System and method of using multiple touch inputs for controller interaction in industrial control systems

A system, in an industrial automation system, to trigger an associated user interface command using multiple concurrently-received touch inputs, at a graphical user interface, of a touch-screen input device, the system comprising:

• a touch-screen display;
• a processor operatively coupled to the touch-screen display;
• and
• a memory operatively coupled to the processor, the memory having instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the instructions, cause the processor to:
• present, via the touch-screen display, a graphical element (e.g., an application icon or a control setpoint) associated with execution of an application or a control commands;
• i) upon receipt, via the touch-screen display, of a first input at a first position associated with the graphical element, determine a second associated touch input at a second position associated with the activation of the graphical element;
• or
• ii) upon receipt, via the touch-screen display, of the second associated touch input at the second position associated with the activation of the graphical element input, determine the first input at the position corresponding to the graphical element;
• in response to the first and second touch input not being concurrently received, maintain the graphical element associated with execution of an application or a control commands in a non-activated state;
• and
• in response to the first and second touch input being concurrently received, cause activation of the graphical element associated with execution of an application or a control command.

A non-transitory computer readable medium to trigger an associated user interface command using multiple concurrently-received touch inputs, at a graphical user interface, of a touch-screen input device, the computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, wherein execution of the instructions, cause the processor to:

• present, via a touch-screen display associated with a computing device, a graphical element (e.g., an application icon or a control setpoint) associated with execution of an application or a control commands;
• i) upon receipt, via the touch-screen display, of a first input at a first position associated with the graphical element, determine a second associated touch input at a second position associated with the activation of the graphical element;
• or
• ii) upon receipt, via the touch-screen display, of the second associated touch input at the second position associated with the activation of the graphical element, determine the first input at the first position associated with the graphical element;
• in response to the first and second touch input not being concurrently received, maintain the graphical element associated with execution of an application or a control commands in a non-activated state;
• and
• in response to the first and second touch input being concurrently received, cause activation of the graphical element associated with execution of an application or a control commands.