DYNAMIC INPUT GRAPHIC DISPLAY

• US 20090179854A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: NG, Stanley C., WEBER, Douglas, Hodge, Andrew B., Zadesky, Stephen P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,461 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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

Abstract

An input device for providing dynamic displays is disclosed. The input device can modify the appearance and/or location of graphics associated with an input area of a device. For example, the input device can have a button layout that shifts based on the orientation of the electronic device relative to the user, such that the button layout is consistently presented to the user in an upright orientation. The input device can rotate and/or rename a button input area region depending on the context of an application running on the electronic device. The input device can display dynamic graphic content in an input area which is distinct from a display screen of the electronic device.

Claims

1. An input device associated with a handheld device, comprising:

an input area comprising multiple button regions, each button region being associated with a movable button sensor,

a button layout comprising a graphic feature associated with each of the multiple button regions, wherein

the handheld device is moveable between at least a first device orientation and a second device orientation,

the button layout having an upright orientation relative to a user of the handheld device when the handheld device is oriented in the first device orientation, and

the button layout relative to the handheld device changing to maintain the upright orientation relative to the user when the handheld device is oriented in the second device orientation.

2. The input device of claim 1 wherein the graphic feature is smaller than the button region corresponding to the graphic feature.

3. The input device of claim 1 wherein the input area comprises a touch sensitive surface.

4. The input device of claim 1 wherein the input area comprises a movable platform, the movements of which define the button regions.

5. The input device of claim 1 wherein the graphic feature is formed with electronic ink.

6. The input device of claim 1 wherein each button region comprises a discrete graphic feature positioned over a discrete movable button sensor.

7. The input device of claim 1 comprising an accelerometer configured to provide at least one signal associated with the first device orientation and at least one signal associated with the second device orientation.

8. The input device of claim 1 wherein the input device comprises a wheel.

9. An input device for a handheld device comprising:

an input area comprising multiple discrete input regions, wherein

each of the discrete input regions is associated with a movable sensor configured to detect a button event,

each of the discrete input regions is assigned a button function,

each of the discrete input regions comprises a display node configured to display graphical information associated with the assigned button function, and

the button function and associated graphical information shift within the input area in accordance with a change in the orientation of the handheld device.

10. The input device of claim 9 wherein the display node is smaller than the input region corresponding to the display node.

11. The input device of claim 9 wherein the input area comprises a touch sensitive surface.

12. The input device of claim 9 wherein the input area comprises a movable platform, the movements of which define the input regions.

13. The input device of claim 9 wherein the display node is formed with electronic ink.

14. The input device of claim 9 wherein each input region comprises a discrete display node positioned over a discrete movable sensor.

15. The input device of claim 9 wherein the input device comprises a wheel.

16. A method, comprising:

providing a handheld device comprising an input area and a display screen, the input area comprising one or more display nodes distinct from the display screen,

detecting a first mode associated with the handheld device,

displaying, in the first mode, a first graphic arrangement through the one or more display nodes,

detecting a second mode associated with the handheld device, and

displaying, in the second mode, a second graphic arrangement through the one or more display nodes.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein each of the one or more display nodes are associated with a button region of the input area, the button region being associated with a movable button sensor.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first mode corresponds to a first application context associated with an application running on the handheld device, the second mode corresponds to a second application context associated with an application running on the handheld device, the first graphic arrangement comprises graphical information associated with a button function assigned to the button region corresponding to the one or more display nodes based on the first application context, and the second graphic arrangement comprises graphical information associated with a button function assigned to the button region corresponding to the one or more display nodes based on the second application context.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the input device comprises a wheel.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a handheld device comprising an input area and a display screen, the input area comprising one or more display nodes distinct from the display screen, and

displaying dynamic graphic content through the one or more display nodes.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the dynamic graphic content comprises volume indicator settings associated with the handheld device.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the dynamic graphic content is displayed when the display screen is off, and the dynamic graphic content is not displayed when the display screen is on.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the dynamic graphic content comprises text.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the dynamic graphic content is formed with electronic ink.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein the input device comprises a wheel.

26. An input associated with a handheld device, comprising:

an input area comprising multiple button regions, at least one of the multiple button regions being associated with a movable button sensor,

a button layout comprising a graphic feature associated with at least one of the multiple button regions, wherein

the button layout and a user of the handheld device define a first relative orientation,

the button layout and the handheld device define a second relative orientation, and

the first relative orientation remains substantially constant when the second relative orientation changes.

27. The input of claim 26 comprising an accelerometer configured to provide at least one signal associated with the second relative orientation.