Left-hand originated user interface control for a device

• US 20060022953A1
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Published: 02/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Franttila, Tommi
• Application Number:
  US10/903,503
• Publication Number:
  US 20060022953A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for adapting a user interface having at least one control item on a display of a device for controlling the user interface, wherein the at least one control item for controlling the user interface located on the right-handed side of the display is relocated to the left-handed side of the display in response to a request from a user. The device includes a touch screen control device having a touch screen for displaying the image and for touching to control the operation of the device, or other suitable device. The control item includes a scroll bar, virtual keyboard/writing area or other suitable icon for controlling the operation of the device.

Claims

1. A method for adapting a user interface having at least one control item on a display of a device for controlling the user interface, characterized in that

the at least one control item for controlling the user interface located on the right-handed side of the display is relocated to the left-handed side of the display in response to a request from a user.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device is a touch screen control device having a touch screen for displaying the user interface and for touching to control the operation of the device, or other suitable devices such as a personal computer, laptop, personal digital assistant, etc.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control item includes a scroll bar or other suitable icon for touching to control the operation of the device.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device has a setting in its control panel or has a hardware button to enable the user to request either a left-handed mode of operation or a right-handed mode of operation.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the device includes one or more procedures for prompting the user during an initial device set-up to request either a left-handed or a right-handed mode of operation as a default setting, an initial setting, or a combination thereof.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control item includes a virtual keyboard/writing area.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one control item located on the left-handed side of the display is relocated back to the right-handed side of the display in response to a corresponding request from the user.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more control items are relocated to a respective preprogrammed relocation position, a respective user programmed relocation position, or some combination thereof.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises implementing the step of the method via a computer program running in a processor or controller in a device.

9. A device having means for adapting a user interface having at least one control item on a display of a device for controlling the user interface, characterized in that

the means for adapting relocates the at least one control item for controlling the user interface located on the right-handed side of the display to the left-handed side of the display in response to a request from a user.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device is a touch screen control device having a touch screen for displaying the user interface and for touching to control the operation of the device, or other suitable devices such as a personal computer, laptop, personal digital assistant, etc.

11. A device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one control item includes a scroll bar or other suitable icon for touching to control the operation of the device.

12. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device has a setting in its control panel or has a hardware button to enable a user to request either a left-handed mode of operation, or a right-handed mode of operation.

13. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device includes one or more procedures for prompting a user during an initial device set-up to request either a left-handed or a right-handed mode of operation as a default setting, an initial setting, or a combination thereof.

14. A device according to claim 9, wherein the at least one control item include a virtual keyboard/writing area.

15. A device according to claim 9, wherein the means relocates the at least one control item located on the left-handed side of the display back to the right-handed side of the display in response to a corresponding request from the user.

16. A device according to claim 9, wherein the means relocates the one or more control items to a respective preprogrammed relocation position, a respective user programmed relocation position, or some combination thereof.

17. A device according to claim 9, wherein the device is a mobile terminal or other suitable node.

18. A device according to claim 9, wherein the means for adapting includes a processing module.

20. A computer program product with a program code, which program code is stored on a machine readable carrier, for carrying out steps of a method for adapting a user interface having at least one control item on a display of a device for controlling the user interface, wherein the at least one control item for controlling the user interface located on the right-handed side of the display is relocated to the left-handed side of the display in response to a request from a user, when a computer program is run in a processor or control module of a device.