Detecting and interpreting real-world and security gestures on touch and hover sensitive devices

Abstract

“Real-world” gestures such as hand or finger movements/orientations that are generally recognized to mean certain things (e.g., an “OK” hand signal generally indicates an affirmative response) can be interpreted by a touch or hover sensitive device to more efficiently and accurately effect intended operations. These gestures can include, but are not limited to, “OK gestures,” “grasp everything gestures,” “stamp of approval gestures,” “circle select gestures,” “X to delete gestures,” “knock to inquire gestures,” “hitchhiker directional gestures,” and “shape gestures.” In addition, gestures can be used to provide identification and allow or deny access to applications, files, and the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 at an electronic device in communication with a touch screen:
 detecting, at the touch screen, one or more touch inputs; and 
 in response to detecting the one or more touch inputs:
 in accordance with a determination that the one or more touch inputs satisfy user interface element-display criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the one or more touch inputs correspond to two hands concurrently touching the touch screen, displaying, on the touch screen, a user interface element, wherein the user interface element was not displayed on the touch screen prior to detecting the one or more touch inputs. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting the one or more touch inputs:
 in accordance with a determination that the one or more touch inputs do not correspond to two hands concurrently touching the touch screen, forgoing displaying, on the touch screen, the user interface element. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein displaying the user interface element on the touch screen comprises displaying the user interface element within a region defined by the two hands on the touch screen. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the region defined by the two hands on the touch screen includes an area between the two hands on the touch screen. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the two hands on the touch screen do not overlap with the defined region on the touch screen. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface element is a detail portal, a magnifier, a dialog or a photo. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface element-display criteria further include a criterion that is satisfied when the two hands have a predefined shape. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the predefined shape corresponds to an upside-down U shape. 
     
     
         9 . An electronic device comprising:
 one or more processors;   a touch screen; and   memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:   detecting, at the touch screen, one or more touch inputs; and   in response to detecting the one or more touch inputs:
 in accordance with a determination that the one or more touch inputs satisfy user interface element-display criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the one or more touch inputs correspond to two hands concurrently touching the touch screen, displaying, on the touch screen, a user interface element, wherein the user interface element was not displayed on the touch screen prior to detecting the one or more touch inputs. 
   
     
     
         10 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device in communication with a touch screen, cause the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:
 detecting, at the touch screen, one or more touch inputs; and   in response to detecting the one or more touch inputs:
 in accordance with a determination that the one or more touch inputs satisfy user interface element-display criteria, including a criterion that is satisfied when the one or more touch inputs correspond to two hands concurrently touching the touch screen, displaying, on the touch screen, a user interface element, wherein the user interface element was not displayed on the touch screen prior to detecting the one or more touch inputs.