Graphical Object Manipulation via Multi-Touch Gesture Recognition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Creating intuitive and user-friendly graphical user interfaces (GUIs) for 2D and 3D digital modeling that accommodate various hardware capabilities and user skill levels, particularly in manipulating graphical objects with multiple degrees of freedom, is challenging due to the complexity of translating 2D user inputs into 3D object movements and ensuring consistency across devices.
Innovation Solution
The system uses a processor to determine alternative target orientations of graphical objects based on user input and physical models, applying supplemental display characteristics gradually to facilitate intuitive manipulation, allowing users to easily position, rotate, and scale objects using single or multi-point control inputs, thereby reducing interaction time and user frustration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate controls are provided for each degree of movement (scaling, rotating, translating) in traditional interfaces, then precise control is achieved, but the interface complexity and number of controls increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple control functions (translation, rotation, scaling) into a unified multi-touch gesture system. Users can manipulate graphical objects using combinations of touch points where the relative positions and movements of multiple fingers simultaneously control different degrees of freedom, eliminating the need for separate controls for each transformation operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-touch gesture system serves multiple functions through a single interface mechanism. The same touch interface that enables object selection also enables translation, rotation, and scaling operations, making the control system universal rather than requiring specialized controls for each manipulation type.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multi-touch gestures are used to manipulate graphical objects with multiple degrees of freedom, then the number of controls is reduced, but the system must accommodate varying user skill levels and hardware capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts its behavior based on detected user gestures and skill level. It provides haptic feedback and visual guidance that adjust in real-time according to the user's manipulation style, making the system responsive and adaptive rather than static and rigid.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates haptic feedback mechanisms that provide tactile guidance to users during object manipulation. The feedback loop detects user gestures and provides appropriate haptic responses to assist users in performing complex multi-degree-of-freedom transformations, making the system more accessible to users of varying skill levels.
3Ease of operation
If the system provides haptic feedback and visual guidance to assist users, then ease of operation improves, but processing requirements and system resources increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides guidance and feedback selectively rather than continuously. Haptic feedback and visual guidance are activated only when needed based on detected user gestures and skill level assessments, avoiding unnecessary processing and resource consumption while still providing assistance when beneficial.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and systems for moving and manipulating graphical objects on a device that may include one or more pointing device, such as a mouse, a touchpad, or a touch screen, some of which may be multi-touch enabled. In some embodiments, a method may include, concurrent with and in response to user input from a pointing device: moving a first graphical object, determining a plurality of alternative target orientations for that first graphical object, selecting one of the target orientations, and gradually changing certain display characteristics of the first object based on characteristics of the selected target orientation.