User input device

• US 20080186287A1
• Filed: 02/05/2007
• Published: 08/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Saila, Sami
• Application Number:
  US11/702,686
• Publication Number:
  US 20080186287A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means

Abstract

A user input device for an electronic apparatus including a roller and a sensor system. The roller is adapted to be axially rotated by a user. The roller comprises an elongate longitudinal length. The sensor system is adapted to sense a position of the finger of the user relative to the longitudinal length of the roller.

Claims

1. A user input device for an electronic apparatus, the user input device comprising:

a roller adapted to be axially rotated by a user, wherein the roller comprises an elongate longitudinal length; and

a sensor system adapted to sense a position of the finger of the user relative to the longitudinal length of the roller.

2. A user input device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor system comprises capacitive sensors located in the roller.

3. A user input device as in claim 2 wherein the capacitive sensors comprise a plurality of rows of the sensors arranged in a general column shaped pattern.

4. A user input device as in claim 1 wherein the sensor system comprises capacitive sensors located in close proximity to the roller.

5. A user input device as in claim 4 wherein the capacitive sensors comprise a row of the capacitive sensors aligned next to the roller along the length of the roller.

6. A user input device as in claim 1 further comprising a selector sensor adapted to sense depression of the roller by the user.

7. A user input device as in claim 1 the elongate longitudinal length of the roller comprises a length which is at least two times longer than a width of a finger of the user.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display connected to the housing;

a controller connected to the display; and

a user input device as in claim 1 connected to the controller.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile telephone having a transceiver.

10. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein the display forms a substantial majority of a first side of the housing of the hand-held portable electronic device, and wherein the roller is located on the first side of the housing aligned with one side of the display.

11. An apparatus as in claim 10 wherein the display has a general rectangular shape, and wherein the roller is aligned with a smaller side of the general rectangular shape of the display.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display connected to the housing;

a controller connected to the display; and

a user input connected to the controller, wherein the user input comprises a roller adapted to be axially rotated relative to the housing by a finger of a user to change information displayed on the display, and a sensor for sensing positions of the finger of the user relative to the roller.

13. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the apparatus comprises a mobile telephone having a transceiver.

14. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the display forms a substantial majority of a first side of the housing of the hand-held portable electronic device, and wherein the roller is located on the first side of the housing aligned with one side of the display.

15. An apparatus as in claim 14 wherein the display has a general rectangular shape, and wherein the roller is aligned with a smaller side of the general rectangular shape of the display.

16. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the sensor comprises capacitive sensors located in the roller.

17. An apparatus as in claim 16 wherein the capacitive sensors comprise a plurality of rows of the capacitive sensors arranged in a general column shaped pattern.

18. An apparatus as in claim 12 wherein the sensor comprises capacitive sensors located on the housing in close proximity to the roller.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18 wherein the capacitive sensors comprise a row of the capacitive sensors aligned next to the roller along the length of the roller.

20. An apparatus as in claim 12 further comprising a selector sensor adapted to sense depression of the roller by the user.

21. A method of controlling navigation on a display comprising:

determining a first input for use in determining a first portion of a position of an item being navigated on the display based, at least partially, upon axial rotation of a user input roller; and

determining a second input for use in determining a second portion of a position of the item being navigated on the display based, at least partially, upon a location of a finger of the user on and relative to the user input roller.

22. A method as in claim 21 wherein determining the second input comprises receiving the second input from a capacitive sensor of a plurality of capacitive sensors in the roller which senses relative location of the finger of the user on the roller.

23. A method as in claim 21 wherein determining the second input comprises receiving the second input from a capacitive sensor of a plurality of capacitive sensors in a row along an elongate side of the roller which senses location of the finger of the user relative to the roller.

24. A method of assembling a portable electronic device comprising:

connecting a user input roller to a frame of the portable electronic device, wherein the roller has an elongate longitudinal length;

providing a first sensing system adapted to sense axial rotation of the roller relative to the housing; and

providing a second sensing system adapted to sense a location of a finger of a user at a plurality of locations along the longitudinal length of the roller.

25. A method as in claim 24 wherein providing a second sensing system comprises providing a series of rows of capacitive sensors in the roller in a general column shape.

26. A method as in claim 24 wherein providing a second sensing system comprises providing a row of capacitive sensors on a housing of the portable electronic device along a longitudinal length of the roller.

27. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine for performing operations to control navigation on a display, the operations comprising:

determining a first portion of a position of an item being navigated on the display based, at least partially, upon axial rotation of a user input roller; and

determining a second portion of a position of the item being navigated on the display based, at least partially, upon a location of a finger of the user on and relative to the user input roller.

28. A user input device for an electronic apparatus, the user input device comprising:

a user movement member adapted to be pivoted by a user about an axis, wherein the user movement member comprises an elongate length or width which is at least two times longer than a width of a finger of the user; and

a sensor system adapted to sense a position of the finger of the user relative to the elongate length of the user movement member.

29. A user input device as in claim 28 wherein the user movement member is a roller.

30. A user input device as in claim 28 wherein the user movement member is a rocker switch.

31. An apparatus comprising:

a housing;

a display connected to the housing;

a controller connected to the display; and

a user input device as in claim 28 connected to the controller.