Portable electronic device with relative gesture recognition mode

A method of controlling a portable electronic device having a touch screen sensor, comprising:

• initiating a relative gesture recognition mode responsive to a mode-switch user input, wherein in the relative gesture recognition mode one or more graphical user interface elements in a defined region of a graphical user interface are made to be unselectable;
• recognizing a contact point on the touch screen sensor between a digit of a user and a surface of the touch screen sensor in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable in the relative gesture recognition mode;
• presenting a gesture control having a defined control perimeter proximate to the contact point in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable in the relative gesture recognition mode;
• identifying a detected gesture based on a user touch input originating from the contact point received by the gesture control in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable within the touch screen sensor via the touch screen sensor;
• and
• adjusting an operation of the portable electronic device based on a relative distance from a pre-determined location on the defined control perimeter to the detected gesture or based on a relative distance from the contact point to the detected gesture.

A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions executable by a computing device to perform a method comprising:

• initiating a relative gesture recognition mode responsive to a mode-switch user input, wherein in the relative gesture recognition mode one or more graphical user interface elements in a defined region of a graphical user interface are made to be unselectable;
• recognizing a contact point on the touch screen sensor between a digit of a user and a surface of the touch screen sensor in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable in the relative gesture recognition mode;
• presenting a gesture control having a defined control perimeter proximate to the contact point in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable in the relative gesture recognition mode;
• identifying a detected gesture based on a user touch input originating from the contact point received by the gesture control in the defined region in which the graphical user interface elements are unselectable within the touch screen sensor via the touch screen sensor;
• and
• adjusting an operation of the portable electronic device based on a relative distance from a pre-determined location on the defined control perimeter to the detected gesture or based on a relative distance from the contact point to the detected gesture.