Portable multifunction device, method, and graphical user interface for interpreting a finger gesture on a touch screen display

Abstract

A portable electronic device having a touch screen display detects a first finger-down event at a first position on the touch screen display. The first position is adjacent to first and second user interface objects. The portable device detects a second finger event at a second position on the touch screen display. The second finger event is either a finger-dragging event or a finger-up event. The portable device determines a type of the second finger event and a distance between the first position and the second position. The portable device performs a first action associated with the first user interface object if the distance is greater than a predefined threshold and performs a second action associated with the second user interface object if the distance is equal to or less than the predefined threshold and the second finger event is a finger-up event.

Description

technical field [0001] The disclosed embodiments relate generally to portable electronic devices, and more particularly to portable devices capable of uniquely determining an operation associated with a finger gesture when the finger gesture occurs near a plurality of icons on a touch screen display. Background technique [0002] As portable electronic devices become more compact, and the number of functions performed by a given device increases, designing user interfaces that enable users to easily interact with multifunction devices has become a formidable challenge. This challenge is particularly pronounced for handheld portable devices, which have much smaller screens than desktop or laptop computers. This situation is disadvantageous because the user interface is not only the means by which the user receives content, but also the means by which the user receives responses to user actions or actions, including the features, tools, and functions of the device that the use...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

These traditional user interfaces often result in users having to memorize complex key sequences and menu hierarchies

[0003] Many traditional user interfaces, such as those that include physical buttons, are also inflexible

This is disadvantageous because it may prevent the user interface from being configured and / or adapted by the application running on the portable device or by the user

This inflexibility is frustrating to most users when coupled with the time spent remembering multi-key sequences and menu hierarchies and the difficulty of activating desired buttons

[0004] Although a portable device with a touch screen that includes virtual icons such as keys and buttons can be flexibly configured and user-friendly, it often cannot if a finger gesture occurs near multiple virtual icons in a small area on the touch screen display. Correctly identify virtual icons associated with finger gestures and actions accordingly

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