ON-SCREEN CURSOR NAVIGATION ON A HANDHELD COMMUNICATION DEVICE DISPLAYING A MODIFED WEBPAGE

• US 20080158159A1
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Published: 07/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: LEE, Matthew Richard, TALUKDAR, Taneem, BUTT, Fahd Sohail
• Application Number:
  US11/617,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20080158159A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/167
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0354 with detection of 2D relative movements between the device, or an operating part thereof, and a plane or surface, e.g. 2D mice, trackballs, pens or pucks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications

Abstract

A handheld communication device and method for affecting movement of a highlighting cursor amongst a lighted display capable of displaying a webpage is described. The webpage has a native form including a number of user-actuable links related in series. The webpage displayable on the handheld communication device is modified from its native form so as to be displayed on the lighted display. The modified webpage retains the series relationship between the user-actuable links. A non-directionally limited auxiliary user input is located essentially between the lighted display and the keyboard and is capable of affecting non-serial movement of the highlighting cursor amongst the user-actuable links.

Claims

1. A handheld communication device programmed to permit substantially vertical user navigation on a display screen of the device across a plurality of serially associated, user-actuable links without progressing sequentially through said series of user-actuable links, said device comprising:

a display screen, having a width and a height suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device;

a processor programmed to display on the display screen a viewable page comprising a plurality of serially associated user-actuable links, said serially associated user-actuable links having a display length greater than the width of the display screen and said processor programmed to wrap the user-actuable links into a plurality of vertically stacked link segments that at least partially fit on the display screen for user viewing and actuation; and

an auxiliary user input device capable of directing two-dimensional navigation of a cursor on said display screen and said processor programmed to direct substantially vertical navigation of the cursor between vertically stacked, user-actuable links in response to a corresponding user request, input via the auxiliary user input device, without progressing the cursor sequentially through said series of user-actuable links.

2. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary user input is a trackball.

3. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1 wherein said user-actuable links are functionally horizontally serially associated with one another.

4. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 3 wherein said serially associated links are arranged in vertical appearing relationship.

5. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 4, wherein said substantially vertical navigation is accomplished by asserting a longitudinally directed force upon said auxiliary user input device.

6. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 5, comprising an additional auxiliary input for accomplishing said substantially vertical navigation.

7. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 6, wherein said additional auxiliary input is disposed proximate at least one of a top and bottom of said keyboard of said handheld communication device.

8. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 7, wherein said additional auxiliary input is a keyboard button.

9. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 8, wherein said keyboard button is one of keyboard button labeled “

T” and

“

B.”

10. A method for affecting substantially vertical user navigation on a display screen of an electronic handheld device across a plurality of serially associated, user-actuable links without progressing sequentially through said series of user-actuable links, said electronic handheld device comprising a display screen, having a width and a height, located above a keyboard that is suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device, said method comprising:

programming a processor to display on the display screen, a viewable page comprising a plurality of serially associated user-actuable links, said serially associated user-actuable links having a display length greater than the width of the display screen, said programmed processor wrapping the user-actuable links into a plurality of vertically stacked link segments that at least partially fit on the display screen for user viewing and actuation; and

inputting a navigation request using an auxiliary user input device to direct two-dimensional navigation of a cursor on said display screen, said programmed processor directing substantial vertical navigation of said cursor between said vertically stacked, user-actuable links in response to a said input, said two-dimensional navigation occurring without progressing sequentially through said series of user-actuable links.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said auxiliary user input is a trackball.

12. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein said user-actuable links are functionally horizontally serially associated with one another.

13. The method as recited in claim 12 wherein said functionally horizontally serially associated links are arranged in vertical appearing relationship.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein said substantially vertical navigation is accomplished by asserting a longitudinally directed force upon said auxiliary user input device.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, comprising an additional auxiliary input for accomplishing said substantially vertical navigation.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein said additional auxiliary input is disposed proximate at least one of a top and bottom of said keyboard of said handheld communication device.

17. The method as recited in claim 16, wherein said additional auxiliary input is a keyboard button.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said keyboard button is one of keyboard button labeled “

T” and

“

B.”