Double-phase pressing keys for mobile terminals
First Claim
1. A method for using a double-phase key approach to minimize pressing-key errors in an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
- pressing half-way one key of N keys of a user interface module of said electronic device by a user of said electronic device with an intent to communicate a predetermined message/command to said electronic device, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of two;
providing a half-way feedback signal describing an identity of said one key by said electronic device to the user in response to said half-way pressing; and
pressing full-way said one key by the user to communicate said predetermined message/command to said electronic device only if said identity of said one key corresponds to said one key, thus minimizing pressing-key errors by using said double-phase key approach.
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Accused Products
Abstract
This invention describes a method for a new methodology for double-phase keys used to minimize pressing-key errors in electronic devices (e.g., portable communication devices, mobile phones, etc.). During the first phase, the key is pressed, e.g., half-way without actually sending the information to an active application. When the user presses the key half-way, the operating system of the electronic device provides to the user an audio feedback about the identity of the pressed key. The user can then either move the finger from the key (if it is not an intended key) or press the key all the way down (if it is the intended key). When the key is pressed down fully (the second phase), the appropriate active application actually receives the intended message/command (e.g., a number/character used in the active application) and the electronic device provides to the user an audio feedback confirmation of the fully-pressed key.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for using a double-phase key approach to minimize pressing-key errors in an electronic device, comprising the steps of:
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pressing half-way one key of N keys of a user interface module of said electronic device by a user of said electronic device with an intent to communicate a predetermined message/command to said electronic device, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of two;
providing a half-way feedback signal describing an identity of said one key by said electronic device to the user in response to said half-way pressing; and
pressing full-way said one key by the user to communicate said predetermined message/command to said electronic device only if said identity of said one key corresponds to said one key, thus minimizing pressing-key errors by using said double-phase key approach. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An electronic device capable of using a double-phase key approach to minimize pressing-key errors, comprising:
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a user interface module with N keys, responsive to pressing half-way one key of said N keys with an intent to communicate a predetermined message/command to said electronic device by a user of said electronic device and responsive to pressing full-way said one key by said user to communicate said predetermined message/command to said electronic device, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of two; and
means for providing a half-way feedback signal describing an identity of said one key by said electronic device in response to said half-way pressing to the user, wherein said pressing full-way said one key by the user occurs only if said identity of said one key corresponds to said one key, thus minimizing pressing-key errors by using said double-phase key approach. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for using a double-state key approach using half-way and full-way key pressing to maximize input options in a mobile communication terminal, comprising the step of:
pressing half-way one key of N keys of a user interface module of said mobile communication terminal by a user of said mobile communication terminal to provide a first message/command to said mobile communication terminal, or pressing full-way said one key by said user to provide a second message/command to said mobile communication terminal, or pressing said one key sequentially half-way and then full-way by said user to provide said first message/command and then said second message/command to said mobile communication terminal, or pressing said one key sequentially full-way and then half-way by said user to provide said second message/command and then said first message/command to said mobile communication terminal, thus maximizing said input options in said mobile communication terminal, wherein N is an integer of at least a value of one.
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26. A method for using a multi-state-pressing key of a user interface of mobile communication terminal having K multiple operative positions to maximize input options in a mobile communication terminal, comprising the step of:
pressing said multi-state-pressing key by a user of said mobile communication terminal to any operating position of said K multi-operating positions to provide a corresponding message/command to said mobile communication terminal, thus maximizing said input options in said mobile communication terminal, wherein each pressing position of said multi-state-pressing key corresponds to one operating position of said K multi-operating positions and provides one unique message/command to said mobile communication terminal and K is an integer of at least a value of two.
Specification