Method and apparatus for facilitating movement within a three dimensional graphical user interface

• US 20100013863A1
• Filed: 10/27/2006
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Harris, Ciaran
• Application Number:
  US12/311,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20100013863A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/679
• 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 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• 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 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object

Abstract

An apparatus including: an integral display for displaying a graphical user interface having three orthogonal dimensions; an integral first user input device, operable by a user to move within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, when the first user input device is in a first mode, and to move within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension, when the first user input device is in a second mode; and an integral second user input device, operable by a user to change the mode of the first user input device between the first mode and the second mode.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

an integral display for displaying a graphical user interface having three orthogonal dimensions;

an integral first user input device, operable by a user to move within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, when the first user input device is in a first mode, and to move within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension, when the first user input device is in a second mode; and

an integral second user input device, operable by a user to change the mode of the first user input device between the first mode and the second mode.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input device is provided on a front surface of the apparatus and the second user input device is provided on a rear surface of the apparatus.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second user input device includes a first sensor for changing the mode of the first user input device to the first mode and a second sensor for changing the mode of the first user input device to the second mode.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input device is operable by a user to rotate within the graphical user interface, when the first user input device is in a third mode.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second user input device is operable by a user to change the mode of the first user input device between the first mode, the second mode and the third mode.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second user input device includes a third sensor for changing the mode of the first user input device to the third mode.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein moving within the first dimension corresponds to horizontal panning in the graphical user interface.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein moving within the second dimension corresponds to vertical panning in the graphical user interface.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein moving within the third dimension corresponds to dollying within the graphical user interface.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first user input device includes a keypad of the apparatus.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein first user input device is incorporated into the display to provide a touch screen display.

12. A method comprising:

displaying a graphical user interface having three orthogonal dimensions on an integral display of an apparatus;

changing between a first mode and a second mode of a first user input device, integral to the apparatus, using a second user input device, integral to the apparatus, wherein when in the first mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, and when in the second mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising changing between the first mode, the second mode and a third mode of the first user input device, wherein when in the third mode, rotation is enabled in the graphical user interface.

14. A method as claimed in claim 12, comprising controlling the movement within the graphical user interface via the integral first user input device of the apparatus.

15. A method as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first user input device is provided on a front surface of the apparatus.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the second user input device is provided on a rear surface of the apparatus.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein moving within the first dimension corresponds to horizontal panning in the graphical user interface.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein moving within the second dimension corresponds to vertical panning in the graphical user interface.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12, wherein moving within the third dimension corresponds to dollying within the graphical user interface.

20. A computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 12.

21. A computer program comprising program instructions for enabling movement within a graphical user interface, of an apparatus, having three orthogonal dimensions and comprising means for changing between a first mode and a second mode of a first user input device, integral to the apparatus, using a second user input device, integral to the apparatus, wherein when in the first mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, and when in the second mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension.

22. A physical entity embodying the computer program as claimed in claim 21.

23. An electromagnetic carrier signal carrying the computer program as claimed in claim 21.

24. A graphical user interface, for an apparatus, having three orthogonal dimensions and operable in a first mode and a second mode of a first user input device, integral to the apparatus, wherein when in the first mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, and when in the second mode, movement is enabled within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension.

25. An apparatus comprising:

means, integral to the apparatus, for displaying a graphical user interface having three orthogonal dimensions;

means, integral to the apparatus, for providing movement within the graphical user interface in a first dimension and a second dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension, when the first user input device is in a first mode, and for providing movement within the graphical user interface in a third dimension, orthogonal to the first dimension and to the second dimension, when the first user input device is in a second mode; and

means, integral to the apparatus, for changing the mode of the first user input device between the first mode and the second mode