Changing the location of one or more cursors and/or outputting a selection indicator between a plurality of cursors on a display area in response to detecting one or more touch events

Abstract

A method according to one embodiment includes detecting a first touch event on a touch-sensitive input area of a device, determining that the first touch event corresponds to a command to anchor a first cursor at a current location of the first cursor on a display area coupled to the touch-sensitive input area, anchoring the first cursor at the current location thereof on the display area in response to determining that the first touch event corresponds to the command to anchor the first cursor, detecting a second touch event, outputting a second cursor on the display area, changing the output location of the second cursor in response to detecting that a detected touch of the second touch event departs from a starting location of the second touch event, and outputting a selection indicator on a portion of the display area between the first cursor and second cursor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 detecting a first touch event on a touch-sensitive input area of a device;   determining that the first touch event corresponds to a command to anchor a first cursor at a current location of the first cursor on a display area coupled to the touch-sensitive input area;   at least temporarily anchoring the first cursor at the current location thereof on the display area in response to determining that the first touch event corresponds to the command to anchor the first cursor;   detecting a second touch event on a different portion of the touch-sensitive input area of the device;   outputting a second cursor on the display area at the same location as the first cursor;   changing the output location of the second cursor on the display area in response to detecting that a detected touch of the second touch event departs from a starting location of the second touch event; and   outputting a selection indicator on a portion of the display area between the first cursor and the second cursor.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , comprising:
 changing the output location of the first cursor on the display area in response to detecting that a detected touch of the first touch event departs from a starting location of the first touch event.   
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein detecting the second touch event includes determining an ending location of a gesture extending between the starting location and the ending location. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein a degree that the output location of the second cursor changes on the display area is based at least in part on a time to traverse from the starting location to the ending location of the gesture. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the second touch event includes a series of gestures. 
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the gesture transitions approximately circumferentially about a center point from the starting location to the ending location. 
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the starting location of the second touch event resides on a virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the virtual ambiguous key extends approximately circumferentially about a first center point. 
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the first center point is located at about a corner of the display area. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein a starting location of the first touch event resides on a second virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the second virtual ambiguous key extends approximately circumferentially about a second center point. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 7 , wherein a starting location of the first touch event resides on the virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the virtual ambiguous key also extends approximately circumferentially about a second center point. 
     
     
         11 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , wherein a starting location of the first touch event resides on a keypad, wherein the display area is not physically connected to the device. 
     
     
         12 . A computer program product, comprising: a computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer readable program instructions configured to cause a processor of a computer system to:
 detect a first touch event on a touch-sensitive input area of a device;   determine that the first touch event corresponds to a command to anchor a first cursor at a current location of the first cursor on a display area coupled to the touch-sensitive input area;   at least temporarily anchor the first cursor at the current location thereof on the display area in response to determining that the first touch event corresponds to the command to anchor the first cursor;   detect a second touch event on a different portion of the touch-sensitive input area of the device;   output a second cursor on the display area at the same location as the first cursor;   change the output location of the second cursor on the display area in response to detecting that a detected touch of the second touch event departs from a starting location of the second touch event; and   output a selection indicator on a portion of the display area between the first cursor and the second cursor.   
     
     
         13 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 12 , the computer readable program instructions are configured to cause the processor of the computer system to:
 change the output location of the first cursor on the display area in response to detecting that a detected touch of the first touch event departs from a starting location of the first touch event.   
     
     
         14 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein detecting the second touch event includes determining an ending location of a gesture extending between the starting location and the ending location. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 14 , wherein a degree that the output location of the second cursor changes on the display area is based at least in part on a time to traverse from the starting location to the ending location of the gesture. 
     
     
         16 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the second touch event includes a series of gestures. 
     
     
         17 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the gesture transitions approximately circumferentially about a center point from the starting location to the ending location. 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the starting location of the second touch event resides on a virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the virtual ambiguous key extends approximately circumferentially about a first center point. 
     
     
         19 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 18 , wherein a starting location of the first touch event resides on a second virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the second virtual ambiguous key extends approximately circumferentially about a second center point. 
     
     
         20 . A computer program product as recited in  claim 18 , wherein a starting location of the first touch event resides on the virtual ambiguous key on the touch-sensitive input area, wherein the virtual ambiguous key also extends approximately circumferentially about a second center point.