APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INVOKING A FUNCTION BASED ON A GESTURE INPUT

• US 20110083100A1
• Filed: 10/01/2009
• Published: 04/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: DEFAZIO, Michael Joseph, FYKE, Steven Henry, PASQUERO, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 8,627,220 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/790
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic apparatus is provided including an input assembly. The input assembly includes a graphic display layer, a masking layer, and an input device. The graphic display layer includes a plurality of function icons. The masking layer includes a plurality of function icon windows for displaying functions icons associated with a particular application. Each of the displayed function icons corresponds to a function of the particular application. The input device includes a plurality of input device sections for receiving a gesture input. The graphic display layer is moveable relative to the masking layer such that, based on the relative positioning between the graphic display layer and the masking layer, function icons associated with a particular application are displayed through the function icon windows and the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer. The receiving of the gesture input by a one of the plurality of input device sections corresponding to a one of the displayed function icons invokes the function corresponding to the one of the displayed function icons.

Claims

1. An input assembly comprising:

a graphic display layer providing, or configured to provide a plurality of function icons;

a masking layer including a plurality of function icon windows for displaying functions icons associated with a particular application, each of the displayed function icons corresponding to a function of the particular application; and

an input device including a plurality of input device sections each configured for receiving a gesture input;

wherein the graphic display layer is moveable relative to the masking layer such that, based on the relative positioning between the graphic display layer and the masking layer, function icons associated with a particular application are displayed through the function icon windows and the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer;

and wherein the receiving of the gesture input by a one of the plurality of input device sections which corresponds to a one of the displayed function icons invokes the function corresponding to the one of the displayed function icons.

2. The input assembly of claim 1,

wherein, when the graphic display layer is disposed at a first position relative to the masking layer, the display of function icons associated with a first application is effected and visibility of each of the other function icons is at least obscured by the masking layer;

and wherein, when the graphic display layer is disposed at a second position relative to the masking layer, the display of function icons associated with a second application is effected and visibility of each of the other function icons is at least obscured by the masking layer.

3. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the respective function associated with each one of the displayed function icons is invokable by the gesture input received by a one of the plurality of input device sections which is aligned with the function icon window through which the display of the function icon is effected.

4. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the input device includes a touch sensitive input device.

5. The input assembly of claim 1, wherein the graphic display layer is rotatable relative to the masking layer.

6. The input assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

an application identifier configured to identify the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated.

7. The input assembly as claimed in claim 6,

wherein the application identifier includes:

a plurality of application icons provided on the graphics display layer, each one of the application icons corresponding to an application associated with respective ones of the function icons; and

an application display window provided on the masking layer for displaying one of the plurality of application icons provided by the graphic display layer;

wherein the identification of the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated is effected by displaying the corresponding application icon.

8. The input assembly of claim 7,

wherein the masking layer at least obscures the other application icons which do not correspond to the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated.

9. An electronic apparatus comprising:

a graphic display layer providing, or configured to provide a plurality of function icons;

a masking layer including a plurality of function icon windows for displaying functions icons associated with a particular application, each of the displayed function icons corresponding to a function of the particular application; and

an input device including a plurality of input device sections for receiving a gesture input;

wherein the graphic display layer is moveable relative to the masking layer such that, based on the relative positioning between the graphic display layer and the masking layer, function icons associated with a particular application are displayed through the function icon windows and the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer;

and wherein the receiving of the gesture input by a one of the plurality of input device sections which corresponds to a one of the displayed function icons invokes the function corresponding to the one of the displayed function icons.

10. The electronic apparatus of claim 9,

wherein, when the graphic display layer is disposed at a first position relative to the masking layer, the display of function icons associated with a first application is effected and visibility of the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer;

and wherein, when the graphic display layer is disposed at a second position relative to the masking layer, the display of function icons associated with a second application is effected and visibility of the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer.

11. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the respective function associated with each one of the displayed function icons is invokable by a gesture input received by an input device section which is aligned with the function icon window through which the icon of the function icon is effected.

12. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the input device includes a touch sensitive input device.

13. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the input device includes a touch screen.

14. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, wherein the graphic display layer is rotatable relative to the masking layer.

15. The electronic apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

an application identifier configured to identify the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated.

16. The electronic apparatus as claimed in claim 15,

wherein the application identifier includes:

a plurality of application icons provided on the graphics display layer, each one of the application icons corresponding to an application associated with respective ones of the function icons; and

an application display window provided on the masking layer for displaying one of the plurality of application icons provided by the graphic display layer;

wherein the identification of the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated is effected by displaying the corresponding application icon.

17. The electronic apparatus of claim 16,

wherein the masking layer at least obscures the other application icons which do not correspond to the particular application with which the displayed function icons are associated.

18. A method of invoking a function of an electronic apparatus comprising:

providing the electronic apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus includes;

a graphic display layer including a plurality of function icons;

a masking layer including a plurality of function icon windows for displaying functions icons associated with a particular application, each of the displayed function icons corresponding to a function of the particular application; and

an input device including a plurality of input device sections for receiving a gesture input;

wherein the graphic display layer is moveable relative to the masking layer such that, based on the relative positioning between the graphic display layer and the masking layer, function icons associated with a particular application are displayed through the function icon windows and the other function icons are at least obscured by the masking layer;

effecting movement of the graphic display layer relative to the masking layer so as to effect a change in the displayed function icons such that displayed function icons are associated with a different application than the application with which previously displayed function icons were associated before the movement; and

upon the receiving of the gesture input by a one of the plurality of input device sections which corresponds to a one of the displayed function icons, invoking the function corresponding to the one of the displayed function icons.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein effecting movement comprises rotating the graphic display layer relative to the masking layer.