Method for receiving inputs from user of electronic device

• US 20060117197A1
• Filed: 09/20/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 7,562,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/323
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of receiving inputs by an electronic device comprising a user interface component. The user interface component is set in an inactive operating mode, such as a keypad locking mode or a screen saver mode, for substantially non-active usage of the user interface component. An input is received in the inactive mode. The input received in the inactive operating mode may be stored and presented on a user interface component.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a user interface component and means for setting the user interface component in an inactive operating mode to be applied during non-active or limited usage of the user interface component, wherein the electronic device is configured to receive an input in the inactive mode,

the device is configured to store an input in the inactive operating mode, and

the device is configured to perform an action for the stored input.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to present the input in a user interface component of the electronic device.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to activate an application for which data representing the input in the input area is fed.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to determine the type of the input in the input area.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the device is configured to select an appropriate application for processing the input on the basis of the detected type of the input, and

the device is configured to activate the selected application and/or submit the data representing the input to the selected application.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein, in response to exiting the inactive mode, the device is configured to perform a further action for the input.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device in the inactive operating mode is configured to receive data for at least one of the following:

a word processing application, a phonebook or another contact management application, a notepad application, a calendar application, a messaging application, a drawing application, or a spreadsheet application.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a screen and a screen saver facility, wherein the device comprises means to set the screen in the inactive operating mode when the screen saver is activated.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a keypad and a keypad locking facility, and the device comprises means to set the keypad in the inactive operating mode when the keypad lock is activated.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to provide an input area on the screen when the user interface component is set to an inactive operating mode,

the device is configured to receive the input from the user in the input area, and

the device is configured to store the data representing the input and/or to display the input in the input area.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the screen is a touch screen and the device is configured to determine the inputs in the input area on the basis of detected contact points in the input area.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to receive an input, trigger an arrangement of the input reception means, or detect an input as an appropriate input in the inactive operating mode if a predetermined activation input has been received from the user when the device is in the inactive operating mode.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein the data processing device is configured to prompt the user for one or more further actions regarding the input, and

the data processing device is configured to process the input in accordance with instructions from the user.

14. A method for receiving inputs by an electronic device comprising a user interface component, the method comprising:

setting the user interface component in an inactive operating mode for non-active or limited usage of the user interface component,

receiving an input in the inactive mode,

storing an input in the inactive operating mode, and

performing an action for the stored input.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the input is presented in a user interface component of the electronic device.

16. A method according to claim 14, the method comprising activating an application to which data representing the input in the input area is fed.

17. A method according to claim 14, the method comprising prompting the user for one or more further actions regarding the input, and

processing the input in accordance with instructions from the user.

18. A method according to claim 14, wherein the screen is set in the inactive operating mode when the screen saver is activated, and receiving the input when the screen saver is active.

19. A method according to any one of claims 14, wherein the keypad is set in the inactive operating mode when the keypad lock is activated, and receiving the input when the keypad lock is activated.

20. A method according to any one of claim 14, wherein an input area is provided in the screen when the user interface component is set to an inactive operating mode,

the input is received from the user in the input area, and

the data representing the input is stored and/or the input is displayed in the input area.

21. A computer program downloadable into a memory of a data processing device comprising a user interface component and means for setting the user interface component in an inactive operating mode and executable in a processor of the data processing device, the computer program product comprising:

a program code part for controlling the data processing device to store an input in the inactive operating mode, and

a program code part for controlling the data processing to perform an action for the stored input.