Methods and systems for increasing the input efficiency of personal digital assistants and other handheld stylus-engagable computing devices

• US 20030006974A1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Sponsoring Entity: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Clough, James, Cherry, Darrel
• GRANTED PATENT: US 6,670,951 B2
• Time in USPTO: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 : with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 : Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 : Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the screen or tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards, menus G06F3/04883 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and systems for enhancing the input fidelity of personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other handheld stylus-engagable computing devices are described. In some embodiments, this can be done by associating input commands with different user-input activities, including different combinations of user-input activities. By using different combinations of user-input activities to designate particular input commands, a more robust collection of commands can be provided to a user in a manner that is simple, straight-forward and easy to understand.

Claims

1. . A method of operating a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device, the method comprising:

associating one or more input commands for use with a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device, with a combination of user-input activities, the computing device comprising a touch screen that is engagable with a stylus;

transmitting a signal from the stylus to the hand-held computing device, said transmitting comprising a first type of user-input activity;

detecting, in combination with said first type of user-input activity, at least one other type of user-input activity;

generating an input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

performing the generated command.

2. . The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting is performed responsive to a user engaging a button on the stylus.

3. . The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting is performed responsive to a user engaging multiple buttons on the stylus.

4. . The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one other type of user-input activity comprises touching the computing device'"'"'s touch screen with the stylus.

5. . One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors on a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device having a touch screen, cause the one or more processors to:

detect a combination of user-input activities, the combination being associated with an input command, the user-input activities comprising (1) engaging a button on the stylus, and (2) touching the computing device'"'"'s touch screen with the stylus;

generate the input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

perform the generated command.

6. . A personal digital assistant comprising the computer-readable media of claim 5.

7. . A personal digital assistant comprising:

a stylus having one or more user-depressible buttons;

a stylus-engagable touch screen;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

an association embodied on the readable media, the association defining relationships between one or more input commands and a combination of user-input activities associated with individual input commands; and

computer-readable instructions on the readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

detect a combination of user-input activities, one user-input activity comprising touching the touch screen with the stylus;

generate an input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

perform the generated command.

8. . The personal digital assistant of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to detect a user-input activity that comprises depressing a button on the stylus.

9. . A method of operating a stylus-engagable personal digital assistant, the method comprising:

displaying a selectable area on a touch screen of a personal digital assistant, said area being touch-selectable by a stylus associated with the personal digital assistant;

executing a first command if a stylus engages the selectable area; and

executing a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal to the personal digital assistant.

10. . The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to a user engaging one or more buttons on the stylus to cause the stylus to transmit the receivable signal.

11. . The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a bluetooth transmitter.

12. . The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

13. . The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a light transmitter.

14. . The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a infrared (IR) transmitter.

17. . The hand-held computing device of claim 16 embodied as a personal digital assistant.

18. . The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a bluetooth signal.

19. . The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal.

20. . The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a light signal.

21. . The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a infrared (IR) signal.

15. . One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors on a stylus-engagable, hand-held personal digital assistant having a touch screen, cause the one or more processors to:

display a selectable area on the touch screen, said area being touch-selectable by a stylus associated with the personal digital assistant;

execute a first command if only a stylus engages the selectable area; and

execute a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal to the personal digital assistant.

16. . A hand-held computing device comprising:

a stylus comprising one or more user-depressible buttons and a transmitter coupled with the one or more buttons, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal when a button is depressed;

a stylus-engagable touch screen;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

an association embodied on the readable media, the association defining relationships between one or more input commands and a combination of user-input activities associated with individual input commands; and

computer-readable instructions on the readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

display a selectable area on the touch screen, said selectable area being touch-selectable by the stylus;

execute a first command if the stylus engages the selectable area; and

execute a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal responsive to a user depressing at least one of the user-depressible buttons.