Devices and Methods for Processing Touch Inputs Based on Their Intensities

Abstract

An electronic device displays a user interface of a first third-party application that runs within an operating system. The device detects an input on a touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to a first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. If the input meets first gesture recognition criteria and the input meets first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, the device performs the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. If the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, the device forgoes performance of the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 at an electronic device with a display, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface of a first third-party application that runs within an operating system, wherein:
 capabilities of the device are exposed to the first third-party application through an operating system framework of the operating system; 
 the operating system framework defines a plurality of gesture classes that can be recognized by the device, wherein a first gesture class is associated with first gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a first gesture when the first gesture recognition criteria are met; 
 the first third-party application has associated a first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the first third-party application has specified first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the first operation; 
 
 while displaying the user interface of the first third-party application on the display, detecting an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a second operation;   the first third-party application has not specified the first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the second operation; and   the method includes:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a second gesture class is associated with second gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a second gesture when the second gesture recognition criteria are met;   the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the second gesture from the second gesture class for a third operation;   the first third-party application has specified second intensity criteria for the second gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the third operation; and   the method includes:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first intensity criteria include an intensity threshold. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the intensity threshold is selected from a set of predefined thresholds. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the intensity threshold is selected from a range of values detectable by the device. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , including:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface of a second third-party application that runs within the operating system and is different from the first third-party application, wherein:
 the second third-party application has associated a second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the second third-party application has specified third intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the second portion of the user interface for the first operation; and 
 the third intensity criteria are different from the first intensity criteria; 
   while displaying the user interface of the second third-party application on the display, detecting an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and   in response to detecting the input a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application:
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, performing the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, forgoing performance of the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application. 
   
     
     
         8 . An electronic device, comprising:
 a display;   a touch-sensitive surface;   one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface;   one or more processors; and   memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface of a first third-party application that runs within an operating system, wherein:
 capabilities of the device are exposed to the first third-party application through an operating system framework of the operating system; 
 the operating system framework defines a plurality of gesture classes that can be recognized by the device, wherein a first gesture class is associated with first gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a first gesture when the first gesture recognition criteria are met; 
 the first third-party application has associated a first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the first third-party application has specified first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the first operation; 
 
 while displaying the user interface of the first third-party application on the display, detecting an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         9 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a second operation;   the first third-party application has not specified the first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the second operation; and   the one or more programs include instructions for:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein:
 a second gesture class is associated with second gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a second gesture when the second gesture recognition criteria are met;   the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the second gesture from the second gesture class for a third operation;   the first third-party application has specified second intensity criteria for the second gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the third operation; and   the one or more programs include instructions for:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         11 . The electronic device of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface of a second third-party application that runs within the operating system and is different from the first third-party application, wherein:
 the second third-party application has associated a second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the second third-party application has specified third intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the second portion of the user interface for the first operation; and 
 the third intensity criteria are different from the first intensity criteria; 
   while displaying the user interface of the second third-party application on the display, detecting an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and   in response to detecting the input a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application:
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, performing the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, forgoing performance of the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application. 
   
     
     
         12 . 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, a touch-sensitive surface, and one or more sensors to detect intensity of contacts with the touch-sensitive surface, cause the device to:
 display, on the display, a user interface of a first third-party application that runs within an operating system, wherein:
 capabilities of the device are exposed to the first third-party application through an operating system framework of the operating system; 
 the operating system framework defines a plurality of gesture classes that can be recognized by the device, wherein a first gesture class is associated with first gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a first gesture when the first gesture recognition criteria are met; 
 the first third-party application has associated a first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the first third-party application has specified first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the first operation; 
   while displaying the user interface of the first third-party application on the display, detect an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and   in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, perform the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgo performance of the first operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
   
     
     
         13 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a second operation;   the first third-party application has not specified the first intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the second operation; and   the one or more programs include instructions for:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the first intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the second operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a second gesture class is associated with second gesture recognition criteria for recognizing input detected on the touch-sensitive surface as a second gesture when the second gesture recognition criteria are met;   the first third-party application has associated the first portion of the user interface with the second gesture from the second gesture class for a third operation;   the first third-party application has specified second intensity criteria for the second gesture associated with the first portion of the user interface for the third operation; and   the one or more programs include instructions for:
 in response to detecting the input:
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, performing the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input meets the second gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the second intensity criteria specified by the first third-party application, forgoing performance of the third operation associated with the first portion of the user interface of the first third-party application. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more programs include instructions for:
 displaying, on the display, a user interface of a second third-party application that runs within the operating system and is different from the first third-party application, wherein:
 the second third-party application has associated a second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application with the first gesture from the first gesture class for a first operation; and 
 the second third-party application has specified third intensity criteria for the first gesture associated with the second portion of the user interface for the first operation; and 
 the third intensity criteria are different from the first intensity criteria; 
   while displaying the user interface of the second third-party application on the display, detecting an input on the touch-sensitive surface at a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and   in response to detecting the input a location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application:
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria and that the input meets the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, performing the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application; and 
 in accordance with a determination that the input at the location that corresponds to the portion of the user interface of the second third-party application meets the first gesture recognition criteria but does not meet the third intensity criteria specified by the second third-party application, forgoing performance of the first operation associated with the second portion of the user interface of the second third-party application.