IP Library Granted Patent US 10,996,787
Granted Patent B1
US 10,996,787 · App. 16/708,418 · Granted May 4, 2021

Gesture-equipped touch screen system, method, and computer program product

Inventor: Michael S Smith (Palo Alto, CA)
Assignee: P4TENTS1, LLC
G06F3/0416G06F3/016G06F3/044G06F3/045G06F3/0412G06F3/0414G06F3/04883G06F2203/04104
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,996,787
App. No.
16/708,418
Granted
May 4, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus and associated method are provided, comprising: at a device having a display and a touch-sensitive surface: displaying a first user interface of a first application on the display; while displaying the first user interface of the first application, detecting a first input by a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface that meets one or more criteria; in response to detecting the first input by the first contact that meets the one or more criteria: in accordance with a determination that the first application is subject to the first contact meeting the one or more criteria, ceasing to display the first user interface of the first application and displaying a respective other user interface on the display; and in accordance with a determination that the first application is not subject to the first contact meeting the one or more criteria, maintaining display of the first user interface of the first application without displaying the respective other user interface.

Claims (106)

1. 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 display and a touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:

display a first user interface of a first application on the display;

while displaying the first user interface of the first application, detect a first input by a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface that meets one or more navigation-gesture criteria, wherein the navigation-gesture criteria require that the first input includes a movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface that crosses a boundary of a predefined edge region of the touch-sensitive surface in order for the navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

in response to detecting the first input by the first contact that meets the one or more navigation-gesture criteria:

in accordance with a determination that the first application is not protected, cease to display the first user interface of the first application and display a respective other user interface on the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the first application is protected, maintain display of the first user interface of the first application without displaying the respective other user interface;

wherein the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via a menu that is displayed in response to a detection of a second input by a second contact on the touch-sensitive surface that includes a movement of the second contact that crosses a second boundary of the touch-sensitive surface.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein: the first application is determined to be protected when the first application is operating in one of a plurality of predefined protected modes.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switching-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is another application.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are control-panel-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is a control panel user interface.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switcher-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is an application-switcher user interface.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via the menu, by the first user interface of the first application being displayed in response to a third input being detected on the menu after the second input by the second contact on the touch-sensitive surface being detected.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switching-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is another application.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are control-panel-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is a control panel user interface.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switcher-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is an application-switcher user interface.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 6 , wherein:

the first application is also determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via the menu, by the first user interface of the first application being displayed on the menu.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein:

the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via the menu, by the first user interface of the first application being displayed on the menu.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switching-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is another application.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first application is capable of being protected and at least one other application is not capable of being protected.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface of the first application appears in a first manner when protected and appears in a second manner when not protected.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first user interface of the first application is configured differently based on whether the first application is protected.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein the first and second boundaries are positioned on opposite ends of the touch-sensitive surface.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1 , wherein at least one of:

the first application is protected by not being subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria;

the first application is not protected by being subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria;

the first application is protected by not being subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria, by the one or more navigation-gesture criteria being application-specific and not being specific to the first application;

the first application is not protected by being subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria, by the one or more navigation-gesture criteria being application-specific and being specific to the first application;

the first application is protected by one or more constraints;

the first application is protected by an operating system;

the first application is not protected by being subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria;

the first user interface of the first application is displayed without displaying any user interface of any other application;

the first user interface of the first application is not displayed without displaying any user interface of any other application;

the first user interface of the first application is displayed with another user interface of another application;

the first contact is detected after detecting the second contact;

wherein the first application is determined to be protected based on a context in which the first contact is detected;

the one or more navigation-gesture criteria includes a single criteria;

the one or more navigation-gesture criteria includes at least one criteria;

the one or more navigation-gesture criteria includes more than one criteria;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area;

the predefined edge region includes a selection area;

the predefined edge region includes a region near an edge;

the predefined edge region includes a region at an edge;

the predefined edge region includes a region within a predetermined distance from an edge;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area near an edge of the display;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area at an edge of the display;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area within a predetermined distance from an edge of the display;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area near an edge of the touch-sensitive surface;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area at an edge of the touch-sensitive surface;

the predefined edge region includes a contact area within a predetermined distance from an edge of the touch-sensitive surface;

the predefined edge region includes a selection area;

the boundary includes a boundary of a contact area;

the movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met, includes movement of an entirety of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

the movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met, includes movement of only a portion of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

the movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met, includes movement of the first contact across an entirety of the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

the movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met, includes movement of the first contact across only a portion of the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

the one or more navigation-gesture criteria require that the first input includes the movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface that crosses a boundary of a predefined edge region of the touch-sensitive surface in order for the one or more navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

the first application is subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria, by ceasing to display the first user interface of the first application and displaying the respective other user interface on the display in response to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria;

the first application is not subject to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria, by not ceasing to display the first user interface of the first application and not displaying the respective other user interface on the display in response to the first contact meeting the one or more navigation-gesture criteria;

the while displaying the first user interface of the first application includes at any point in time when the first user interface of the first application is displayed;

the while displaying the first user interface of the first application includes an entire duration in time when the first user interface of the first application is displayed; or

the maintaining display of the first user interface of the first application without displaying the respective other user interface, is the same as not ceasing to display the first user interface of the first application and not displaying the respective other user interface on the display.

18. A method, comprising:

at a device having a display and a touch-sensitive surface:

displaying a first user interface of a first application on the display;

while displaying the first user interface of the first application, detecting a first input by a first contact on the touch-sensitive surface that meets navigation-gesture criteria, wherein the navigation-gesture criteria require that the first input includes a movement of the first contact across the touch-sensitive surface that crosses a boundary of a predefined edge region of the touch-sensitive surface in order for the navigation-gesture criteria to be met;

in response to detecting the first input by the first contact that meets the navigation-gesture criteria:

in accordance with a determination that the first application is not protected, ceasing to display the first user interface of the first application and displaying a respective other user interface on the display; and

in accordance with a determination that the first application is protected, maintaining display of the first user interface of the first application without displaying the respective other user interface;

wherein: the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via a menu that is displayed in response to a detection of a second input by a second contact on the touch-sensitive surface that includes a movement of the second contact that crosses a second boundary of the touch-sensitive surface.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein:

the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via the menu, by the first user interface of the first application being displayed in response to a third input being detected on the menu after the second input by the second contact on the touch-sensitive surface being detected.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switching-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is another application.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are control-panel-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is a control panel user interface.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switcher-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is an application-switcher user interface.

23. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first user interface of the first application is configured differently based on whether the first application is protected.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the first and second boundaries are on opposite ends of the touch-sensitive surface.

25. The method of claim 18 , wherein:

the first application is determined to be protected when the first user interface of the first application is displayed via the menu, by the first user interface of the first application being displayed on the menu.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein:

the navigation-gesture criteria are application-switching-gesture criteria; and

the respective other user interface is another application.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the first and second boundaries are on opposite ends of the touch-sensitive surface.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the first user interface of the first application appears differently based on whether the first application is protected.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 15, 2022
From: P4TENTS1, LLC
To: SMITH INTERFACE TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
Reel/Frame 060671/0263 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2022
From: SMITH, MICHAEL S, MR.
To: P4TENTS1, LLC
Reel/Frame 060654/0525 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 16377142 · Apr 5, 2019
Continuation 16153763 · Oct 6, 2018
Continuation 15072354 · Mar 16, 2016
Continuation 13567004 · Aug 3, 2012
Provisional Application 61581918 · Dec 30, 2011
Provisional Application 61569213 · Dec 9, 2011
Provisional Application 61566577 · Dec 2, 2011
Provisional Application 61515835 · Aug 5, 2011