Output control using gesture input

Abstract

An apparatus, including: at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer program instructions, the at least one processor being configured to execute the computer program instructions to cause the apparatus at least to perform: detecting user input; selecting, in dependence upon the detected user input, at least a portion of an output of a user output device; determining, while the at least a portion of the output of the user output device is selected, whether a user makes a gesture input by moving the apparatus; and altering, in response to determining that the gesture input has been made by the user, the selected at least a portion of the output of the user output device.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor; and   at least one memory storing computer program instructions configured, working with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to perform:   detecting user input while first and second portions are displayed by a user output device;   selecting, in dependence upon the detected user input, the first portion or the second portion;   determining whether a user makes a gesture input by moving the apparatus; and   altering a magnification, in response to determining that the gesture input has been made by the user, of one of the first and second portions based on the selecting while maintaining the other one of the first and second portions unaltered as the first and second portions continue to both be output by the user output device in a same relative position with respect to one another as prior to the altering.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to alter the magnification of one of the first and second portions by altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was selected. 
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to alter the magnification of one of the first and second portions by altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was not selected with the other one of the first and second portions that was selected being maintained unaltered in response to the gesture input. 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to select the first portion or the second portion by selecting the first portion or the second portions of an image presented by a display based upon a visual distinction between a portion identified by the user input and another portion of the image. 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus is caused to select the first portion or the second portion of the image by selecting the first portion or the second portion of the image based upon differences in contrast between the portion indicated by the user input and another portion of the image. 
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the one of the first and second portions is altered by performing a first processing algorithm in response to determining that a first gesture input has been made by the user, and altered by performing a second processing algorithm in response to determining that a second gesture input has been made by the user. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is caused to determine whether a gesture input is made by the user by detecting whether acceleration of the apparatus exceeds a threshold acceleration value. 
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions comprise first and second portions of a web page or a text message. 
     
     
         9 . A method, comprising:
 detecting user input while first and second portions are displayed by a user output device;   selecting, in dependence upon the detected user input, the first portion or the second portion;   determining whether a user makes a gesture input by moving an apparatus; and   altering a magnification, in response to determining that the gesture input has been made by the user, of one of the first and second portions based on the selecting while maintaining the other one of the first and second portions unaltered as the first and second portions continue to both be output by the user output device in a same relative position with respect to one another as prior to the altering.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein altering the magnification of one of the first and second portions comprises altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was selected. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein altering the magnification of one of the first and second portions comprises altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was not selected with the other one of the first and second portions that was selected being maintained unaltered in response to the gesture input. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein selecting the first portion or the second portion comprises selecting the first portion or the second portions of an image presented by a display based upon a visual distinction between a portion identified by the user input and another portion of the image. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 12 , wherein selecting the first portion or the second portion of the image comprises selecting the first portion or the second portion of the image based upon differences in contrast between the portion indicated by the user input and another portion of the image. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein altering the one of the first and second portions comprises performing a first processing algorithm in response to determining that a first gesture input has been made by the user, and altered by performing a second processing algorithm in response to determining that a second gesture input has been made by the user. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein determining whether a gesture input is made by the user comprises detecting whether acceleration of the apparatus exceeds a threshold acceleration value. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the first and second portions comprise first and second portions of a web page or a text message. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising computer program instructions configured, when working with at least one processor, to cause an apparatus at least to perform:
 detecting user input while first and second portions are displayed by a user output device;   selecting, in dependence upon the detected user input, the first portion or the second portion;   determining whether a user makes a gesture input by moving the apparatus; and   altering a magnification, in response to determining that the gesture input has been made by the user, of one of the first and second portions based on the selecting while maintaining the other one of the first and second portions unaltered as the first and second portions continue to both be output by the user output device in a same relative position with respect to one another as prior to the altering.   
     
     
         18 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein altering the magnification of one of the first and second portions comprises altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was selected. 
     
     
         19 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 17 , wherein altering the magnification of one of the first and second portions comprises altering the magnification of the one of the first and second portions that was not selected with the other one of the first and second portions that was selected being maintained unaltered in response to the gesture input. 
     
     
         20 . A computer readable medium according to  claim 17  wherein selecting the first portion or the second portion comprises selecting the first portion or the second portions of an image presented by a display based upon a visual distinction between a portion identified by the user input and another portion of the image.