Multidirectional button, key, and keyboard
First Claim
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1. A computer implemented method for enabling a user to interact with an electronic device through one or more keyboards comprising one or more multidirectional buttons, the method comprising:
- a. receiving one or more signals associated with one or more user presses on a top surface of the multidirectional button;
b. determining some initial positions of the user presses;
c. determining one or more motion thresholds from the determined initial positions of the user presses, wherein the motion thresholds comprising some thresholds of displacement or thresholds of force and wherein the motion thresholds are unrelated to the size of the multidirectional buttons;
d. receiving some motion signals associated with some lateral user press motions, wherein the press motions are substantially within a plane generally coincident to the top surface of the multidirectional button;
e. detecting if the lateral press motions exceed the one or more motion thresholds;
f. determining five or more directions of the lateral press motions from the determined initial positions of the user presses and the motion signals, wherein the directions are unrelated to the placement of the multidirectional buttons;
g. detecting one or more release signals associated with the user releasing the user presses of the multidirectional button;
h. determining a command for the device from a plurality of command choices, wherein the command is determined from the detections and determinations of the method comprising the detections of the press motions exceeding the motion thresholds and/or the directions of the lateral press motions, wherein a plurality of the command choices comprise commands for the device exclusive from commands for the method of the device;
i. inputting the command to the device;
whereby the user may quickly and reliably choose from a plurality of commands within one press and release of each of the multidirectional buttons.
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Abstract
A multidirectional button, key, or menu for use in a user interface of a computing device (10). An object of the user interface may include a software keyboard (14) on a display screen (16) comprised of multidirectional buttons, keys, or menus.
26 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for enabling a user to interact with an electronic device through one or more keyboards comprising one or more multidirectional buttons, the method comprising:
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a. receiving one or more signals associated with one or more user presses on a top surface of the multidirectional button; b. determining some initial positions of the user presses; c. determining one or more motion thresholds from the determined initial positions of the user presses, wherein the motion thresholds comprising some thresholds of displacement or thresholds of force and wherein the motion thresholds are unrelated to the size of the multidirectional buttons; d. receiving some motion signals associated with some lateral user press motions, wherein the press motions are substantially within a plane generally coincident to the top surface of the multidirectional button; e. detecting if the lateral press motions exceed the one or more motion thresholds; f. determining five or more directions of the lateral press motions from the determined initial positions of the user presses and the motion signals, wherein the directions are unrelated to the placement of the multidirectional buttons; g. detecting one or more release signals associated with the user releasing the user presses of the multidirectional button; h. determining a command for the device from a plurality of command choices, wherein the command is determined from the detections and determinations of the method comprising the detections of the press motions exceeding the motion thresholds and/or the directions of the lateral press motions, wherein a plurality of the command choices comprise commands for the device exclusive from commands for the method of the device; i. inputting the command to the device; whereby the user may quickly and reliably choose from a plurality of commands within one press and release of each of the multidirectional buttons. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computing device comprising:
- one or more display screens;
one or more processors; and
one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs comprising;
instructions for displaying and processing one or more virtual keyboards comprising four or more multidirectional keys concurrently displayed on one or more display screens;
wherein each of the multidirectional keys comprises a plurality of commands;
wherein one of the multidirectional keys comprises a center selection containing a command to input a common space character to the device;
wherein the multidirectional button containing the space command comprises a third or greater of the height of the keyboard;
whereby a user may expediently and accurately press a large key relative to the overall height of the keyboard to input the space character.
- one or more display screens;
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18. A computer implemented method for enabling a user to interact with an electronic device through a keyboard, the keyboard comprising at least 26 keys comprising the letters of the alphabet, with a least one of the keys comprising an embedded multidirectional button, the method comprising:
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a. receiving one or more signals associated with one or more user presses on a top surface of the multidirectional button; b. receiving some motion signals associated with some lateral user press motions; c. detecting if the lateral press motions exceed one or more motion thresholds, wherein the motion thresholds comprising some thresholds of displacement or thresholds of force; d. detecting one or more release signals associated with the user releasing the user presses of the multidirectional button; e. determining a command for the device from a plurality of command choices, wherein the command is determined from the detections of the method comprising the detections of the press motions exceeding the motion thresholds and/or the detections of the user releasing the one or more user presses without the press motions having exceeded the motion thresholds; f. inputting the command to the device; whereby the user may type all the letters of the alphabet conventionally by tapping the keys, or the user may choose from the commands of the embedded multidirectional button with one or more press motions within the press and the release of the embedded multidirectional button.
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Specification