen in response to touch input; and

a view controller operatively coupled with the sensor, the view controller being configured to associate each visually undelineated portion with one of a plurality of different views of the three-dimensional object, including a northwest isometric view, a northeast isometric view, a southwest isometric view, a southeast isometric view, a rear elevation view, a left elevation view, a right elevation view, a front elevation view, or a top plan view, and

the view controller also being configured to cause the touchscreen to display, after selection of one of the undelineated portions, the view of the three-dimensional object associated with the selected undelineated portion.

8. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein the touchscreen comprises a smartphone, a tablet, or a portable computer.

9. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein the sensor is configured to detect touch by two or more fingers on a single undelineated portion of the touchscreen.

10. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein the touchscreen has nine undelineated portions.

11. The apparatus as defined by claim 7 wherein the touchscreen forms a three-by-three matrix of undelineated portions.