Method and apparatus for providing finger touch layers in a user agent

1. A method for selecting an item on a display screen with a touch interface, by touching the touch interface portion of the display screen with a finger or stylus-type device, the method comprising:

utilizing a processor, which is operably connected to the touch interface of the display screen, to perform the following:

(a) establish a predetermined touch radius associated with a center of an area of contact detected by the touch interface by interaction with the finger or stylus-type device;

(b) detect an activated screen area that corresponds to a portion of the screen contained within the touch radius associated with a touch point detected as a result of the finger or stylus-type device activating the touch interface;

(c) identify selectable items on the display screen which are at least partially contained within the touch radius;

(d) in response to multiple selectable items being identified in (c) as being at least partially contained within the touch radius of the same detected touch point, partially activate the multiple identified selectable items for confirmation selection by altering the manner in which the multiple identified selectable items are displayed;

(e) fully activate a partially activated selectable item in response to a detection by the touch interface of another touch point selecting that particular partially activated selectable item; and

(f) de-activate any partially activated selectable items not selected for full activation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the processor partially activates an identified selectable item in (d) by enlarging the item's display size.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the processor partially activates an identified selectable item in (d) by displaying an animation or display effect in connection therewith, in case that the identified selectable item is already displayed at a size greater than or equal to a predetermined size before partial activation.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising displaying an animation in accompaniment with the enlargement of the display size of the identified selectable item.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, if only one selectable item is identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius associated with a detected touch point:

if the identified selectable item is hit by the detected touch point, the identified selectable item is fully activated without requiring confirmation selection, and

if the identified selectable item is not hit by the detected touch point, the identified selectable item is partially activated such that confirmation selection based on another touch point is necessary to fully activate the identified selectable item.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the display screen displays a web page, and at least one of the identified selectable items is a hyperlink.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a display screen having a touch interface configured to detect contact with the display screen by a finger or stylus-type device;

a processor, which is operably connected to the touch interface, programmed to:

(a) configure the parameters of the touch interface to set a predetermined touch radius associated with the center of an area of contact detected by the touch interface by interaction with the finger or stylus-type device;

(b) detect an activated screen area that corresponds to a portion of the screen contained within the touch radius associated with a touch point detected as a result of the finger or stylus-type device activating the touch interface;

(c) identify selectable items on the display screen which are at least partially contained within the touch radius;

(d) in response to multiple selectable items being identified in (c) as being at least partially contained within the touch radius of the same detected touch point, partially activate the multiple identified selectable items for confirmation selection by altering the manner in which the multiple identified selectable items are displayed;

(e) fully activate a partially activated selectable item in response to a detection of another touch point selecting that particular partially activated selectable item; and

(f) de-activate any partially activated selectable items not selected for full activation.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein

the processor partially activates an identified selectable item in (d) by enlarging the item's display size.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor partially activates an identified selectable item in (d) by displaying an animation or display effect in connection therewith, in case that the identified selectable item is already displayed at a size greater than or equal to a predetermined size before partial activation.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the display screen displays an animation in accompaniment with the enlargement of the display size of the identified selectable item.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein, if only one selectable item is identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius associated with a detected touch point:

if the identified selectable item is hit by the detected touch point, the processor causes the identified selectable item to be fully activated without requiring confirmation selection, and

if the identified selectable item is not hit by the detected touch point, the processor causes the identified selectable item to be partially activated such that confirmation selection based on another touch point is necessary to fully activate the identified selectable item.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the display screen displays a web page, and at least one of the identified selectable items is a hyperlink.

13. The apparatus of claim 7 , the apparatus being a mobile telephone or handheld device.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program that, when executed by a computer, causes it to perform a method for selecting an item on a display screen with a touch interface, by touching the touch interface portion of the display screen with a finger or stylus-type device, the method comprising: (a) configuring parameters of the touch interface to set a predetermined touch radius associated with the center of an area of contact detected by the touch interface by interaction with the finger or stylus-type device; (b) detecting an activated screen area that corresponds to a portion of the screen contained within the touch radius associated with a touch point detected as a result of the finger or stylus-type device activating the touch interface; (c) identifying selectable items on the display screen at least partially contained within the touch radius; (d) in response to multiple selectable items being identified in (c) as being at least partially contained within the touch radius of the same detected touch point, partially activating the multiple identified selectable items for confirmation selection by altering the manner in which the multiple identified selectable items are displayed; (e) fully activating a partially activated selectable item in response to a detection by the touch interface of another touch point selecting that particular partially activated selectable item; and (f) de-activating any partially activated selectable items not selected for full activation.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein

the partially activating step partially activates an identified selectable item by enlarging the item's display size.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the partially activating step partially activates an identified selectable item by displaying an animation or display effect in connection therewith, in case that the identified selectable item is already displayed at a size greater than or equal to a predetermined size before partial activation.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises displaying an animation in accompaniment with the enlargement of the display size of the identified selectable item.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein, if only one selectable item is identified as being at least partially within the touch radius associated with a detected touch point:

if the identified selectable item is hit by the detected touch point, the identified selectable item is fully activated without requiring confirmation selection, and

if the identified selectable item is not hit by the detected touch point, the identified selectable item is partially activated such that confirmation selection based on another touch point is necessary to fully activate the identified selectable item.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , wherein a web page is displayed on the display screen, and at least one of the identified selectable items is a hyperlink.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the processor performs (d), (e), and (f) are performed only when multiple selectable items are identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and

when only one selectable item is identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and the identified selectable item was hit by the initially-detected touch point, the processor fully activates the identified selectable item without performing (d), (e), and (f).

21. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein

the processor performs (d), (e), and (f) are performed only when multiple selectable items are identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and

when only one selectable item is identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and the identified selectable item was hit by the initially-detected touch point, the processor fully activates the identified selectable item without performing (d), (e), and (f).

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein

(d), (e), and (f) are performed only when multiple selectable items are identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and

when only one selectable item is identified in (c) as being at least partially within the touch radius, and the identified selectable item was hit by the initially-detected touch point, the identified selectable item is fully activated without (d), (e), and (f) having been performed.