Method of operating a handheld device for directional input
First Claim
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1. A handheld computing device, comprising:
- a display;
means for detecting directional input and providing a directional input signal indicative of the detected directional input, the means for detecting directional input located within the handheld computing device;
a processor coupled to the display and the means for detecting directional input and operable to receive and process the directional input signal; and
a memory subsystem, the memory storing an operating system executed by the processor to display on the display a graphical user interface for controlling the operation of the handheld computing device, wherein the graphical user interface provides a graphical element responsive to the directional input signal processed by the processor;
wherein the operating system comprises processor-executable instructions that cause the graphical element to move in one of an axial constraining mode or an axial selecting mode, and wherein the graphical element moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of inclination in the axial constraining mode, and moves in a direction substantially corresponding to an axis of inclination in the axial selecting mode.
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Abstract
A directional input device for use in a handheld device is disclosed herein. The directional input device provides input to an element of the user interface in response to the inclination of the handheld. The input device can be embedded into any handheld communicating or computing device to provide directional input to an element of the user interface of the handheld without consuming space on the face of the device that could otherwise be used for a larger screen.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A handheld computing device, comprising:
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a display;
means for detecting directional input and providing a directional input signal indicative of the detected directional input, the means for detecting directional input located within the handheld computing device;
a processor coupled to the display and the means for detecting directional input and operable to receive and process the directional input signal; and
a memory subsystem, the memory storing an operating system executed by the processor to display on the display a graphical user interface for controlling the operation of the handheld computing device, wherein the graphical user interface provides a graphical element responsive to the directional input signal processed by the processor;
wherein the operating system comprises processor-executable instructions that cause the graphical element to move in one of an axial constraining mode or an axial selecting mode, and wherein the graphical element moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of inclination in the axial constraining mode, and moves in a direction substantially corresponding to an axis of inclination in the axial selecting mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification