Inertial scrolling method and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention teaches inertial scrolling method and apparatus, according to which the distance, for which the content of a display window scrolls as a result of an inertial scrolling user action, is substantially limited to the distance between (a) the area of the display window pointed at by the user when an inertial scrolling action is initiated and (b) the border of the display window in the direction of the scrolling. According to an embodiment of the invention, the limited-distance scrolling is only enabled in case of less forceful scrolling user actions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for assisting a user of an electronic device in viewing information on said electronic device, said electronic device having at least a processor, a memory storage storing computer-executable instructions, a display having an at least a window displaying a portion of a document, and a scrolling input device, said method comprising the method steps of
 displaying a first portion of said document in said display window; and   detecting an inertial scrolling user action, which scrolling user action detecting comprises at least detecting a direction of said inertial scrolling action and detecting an “initial window location”, said “initial window location” being an area of said display window pointed at by the user when an inertial scrolling action is initiated; and   scrolling said document to display a second portion of said document in said display window, while limiting a distance of said document scrolling to substantially a distance between said “initial window location” and a border of said display window in the direction of said inertial scrolling.   
     
     
         2 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of
 detecting an “initial pointed document area”, said “initial pointed document area” being a document image area, displayed substantially in said “initial window location” when an inertial scrolling action is initiated and said first portion of the document is displayed,   scrolling said document image in the direction of said inertial scrolling; and   highlighting said “initial pointed document area” during said inertial scrolling.   
     
     
         3 . A method of  claim 2 , wherein visual attributes of said highlighted “initial pointed document area” change when said highlighted “initial pointed document area” reaches a border of said display window in the direction of said inertial scrolling. 
     
     
         4 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a touch-sensitive display, said touch-sensitive display being a display, at least part of which serves as a sensing input device, and said “initial window location” is a location of a said touch-sensitive display, which is contacted by a user immediately before the user breaks contact with the display to initiate an inertial scrolling. 
     
     
         5 . A method of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic device comprises a separate scrolling input device, said separate device being separate from said display, and said display displays a screen pointer controlled by a user, and wherein said “initial window location” is a location of said screen pointer at a moment when an inertial scrolling is initiated by the user. 
     
     
         6 . A method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:
 detecting at least an attribute of an inertial scrolling user action selected from a group comprising at least: speed of the input object, acceleration of the input object, and pressure of input object against the display; and   inferring a distance, for which a document image displayed in said window would scroll if said “initial window location” never reaches a window border; and   if said inferred distance is greater than a distance between “initial window location” and a border of said window in a direction of said scrolling, and a difference between said distances is not greater than a first predetermined value, then performing inertial scrolling of said document in said window for a distance substantially equal to a distance between “initial window location” and said border of said window in the direction of said scrolling; and   if said inferred distance is greater than a distance between “initial window location” and a border of said window in a direction of said scrolling, and a difference between said distances is greater than the first predetermined value, then performing inertial scrolling of said document in said window for a distance substantially equal to said inferred distance.   
     
     
         7 . A method of  claim 2 , further comprising the steps of:
 detecting a speed, with which said document scrolls at a moment when said “initial pointed document area” reaches a border of said display window in the direction of said inertial scrolling; and   limit said inertial scrolling to the substantially a distance between said “initial window location” and a border of said display window in the direction of said inertial scrolling only if said speed does not exceed a second predetermined value.   
     
     
         8 . An apparatus, comprising at least
 a processor; and   a scrolling input device; and   a display, adapted to display at least a window adapted to displaying at least a portion of at least a document; and   a memory storage storing computer-executable instructions;   wherein said display, said processor, said memory storage, and said computer-executable instructions being adapted to perform the following
 displaying a first portion of a document in a window displayed on said display; and 
 detecting an inertial scrolling user action, which detecting comprises at least detecting a direction of said inertial scrolling action and detecting an “initial window location”, said “initial window location” being an area of said display window pointed at by a user when an inertial scrolling action is initiated; and 
 scrolling said document to display a second portion of said document in said display window; a distance of said document scrolling being substantially a distance between said “initial window location” and a border of said display window in the direction of said inertial scrolling. 
   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus of  claim 8 ,
 wherein said display is a touch-sensitive display, said touch-sensitive display being a display, at least part of which also serves as a scrolling input device, and   said processor, said touch-sensitive display, said memory storage, and said computer-executable instructions are further adapted to perform the following
 detecting a scrolling user action, said action being initiated by touching the display with a scrolling input object, such as a finger; and 
 detecting an “initial window location” as a location of a point of a scrolling input object touch at a moment when the user breaks a contact of the scrolling input object and the display to initiate an inertial scrolling. 
   
     
     
         10 . An apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said scrolling input device is a device, separate from said display, and said display is adapted to display a screen pointer in said display window, and said apparatus further comprises a screen pointer input device, said screen pointer input device being adapted to control a screen location of said screen pointer, and said processor, said display, said scrolling input device, screen pointer input device, and said memory storage are adapted to detect an “initial window location” as a location pointed at by said screen pointer at a moment when an inertial scrolling is initiated by the user. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said screen pointer input device is integrated with said scrolling input device.