Method and Mobile Terminal Device for Mapping a Virtual User Input Interface to a Physical User Input Interface

• US 20080288878A1
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Conversant Wireless Licensing S.à.r.l. (f/k/a Core Wireless Licensing S.a.r.l.) (Conversant Intellectual Property Management, Inc. (f/k/a MOSAID Technologies))
• Original Assignee: 2011 Intellectual Property Asset Trust (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Joeressen, Olaf, Hayashi, Sawako-Eeva
• Granted Patent: US 8,775,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/762
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/42 by mapping the input signals into game commands, e.g. mapping the displacement of a stylus on a touch screen to the steering angle of a virtual vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/537 using indicators, e.g. showing the condition of a game character on screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/5375 for graphically or textually suggesting an action, e.g. by displaying an arrow indicating a turn in a driving game
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/27453 Directories allowing storage of additional subscriber data, e.g. metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2747 Scrolling on a display
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2748 by matching character strings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages

Abstract

The present invention provides a method an a device for mapping a virtual user input interface to a physical user input interface. The method is provided for mapping a virtual user input interface to a physical user input interface on a mobile terminal device. The mobile terminal device comprises a first physical user input interface, a display and a processing unit being connected to said display and said physical user interface, wherein an application is configured for use with a second user interface. The method of the invention comprises detecting an event indicative of an application to be executed that is configured for use with said second user interface and displaying a virtual user input interface representing said second user input interface on said display. If a physical user input is received on said first physical user input interface, it is mapping to said displayed virtual user input interface, and displayed as an indication of a virtual input on said displayed virtual user input interface.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method, comprising:

configuring in a mobile terminal device having a first physical user input interface, an application for use with a second user interface;

detecting an event indicative of an application to be executed that is configured for use with the second user interface,

displaying a virtual user input interface representing the second user input interface on a display,

receiving a physical user input on the first physical user input interface,

mapping the received physical input to the displayed virtual user input interface, and

displaying an indication of a virtual input on the displayed virtual user input interface.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising,

starting the application, and

using the mapped input as input to control the application.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the event indicative of the application to be executed is a user input.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the event indicative of the application to be executed, is a detection of a connected memory card.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising displaying a virtual display content related to the operation of the application or to the virtual user input interface on the display.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of a virtual input on the virtual user input interface comprises highlighting a virtual user input interface element.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the indication of a virtual input on the virtual user input interface comprises moving a virtual user input interface element.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the method is executed on a mobile terminal device, and the first physical user input interface is the input interface of the mobile terminal device and the second user interface is an interface of another mobile terminal device.

29. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

retrieving the virtual user input interface from an internal memory.

30. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

determining the second user interface the application is configured for, and

retrieving a virtual user input interface matching the determined second user interface.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the virtual user input interface is retrieved from a remote server via a wireless communication connection.

32. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

displaying a text descriptive of the functionality of the user input on the display.

33. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for execution by a processor;

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to configure in a mobile terminal device having a first physical user input interface, an application for use with a second user interface;

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to detect an event indicative of an application to be executed that is configured for use with the second user interface,

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to display a virtual user input interface representing the second user input interface on a display,

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to receive a physical user input on the first physical user input interface,

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to map the received physical input to the displayed virtual user input interface, and

program code in said medium for enabling the processor to display an indication of a virtual input on the displayed virtual user input interface.

34. A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave and representing instructions, which when executed by a processor, perform the steps comprising:

configuring in a mobile terminal device having a first physical user input interface, an application for use with a second user interface;

detecting an event indicative of an application to be executed that is configured for use with the second user interface,

displaying a virtual user input interface representing the second user input interface on a display,

receiving a physical user input on the first physical user input interface,

mapping the received physical input to the displayed virtual user input interface, and

displaying an indication of a virtual input on the displayed virtual user input interface.

35. A mobile terminal device, comprising:

a physical user input interface,

a display,

a processing unit being connected to the display and the physical user interface,

a mapping module connected to the processing unit and to the physical user input interface, and

a mapping database connected to the mapping module,

wherein

said processing unit is capable of executing applications that are configured for the use with another second user interface,

said processing unit being configured to detect that an application configured for the use with the second user interface is to be executed,

said mapping module is configured for displaying a virtual user input interface representing the second user input interface on the display, and is further configured for mapping the received physical input to the virtual user input interface, and displaying an indication of a virtual input on the virtual user input interface on the display if a physical user input is received on the first physical user input interface, and

said mapping database is configured to store data required for the mapping process.

36. The mobile terminal device of claim 35, wherein the mobile terminal device further comprises a cellular telephone module.

37. The mobile terminal device of claim 35, wherein that the display is a touch-screen display.

38. The mobile terminal device of claim 35, which further includes an interface for receiving memory modules, the interface being connected to the processing unit.

39. An apparatus, comprising:

means for configuring in a mobile terminal device having a first physical user input interface, an application for use with a second user interface;

means for detecting an event indicative of an application to be executed that is configured for use with the second user interface,

means for displaying a virtual user input interface representing the second user input interface on a display,

means for receiving a physical user input on the first physical user input interface,

means for mapping the received physical input to the displayed virtual user input interface, and

means for displaying an indication of a virtual input on the displayed virtual user input interface.