SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130154959A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: LINDSAY, Donald James, MAHAN, Laura, WILSON, Roy Robert George
• Application Number:
  US13/332,180
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154959A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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 and system are provided for controlling an electronic device. The method includes detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point, and executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device, wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device comprising:

detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the gesture is contained within one or more specific areas of the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the origin point of the gesture determines an application to receive the command.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the command is associated with only a set of gestures satisfying one or more predetermined criteria.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the back command corresponds to any one or more of:

closing a current application of the electronic device, returning to a previous view displayed on the electronic device and cancelling an operation of the electronic device.

10. A computer readable storage medium for controlling an electronic device, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for:

detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the gesture is contained within one or more specific areas of the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

16. An electronic device comprising a processor, a touch-sensitive input mechanism and memory, the memory storing computer executable instructions for:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive input mechanism, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

19. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.