Natural Quick Functions Gestures

Abstract

Natural gestures for interacting with spreadsheet documents are provided. A user may interact with a spreadsheet document using a variety of touch-based gestures. Gestures applied to a spreadsheet document may be used for making structural and display changes to the document. For example, gestures may be used on the spreadsheet document for inserting new columns and rows; for revealing hidden columns and rows; for deleting columns and rows; for extending functionalities across columns and rows; for moving objects displayed in a spreadsheet document; and for navigating various parts of a spreadsheet document.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for interacting with an electronic spreadsheet document using gesture input, comprising:
 receiving a computer-enabled spreadsheet document;   receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document for making a structural change to the spreadsheet document; and   updating a display of the spreadsheet document to include the structural change made to the spreadsheet document in response to the gesture input.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein updating the display of the spreadsheet document is accomplished as the gesture input is being performed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a pull-apart gesture on the spreadsheet document for pulling two spreadsheet document columns apart for inserting one or more additional columns between the pulled-apart columns. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a pull-apart gesture for pulling two spreadsheet document columns apart for revealing one or more columns hidden from view behind the pulled-apart spreadsheet document columns. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a pull-apart gesture for pulling two spreadsheet document rows apart for inserting one or more additional rows between the pulled-apart rows. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a touch-and-slide gesture for inserting one or more columns into the spreadsheet document, wherein the touch-and-slide gesture is performed on a user interface control associated with column insertion. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a drag-and-drop away gesture for deleting a column from the spreadsheet document by dragging a column header for the deleting column away from the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a touch-hold-pull gesture for revealing a spreadsheet column hidden from view behind two columns in the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a push-together gesture for hiding one or more spreadsheet columns behind two pushed-together spreadsheet columns. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a push-together gesture for hiding one or more spreadsheet rows behind two pushed-together spreadsheet rows. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a drag-and-drop between gesture for moving a column from a first location in the spreadsheet document to a second location in the spreadsheet document by dragging and dropping a column header for the moved column to a different column header position in the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a multi-touch swipe gesture for navigating between sheets comprising a spreadsheet workbook. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a touch-and-throw gesture for extending a selected functionality from one portion of a spreadsheet document to one or more other portions of the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a touch-and-pull gesture on a column header for automatically sorting one or more data items contained in a spreadsheet column associated with the column header. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a pinch-and-turn gesture for rotating an element displayed in the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document includes receiving a tear-and-pull gesture for pulling an object from a display position within the spreadsheet document to a display position floating on the spreadsheet document. 
     
     
         17 . A computer readable medium on which is stored computer executable instructions which when executed by a computer perform a method for interacting with an electronic spreadsheet document using gesture input, comprising:
 receiving a computer-enabled spreadsheet document;   receiving a gesture input on the spreadsheet document for making one or more changes to the spreadsheet document; and   updating a display of the spreadsheet document to include the one or more changes made to the spreadsheet document in response to the gesture input.   
     
     
         18 . The computer readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein updating the display of the spreadsheet document is accomplished as the gesture input is being performed. 
     
     
         19 . A system for interacting with an electronic spreadsheet document using gesture input, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a memory coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more processors operable to:
 display a spreadsheet document; 
 receive a gesture input on the spreadsheet document for making a structural change to the spreadsheet document; and 
 update a display of the spreadsheet document to include the structural change made to the spreadsheet document in response to the gesture input. 
   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , the one or more processors being further operable to update the display of the spreadsheet document as the gesture input is being received.