PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20100110017A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: LEE, John Jong-Suk
• Application Number:
  US12/261,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20100110017A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

Abstract

A method of controlling a portable electronic device having a touch screen display includes rendering a graphical user interface including a character entry portion and a display portion, the character entry portion having a selection area and a character display area, the character display area having a plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area on the touch screen display. The method also includes detecting a touch event at a first location at or proximal one of the characters at the character entry portion, determining the one of the characters, detecting a movement of the touch event to a second location, and selecting said character if the second location falls within the selection area.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a portable electronic device having a touch screen display, the method comprising:

rendering a graphical user interface including a character entry portion and a display portion, the character entry portion comprising a selection area and a character display area, the character display area comprising a plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area on the touch screen display;

detecting a touch event at a first location at or proximal one of the characters at the character entry portion;

determining the one of the characters;

detecting a movement of the touch event to a second location; and

selecting said character if the second location falls within the selection area.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising receiving a confirmation of selection after selecting said character.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said receiving confirmation of selection comprises receiving an input from a switch.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein said receiving confirmation of selection comprises receiving input from actuation of the switch, the switch actuation resulting from user-depression of the touch screen display.

5. The method according to claim 3, comprising rendering said character in said selection area prior to confirmation.

6. The method according to claim 2, comprising entering the character in the display portion of the graphical user interface in response to receiving the confirmation.

7. The method according to claim 1, comprising removing the one of the characters from the character display area in response to detecting the movement.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said plurality of characters are arranged around the selection area.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said selection area comprises an oval area outlined for user-identification.

10. The method according to claim 1 comprising entering the character in the display portion of the of the graphical user interface in response to selecting said character.

11. The method according to claim 1, comprising rendering at least one virtual button on said graphical user interface for changing the plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area to a second plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising rendering a virtual button for selecting a space.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising rendering an enter button on said GUI.

14. A portable electronic device comprising:

a display device for rendering a graphical user interface including a character entry portion and a display portion, the character entry portion comprising a selection area and a character display area, the character display area comprising a plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area;

a touch-sensitive input device including an overlay disposed on the display device and a controller connected to the overlay; and

functional components including a memory device and a processor connected to the display device, the touch-sensitive input device, the switch and the memory device, the memory device for storage of computer-readable program code executable by the processor for detecting a touch event at a first location at or proximal one of the characters at the character entry portion, determining the one of the characters, detecting a movement of the touch event to a second location, and selecting said character if the second location falls within the selection area.

15. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code embodied therein for execution by a processor for rendering a graphical user interface including a character entry portion and a display portion, the character entry portion comprising a selection area and a character display area, the character display area comprising a plurality of characters arranged proximal the selection area on a touch screen display, detecting a touch event at a first location at or proximal one of the characters at the character entry portion, determining the one of the characters, detecting a movement of the touch event to a second location, and selecting said character if the second location falls within the selection area.