SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERACTING WITH STATUS INFORMATION ON A TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE

• US 20100235732A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 09/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Bergman, Eric D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,286,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for interacting with a computing device, involving presenting a first mode of a touch interface, where the touch interface is configured as a user interface of the computing device, where the touch interface comprises at least one status icon, and where in the first mode, the status icon is not selectable by touch input. The method further includes receiving, from a user using the computing device, a first input indicating a desire to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the touch interface; and in response to receiving the first input, presenting the user with the second mode of the touch interface, where in the second mode, the status icon is selectable by touch input, and where the status icon displays a corresponding status of the computing device.

Claims

1. A method for interacting with a computing device, comprising:

presenting a first mode of a touch interface, wherein the touch interface is configured as a user interface of the computing device, wherein the touch interface comprises a status display portion and a command portion, wherein the status display portion comprises at least one status icon arranged in a first arrangement, wherein the command portion comprises at least one command icon, wherein selecting a command icon initiates a corresponding command action within the computing device, and wherein in the first mode, the at least one status icon is not selectable by touch input and the at least one command icon is selectable by touch input;

receiving, from a user using the computing device, a first input indicating a desire to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the touch interface; and

in response to receiving the first input, presenting the user with the second mode of the touch interface, wherein in the second mode, the at least one status icon is selectable by touch input, and

wherein the at least one status icon displays a corresponding status of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch interface is a capacitive touch screen configured to detect a finger touch.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to presenting the user with the second mode:

providing the user with a feedback indication of the first input.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the feedback indication is at least one selected from a group consisting of an auditory indication, a tactile indication, and a visual indication.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, prior to presenting the user with the second mode:

determining that a time duration of the first input has reached a predefined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the second mode, the at least one command icon is not selectable by touch input.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the user with the second mode comprises increasing the size of the status display portion.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein presenting the user with the second mode further comprises decreasing the size of the command portion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the user with the second mode comprises increasing the size of the at least one status icon.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the user with the second mode comprises rearranging the at least one status icon to a second arrangement within the status display portion.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein rearranging the at least one status icon comprises displaying an animated movement of the at least one status icon from the first arrangement to the second arrangement.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is selected from a group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a media player, a gaming device, and a mobile phone.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after presenting the user with the second mode:

receiving a selection of that least one status icon; and

performing at least one action corresponding to the selected status icon.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein performing the at least one action comprises modifying at least one operating characteristic of the computing device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the at least one operating characteristic of the computing device is selected from a group consisting of an energy consumption mode, a speaker level, an antenna mode, a ringer mode, a network connection, and a security mode.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, after receiving the selection of the at least one status icon, presenting the user with the first mode, wherein presenting the user with the first mode comprises performing at least one selected from a group consisting of decreasing the size of the status display portion, increasing the size of the command portion, reducing the size of the at least one status icon, and returning the at least one status icon to the first arrangement within the status display portion.

17. A portable communications device, comprising:

a processor;

a capacitive touch screen; and

a computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to, when executed by the processor, implement a method for presenting a user interface, the method comprising;

displaying, on the capacitive touch screen, a first mode of a touch interface, wherein the touch interface is configured as a user interface of the portable communications device, wherein the touch interface comprises a status display portion and a command portion, wherein the status display portion comprises at least one status icon arranged in a first arrangement, wherein the command portion comprises at least one command icon, wherein selecting a command icon initiates a corresponding command action within the computing device, and wherein in the first mode, the at least one status icon is not selectable by touch input and the at least one command icon is selectable by touch input;

receiving, from a user, a first touch input indicating a desire to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the touch interface; and

in response to receiving the first touch input, displaying, on the capacitive touch screen, the second mode of the touch interface, wherein in the second mode, the at least one status icon is selectable by touch input and the at least one command icon is not selectable by touch input,

wherein the at least one status icon displays a corresponding status of the computing device.

18. The portable communications device of claim 17, wherein the status display portion and the command portion are distinct two-dimensional areas of the touch interface.

19. A computer usable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therein, the computer readable program code adapted to, when executed by the processor, implement a method for presenting a touch interface, the method comprising:

presenting a first mode of the touch interface, wherein the touch interface is configured as a user interface of a computing device, wherein the touch interface comprises at least one status icon and wherein in the first mode, the at least one status icon is not selectable by touch input;

receiving, from a user using the computing device, a first input indicating a desire to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the touch interface; and

in response to receiving the first input, presenting the user with the second mode of the touch interface, wherein in the second mode, the at least one status icon is selectable by touch input,

wherein the at least one status icon displays a corresponding status of the computing device.

20. The computer usable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises, after presenting the user with the second mode:

receiving a selection of that least one status icon; and

performing at least one action corresponding to the selected status icon,

wherein performing the at least one action comprises modifying at least one operating characteristic of the computing device,

wherein the at least one operating characteristic of the computing device is selected from a group consisting of an energy consumption mode, a speaker level, an antenna mode, a ringer mode, a network connection, and a security mode.