Two-factor rotation input on a touchscreen device

Abstract

An electronic device and method are provided for rotating an object displayed at or by the device. The object may be an entire displayed region of a display screen, such as a window, frame, or other region or subregion, or a block element or other type of content component such as an image or map. A first input defining a reference point for the object is detected at a first user interface mechanism. After commencement of the detected first input, a second input at a second user interface mechanism, such as a touchscreen display, is detected. In response to the second input, a rotation transformation is applied to the object, the rotation transformation center being defined by the reference point, and the rotation transformation angle being defined by the second input. The object may be displayed by the touchscreen display, or by a display device external to the electronic device.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method implemented on an electronic device comprising a touchscreen display, the method comprising:
 detecting a first touch input in a first region of the touchscreen display, the first touch input defining instructions moving a reference point displayed in a distinct second region of the same touchscreen display;   detecting a second touch input in the second region of the touchscreen display;   in response to the detected second touch input, applying a rotation transformation to a displayed object in the second region of the touchscreen display, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by a current position of the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second touch input.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the first touch input comprises a gesture input. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when a beginning of the second touch input is detected. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when the first touch input ends, prior to detecting the second touch input. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second touch input comprises a single touch input defining an angle computed from a default orientation on the touchscreen display. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the second touch input comprises a gesture input. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein a webpage document is displayed in the first region and the second region of the touchscreen display, the displayed object being comprised in the webpage document. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the detected first input is associated with an event handler identified by the webpage, the event handler being executable to define the current position of the reference point in the second region. 
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory electronic device-readable medium bearing code which, when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device comprising a touchscreen display, causes the electronic device to implement the method of:
 detecting a first touch input in a first region of the touchscreen display, the first touch input defining instructions moving a reference point displayed in a distinct second region of the same touchscreen display;   detecting a second touch input in the second region of the touchscreen display;   in response to the detected second touch input, applying a rotation transformation to a displayed object in the second region of the touchscreen display, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by a current position of the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second touch input.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the first touch input comprises a gesture input. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when a beginning of the second touch input is detected. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when the first touch input ends, prior to detecting the second touch input. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the second touch input comprises a single touch input defining an angle computed from a default orientation on the touchscreen display. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein the second touch input comprises a gesture input. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 10 , wherein a webpage document is displayed in the first region and the second region of the touchscreen display, the displayed object being comprised in the webpage document. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory electronic device-readable medium of  claim 16 , wherein the detected first input is associated with an event handler identified by the webpage, the event handler being executable to define the current position of the reference point in the second region. 
     
     
         18 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a touchscreen display; and   at least one processor configured to implement the method of:
 detecting a first touch input in a first region of the touchscreen display, the first touch input defining instructions moving a reference point displayed in a distinct second region of the same touchscreen display; 
 detecting a second touch input in the second region of the touchscreen display; 
 in response to the detected second touch input, applying a rotation transformation to a displayed object in the second region of the touchscreen display, a center of the rotation transformation being defined by a current position of the reference point, and an angle of the rotation transformation being defined by the second touch input. 
   
     
     
         19 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when a beginning of the second touch input is detected. 
     
     
         20 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein the current position of the reference point is a position of the reference point in the second region when the first touch input ends, prior to detecting the second touch input. 
     
     
         21 . The electronic device of  claim 18 , wherein a webpage document is displayed in the first region and the second region of the touchscreen display, the displayed object being comprised in the webpage document, and further wherein the detected first input is associated with an event handler identified by the webpage, the event handler being executable to define the current position of the reference point in the second region.