METHOD OF USING PHYSICAL BUTTONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH A DISPLAY TO ACCESS AND EXECUTE FUNCTIONS AVAILABLE THROUGH ASSOCIATED HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE
First Claim
1. A method of using a first physical button on a device, in association with a display, to display and execute a function associated with the first physical button comprising the steps:
- performing a display activation motion associated with the first physical button upon the first physical button;
displaying on the display, in response to the display activation motion performed upon the first physical button, a description of a function associated with the first physical button;
performing an execution activation motion associated with the first physical button upon the first physical button; and
executing, in response to the execution activation motion performed upon the first physical button, the function associated with the first physical button;
wherein the display activation motion associated with the first physical button is of a different type than the execution activation motion associated with the first physical button.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are described for using physical buttons on a device in association with a display to display, access, and execute functions available through associated hardware and software. The physical buttons are programmable, and the function of each button is displayed on an associated display when the button is activated using a first type of motion, and the function of the button is performed when the button is activated using a second type of motion. This allows the display to be free of unnecessary icons, tool-tips, menus, text, etc., and to be devoted to actual content unless and until a user decides to perform a function associated with the device containing the display. Increasing the available display space is especially important in the advancing art of electronics, where devices are becoming smaller and smaller, yet consumers are demanding more and more functionality.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of using a first physical button on a device, in association with a display, to display and execute a function associated with the first physical button comprising the steps:
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performing a display activation motion associated with the first physical button upon the first physical button;
displaying on the display, in response to the display activation motion performed upon the first physical button, a description of a function associated with the first physical button;
performing an execution activation motion associated with the first physical button upon the first physical button; and
executing, in response to the execution activation motion performed upon the first physical button, the function associated with the first physical button;
wherein the display activation motion associated with the first physical button is of a different type than the execution activation motion associated with the first physical button. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of using a first physical button on a device comprising the first physical button and a second physical button, in association with a display, to display and execute a function associated with the first physical button, the method comprising the steps:
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performing a display activation motion associated with the first physical button upon the first physical button;
displaying on the display, in response to the display activation motion performed upon the first physical button, a description of a function associated with the first physical button and a description of a function associated with the second physical button;
performing an execution activation motion associated with the second physical button upon the second physical button; and
executing, in response to the execution activation motion performed upon the second physical button, the function associated with the second physical button. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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17. A method of using a first physical button set on a device comprising the first physical button set and a second physical button set, in association with a display, to display and execute a function associated with the first physical button set, the method comprising the steps:
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performing a display activation motion associated with the first physical button set upon the first physical button set;
displaying on the display, in response to the display activation motion performed upon the first physical button set, a description of a function associated with the first physical button set and a description of a function associated with the second physical button set;
performing an execution activation motion associated with the second physical button set upon the second physical button set; and
executing, in response to the execution activation motion performed upon the second physical button set, the function associated with the second physical button set.
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Specification