Using touchscreen by pointing means

• US 20030146905A1
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pihlaja, Pekka
• Granted Patent: US 7,023,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for selecting a function on a touchscreen. At least one element is displayed on the screen for providing a function. The function is arranged to be executed in response to activating the element. A cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged to be shown on the screen. The handle part of the cursor is arranged substantially at a point on the screen indicated by a user such that the pointing part resides on the screen substantially at a different point than the indicated point. The element indicated by the pointing part is activated in response to the user selecting the element.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a function on a touchscreen comprising at least one element for providing the function configured for execution in response to activating said element, wherein

a cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged on the touchscreen,

the method comprising the steps of:

arranging said handle part of the cursor substantially at a point on the touchscreen indicated by a user by a pointing means such that said pointing part resides on the touchscreen substantially at a different point than the indicated point, and

activating the element indicated by the pointing part in response to the user selecting the element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying said handle part on the touchscreen such that it does not conceal other information on the touchscreen.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

said pointing part and/or handle part is modifiable with respect to at least one of the following parameters:

distance between the point indicated by the pointing part and the handle part,

direction of the indicated point with respect to the handle part,

size of the handle part.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying said pointing carried out by the user by means of a touch of the pointing means on the touchscreen, and

selecting the element in response to releasing the touch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the touchscreen is configured to identify the intensity of a touch, whereby

said pointing carried out by the user is identified in response to touching the touchscreen substantially lightly, and

the element is selected in response to a substantially more intense touch.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying said pointing carried out by the user by means of the pointing means residing substantially close to the surface of the touchscreen, and

selecting the element in response to touching the touchscreen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

arranging a threshold value to be stored in an operational connection with the touchscreen for a distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the cursor,

comparing a point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the cursor, and

activating said cursor in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the cursor being shorter than said threshold value, or

activating screen scrolling in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the cursor being longer than said threshold value.

8. An electronic device configured to display at least one element on a touchscreen in order to provide a function configured for execution in response to activating said element, wherein

a cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged on the touchscreen,

said handle part of the cursor is configured for adjustment substantially at a point on the touchscreen indicated by a user by a pointing means such that said pointing part resides on the touchscreen substantially at a different point than the indicated point, and

the element indicated by the pointing part is activated in response to the user selecting the element.

9. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

said handle part is configured for display on the touchscreen such that it does not conceal other information on the touchscreen.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

said pointing part and/or handle part is configured to be modified with respect to at least one of the following parameters:

distance between the point indicated by the pointing part and the handle part,

direction of the indicated point with respect to the handle part,

size of the handle part.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to identify said pointing carried out by the user by means of a touch of the pointing means on the touchscreen, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to releasing the touch.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the touchscreen is configured to identify the intensity of a touch, whereby

the device is configured to identify said pointing carried out by the user in response to touching the touchscreen substantially lightly, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to a substantially more intense touch.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to identify said pointing carried out by the user by the pointing means residing substantially close to the surface of the touchscreen, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to touching the touchscreen.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to store in a memory a threshold value for a distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the cursor,

the device is configured to compare the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the cursor, and

the device is configured to activate said cursor in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the cursor being shorter than said threshold value, or

the device is configured to activate scrolling in response to the distance between the point indicated on the screen and the previous location of the cursor being longer than said threshold value.

15. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the handle part and the pointing part are substantially separate parts.