APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PROXIMITY BASED INPUT

• US 20110234491A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Mikko
• Granted Patent: US 9,990,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/157
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method is provided for controlling proximity detection based user interface functions. In response to detection of simultaneous presence of a first object and a second object in close proximity to the input surface, an input mode may be activated, in which input mode a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code,

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

detect presence of a first object in close proximity to an input surface,

detect presence of a second object in close proximity to the input surface, and

in response to the detection of simultaneous presence of the first object and the second object, activate an input mode in which a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to deactivate the input mode in response to detecting removal of at least one of the first object or the second object from close proximity to the input surface.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

determine an operation in response to an input by at least one of the first object or the second object further on the basis of the position of the at least one of the first object or the second object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to

in response to detecting an input by the first object, perform a selection action for an information element associated with the detected input by the first object, and

in response to detecting an input by the second object, display a menu of selectable items for an information element associated with the detected input by the second object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to modify at least one association to a graphical user interface element to be displayed in response to the activation of at least one of the input mode or an action during the input mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to:

cause display of a pointer element in response to the detection of the first object and the second object in close proximity to the input surface, and

cause display of the pointer element to move in relation to detected movement of at least one of the first object or the second object.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to control at least one of the activation or deactivation of the input mode on the basis of distance between the objects.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein an operation is associated during the input mode with the combination of an input by the first object and an input by the second object.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a mobile communications device comprising a touch screen and a proximity detection system with at least one proximity detector.

10. A method, comprising:

detecting presence of a first object in close proximity to an input surface,

detecting presence of a second object in close proximity to the input surface, and

in response to the detection of simultaneous presence of the first object and the second object, activating an input mode in which a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

deactivating the input mode in response to detecting removal of at least one of the first object or the second object from close proximity to the input surface.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein, an operation is determined in response to an input by at least one of the first object or the second object further on the basis of the position of the at least one of the first object or the second object.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein, in response to detecting the presence of the second object in close proximity to the input surface, the proximity of the first object to the input surface is checked, and

the input mode is activated and functionality associated with an input by at least one of the first object or the second object is adapted in response to first object still remaining in close proximity of the input surface.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one association to a graphical user interface element to be displayed is modified in response to the activation of at least one of the input mode or an action during the input mode.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to detecting an input by the first object, performing a selection action for an information element associated with the detected input by the first object, and

in response to detecting an input by the second object, displaying a menu of selectable items for an information element associated with the detected input by the second object.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein at least one of the activation or deactivation of the input mode is controlled on the basis of distance between the objects.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

causing display of a pointer element in response to the detection of the presence of the first object and the second object, and

causing display of the pointer element to move in relation to detected movement of at least one of the first object or the second object.

18. (canceled)

19. A user interface for an electronic device comprising a proximity detection system with at least one proximity detector for detecting presence of a first object and a second object in close proximity to an input surface, wherein the user interface is configured to operate in an input mode, in which a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object, in response to the detection of simultaneous presence of the first object and the second object.

20. A computer readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to at least perform:

detect presence of a first object in close proximity to an input surface,

detect presence of a second object in close proximity to the input surface, and

in response to the detection of simultaneous presence of the first object and the second object, activate an input mode in which a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

means for detecting presence of a first object in close proximity to an input surface,

means for detecting presence of a second object in close proximity to the input surface, and

means for activating, in response to the detection of simultaneous presence of the first object and the second object, an input mode in which a first action is associated with an input by the first object and a second action is associated with an input by the second object.