Assignment of Functions to a Softkey

• US 20080024458A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nieminen, Timo
• Application Number:
  US11/664,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20080024458A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of controlling an assignment of functions to a softkey 12 of an electronic device 10, wherein at least two different functions are available for an assignment to the softkey 12. The electronic device 10 further comprises touch sensitive means 15, which are adapted to detect a touch of at least one predetermined part of the electronic device 10 and to output signals indicating a detected touch. In order to improve the usability of the softkey, the method comprises selecting 203, 207 a function based on signals from the touch sensitive means 15, and assigning 204, 208 the selected function to the softkey 12. The invention relates equally to a software code realizing this method, to a software program product storing such a code and to a corresponding electronic device 10.

Claims

1. Method of controlling an assignment of functions to at least one softkey (12) of an electronic device (10), wherein at least two different functions are available for an assignment to said at least one softkey (12), and wherein said electronic device (10) further comprises touch sensitive means (15), which touch sensitive means (15) are adapted to detect a touch of at least one predetermined part of said electronic device (10) and to output signals indicating a detected touch, said method comprising:

selecting (203, 207) a function based on signals from said touch sensitive means (15); and

assigning (204, 208) said selected function to said at least one softkey (12).

2. Method according to claim 1, further comprising indicating (205, 209) to a user which function is currently assigned to said at least one softkey (12).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said electronic device (10) comprises a keypad (11), wherein said touch sensitive means (15) are integrated into said keypad (11), and wherein touching a predetermined key of said keypad (11) results in signals which cause a selection (203, 207) of a predetermined function for said at least one softkey (12).

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a function is selected (203, 207) based on said signals from said touch sensitive means (15) and on a current state of said electronic device (10).

5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising determining a type of a touch of said touch sensitive means (15) based on said signals, a first type of touch resulting in said selection (203, 207) and said assignment (204, 208) of a function, and a second type of touch resulting in an activation of a function currently assigned to said at least one softkey (12).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, comprising recognizing a handwriting performed on said touch sensitive means (15) based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) when an application requiring a text input is running in said electronic device (10), and selecting and assigning a function to said at least one softkey (12) based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) when an application not requiring any text input is running in said electronic device (10).

7. Electronic device (10) comprising:

at least one softkey (12), wherein at least two different functions are available for being assigned to said at least one softkey (12);

touch sensitive means (15) adapted to detect a touch of at least one predetermined part of said electronic device (10) and to output signals indicating a detected touch; and

a processing component (14) adapted to select a function based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) and to assign a selected function to said at least one softkey (12).

8. Electronic device (10) according to claim 7, further comprising a display (13), said processing component (14) being adapted to cause an indication of a function currently assigned to said at least one softkey (12) on said display (13).

9. Electronic device (10) according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a keypad (11), wherein said touch sensitive means (15) are integrated into said keypad (11), and wherein said processing component (14) is adapted to select a predetermined function for said at least one softkey (12), if signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) indicate a touching of a predetermined key of said keypad (11).

10. Electronic device (10) according to one of claims 7 to 9, wherein said processing component (14) is adapted to select a function based on signals from said touch sensitive means (15) and on a current state of said electronic device (10).

11. Electronic device (10) according to one of claims 7 to 10, wherein said processing component (14) is further adapted to determine a type of a touch of said touch sensitive means (15) based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15), said processing component (14) being adapted to select and assign a function to said at least one softkey (12) in case of a determined first type of touch, and to activate a function currently assigned to said at least one softkey (12) in case of a determined second type of touch.

12. Electronic device (10) according to one of claims 7 to 11, wherein said processing component (14) is adapted to recognize a handwriting performed on said touch sensitive means (15) based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) when an application requiring a text input is running in said electronic device (10), and wherein said processing component (14) is adapted to select and assign a function for said at least one softkey (12) based on signals output by said touch sensitive means (15) when an application not requiring any text input is running in said electronic device (10).

13. Electronic device (10) according to one of claims 7 to 12, wherein said touch sensitive means (15) comprises a touch sensitive pad.

14. Electronic device (10) according to one of claims 7 to 13, wherein said electronic device (10) is a mobile electronic device.

15. A software program product in which a software code for controlling an assignment of functions to at least one softkey (12) of an electronic device (10) is stored, wherein at least two different functions are available for an assignment to said at least one softkey (12), and wherein said electronic device (10) further comprises touch sensitive means (15), which touch sensitive means (15) are adapted to detect a touch of at least one predetermined part of said electronic device (10) and to output signals indicating a detected touch, said software code realizing the following steps when running in a processing component (14) of an electronic device (10):

selecting (203, 207) a function based on signals received from said touch sensitive means (15); and

assigning (204, 208) said selected function to said at least one softkey (12).

16. A software code for controlling an assignment of functions to at least one softkey (12) of an electronic device (10), wherein at least two different functions are available for an assignment to said at least one softkey (12), and wherein said electronic device (10) further comprises touch sensitive means (15), which touch sensitive means (15) are adapted to detect a touch of at least one predetermined part of said electronic device (10) and to output signals indicating a detected touch, said software code realizing the following steps when running in a processing component (14) of an electronic device (10):

selecting (203, 207) a function based on signals received from said touch sensitive means (15); and

assigning (204, 208) said selected function to said at least one softkey (12).