IP Library Granted Patent US 10,120,566
Granted Patent B2
US 10,120,566 · App. 15/061,651 · Granted Nov 6, 2018

Devices, methods, and graphical user interfaces for providing control of a touch-based user interface absent physical touch capabilities

Inventors: Christopher B. Fleizach (Morgan Hill, CA); Eric T. Seymour (San Jose, CA); James P. Craig (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Apple Inc.
G06F3/04883G06F3/033G06F3/0481G06F3/0485G06F3/0488G06F3/04845G06F2203/04808
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,120,566
App. No.
15/061,651
Granted
Nov 6, 2018
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic device with a display and a touch-sensitive surface displays, on the display, a first visual indicator that corresponds to a virtual touch. The device receives a first input from an adaptive input device. In response to receiving the first input from the adaptive input device, the device displays a first menu on the display. The first menu includes a virtual touches selection icon. In response to detecting selection of the virtual touches selection icon, a menu of virtual multitouch contacts is displayed.

Claims (56)

1. A method, comprising:

at an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display:

displaying; on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface that includes content;

while displaying the user interface, receiving a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface;

after receiving the request to perform the virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface:

receiving an adaptive input, wherein the adaptive input does not include multiple contacts detected on the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to receiving the adaptive input:

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a first operating mode, performing a first operation on the content in the user interface; and

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a second operating mode, performing a second operation on the content in the user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operation is a scrolling operation and the second operation is a zooming operation.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein in response to receiving a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface, displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, visual indicators that correspond to virtual touches of the virtual multitouch gesture over the content in the user interface.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the appearance of the visual indicators differ in the first operating mode from the second operating mode.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the visual indicators comprise a connector linking two or more virtual touches.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the virtual multitouch gesture is a virtual two-finger pinch/depinch gesture.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation includes zooming the content in the user interface.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adaptive input does not include detecting any contact on the touch-sensitive display.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the device is in a first operating mode or a second operating mode prior to receiving the adaptive input.

10. An electronic device, comprising

a touch-sensitive display;

one or more processors;

memory; and

one or more programs, wherein 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 including instructions for:

displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface that includes content;

while displaying the user interface, receiving a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface;

after receiving the request to perform the virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface:

receiving an adaptive input, wherein the adaptive input does not include multiple contacts detected on the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to receiving the adaptive input:

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a first operating mode, performing a first operation on the content in the user interface; and

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a second operating mode, performing a second operation on the content in the user interface.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first operation is a scrolling operation and the second operation is a zooming operation.

12. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein in response to receiving a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface, displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, visual indicators that correspond to virtual touches of the virtual multitouch gesture over the content in the user interface.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the appearance of the visual indicators differ in the first operating mode from the second operating mode.

14. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the visual indicators comprise a connector linking two or more virtual touches.

15. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the virtual multitouch gesture is a virtual two-finger pinch/depinch gesture.

16. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the operation includes zooming the content in the user interface.

17. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the adaptive input does not include detecting any contact on the touch-sensitive display.

18. The electronic device of claim 10 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

determining that the device is in the first operating mode or the second operating mode prior to receiving the adaptive input.

19. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing one or more programs, the one or more programs comprising instructions, which when executed by an electronic device with a touch-sensitive display, cause the electronic device to:

display, on the touch-sensitive display, a user interface that includes content;

while displaying the user interface, receive a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface;

after receiving the request to perform the virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface:

receive an adaptive input, wherein the adaptive input does not include multiple contacts detected on the touch-sensitive display; and

in response to receiving the adaptive input:

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a first operating mode, perform a first operation on the content in the user interface; and

in accordance with a determination that the device is in a second operating mode, performing a second operation on the content in the user interface.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the first operation is a scrolling operation and the second operation is a zooming operation.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein in response to receiving a request to perform a virtual multitouch gesture on the content in the user interface, displaying, on the touch-sensitive display, visual indicators that correspond to virtual touches of the virtual multitouch gesture over the content in the user interface.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the appearance of the visual indicators differ in the first operating mode from the second operating mode.

23. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 , wherein the visual indicators comprise a connector linking two or more virtual touches.

24. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the virtual multitouch gesture is a virtual two-finger pinch/depinch gesture.

25. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the operation includes zooming the content in the user interface.

26. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the adaptive input does not include detecting any contact on the touch-sensitive display.

27. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , the one or more programs further including instructions for:

determining that the device is in the first operating mode or the second operating mode prior to receiving the adaptive input.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 13217654 · Aug 25, 2011
Provisional Application 61493495 · Jun 5, 2011
Related Publication 20160188202A1 · Jun 30, 2016