Speed/positional mode translations

Abstract

Gestures for converting from a position control mode to a motion continuation mode are disclosed. A position control mode can be invoked when the user simultaneously places two or more fingers upon a sensor panel. The fingers can then be moved around to effect position control. A motion continuation mode can be invoked when one or more fingers are lifted off (but at least one finger remains in contact with the sensor panel). If the motion continuation mode is invoked, a virtual control ring can be generated, and scrolling of the viewable area or dragging of the cursor or object can continue in a particular direction specified by a velocity vector pointed in the direction of finger movement at the time the motion continuation mode is invoked, and having a magnitude proportional to the velocity of the finger at the time the motion continuation mode was invoked.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for converting from a position control mode to a motion continuation mode on a sensor panel to provide enhanced motion control capabilities, comprising:
 entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of two or more fingers on the sensor panel, wherein during the position control mode, motion of an operation is presented by a display;   while in the position control mode and during movement of the two or more fingers along the sensor panel, detecting the two or more of the fingers in an edge zone of the sensor panel;   entering the motion continuation mode upon the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone; and   continuing the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode in a direction of movement of the two or more fingers detected during the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone;   wherein once the motion continuation mode is entered, the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode is continued regardless of a position or movement of the two or more fingers detected in the edge zone.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the detected movement of the two or more fingers including a velocity of the movement detected during the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone, the method further comprising generating a virtual control ring upon entering the motion continuation mode, the virtual control ring for controlling the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued during the motion continuation mode. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , the motion of the operation being presented by the display and continued including scrolling of a viewable area or dragging an object in a direction and at a velocity substantially similar to the direction and velocity of the two or more fingers being moved along the sensor panel when the motion continuation mode was entered. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising generating a velocity vector within the virtual control ring whose magnitude and direction is proportional to the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising generating a null within the virtual control ring for stopping the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising moving one of the fingers in contact with the sensor panel within the virtual control ring to adjust the magnitude and direction of the velocity vector and control the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising pulling the virtual control ring along with one of the fingers in contact with the sensor panel if the finger moves beyond an original location of the virtual control ring established when the motion continuation mode was invoked. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising continuing to scroll a viewable area or continuing to drag an object being presented by the display after entering the motion continuation mode and detecting that all fingers in contact with the sensor panel have substantially ceased further movement. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising continuing to scroll the viewable area or continuing to drag the object being presented at the display in a direction and at a velocity substantially similar to the direction and velocity of the two or more fingers being moved along the sensor panel when the motion continuation mode was entered. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a substantially simultaneous touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel within a predetermined distance from each other. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel near or over an object. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code for converting from a position control mode to a motion continuation mode on a sensor panel to provide enhanced motion control capabilities, the program code for causing performance of a method comprising:
 entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of two or more fingers on the sensor panel, wherein during the position control mode, motion of an operation is presented by a display;   while in the position control mode and during movement of the two or more fingers along the sensor panel, detecting the two or more of the fingers in an edge zone of the sensor panel;   entering the motion continuation mode upon the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone; and   continuing the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode in a direction of movement of the two or more fingers detected during the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone;   wherein once the motion continuation mode is entered, the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode is continued regardless of a position or movement of the two or more fingers detected in the edge zone.   
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the detected movement of the two or more fingers including a velocity of the movement detected during the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone, the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising generating a virtual control ring upon entering the motion continuation mode, the virtual control ring for controlling the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued during the motion continuation mode. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the motion of the operation being presented by the display and continued including scrolling of a viewable area or dragging an object in a direction and at a velocity substantially similar to the direction and velocity of the two or more fingers being moved along the sensor panel when the motion continuation mode was entered. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising generating a velocity vector within the virtual control ring whose magnitude and direction is proportional to the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising generating a null within the virtual control ring for stopping the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising moving one of the fingers remaining in contact with the sensor panel within the virtual control ring to adjust the magnitude and direction of the velocity vector and control the velocity and direction of the motion being presented by the display and continued. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising pulling the virtual control ring along with one of the fingers in contact with the sensor panel if the finger moves beyond an original location of the virtual control ring established when the motion continuation mode was invoked. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising continuing to scroll a viewable area or continuing to drag an object being presented by the display after entering the motion continuation mode and detecting that all fingers in contact with the sensor panel have substantially ceased further movement. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 20 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising continuing to scroll the viewable area or continuing to drag the object being presented at the display in a direction and at a velocity substantially similar to the direction and velocity of the two or more fingers being moved along the sensor panel when the motion continuation mode was entered. 
     
     
         22 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a substantially simultaneous touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel. 
     
     
         23 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel within a predetermined distance from each other. 
     
     
         24 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 13 , the program code further for causing performance of a method comprising entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of the two or more fingers on the sensor panel near or over an object. 
     
     
         25 . An apparatus for converting from a position control mode to a motion continuation mode on a sensor panel to provide enhanced motion control capabilities, the apparatus comprising:
 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising program code; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium and capable of executing the program code to perform a method comprising
 entering the position control mode upon detecting a touchdown of two or more fingers on the sensor panel, wherein during the position control mode, motion of an operation is presented by a display, 
 while in the position control mode and during movement of the two or more fingers along the sensor panel, detecting the two or more of the fingers in an edge zone of the sensor panel, 
 entering the motion continuation mode upon the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone, and 
 continuing the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode in a direction of movement of the two or more fingers detected during the detection of the two or more fingers in the edge zone, 
 wherein once the motion continuation mode is entered, the motion of the operation being presented by the display during the position control mode is continued regardless of a position or movement of the two or more fingers detected in the edge zone.