PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20130201108A1
• Filed: 02/08/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: HIRSCH, Alexander Samson
• Granted Patent: US 9,395,901 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• 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 3/0488 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 includes detecting, on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, a touch. When no secondary input to the electronic device is detected during the touch, a first function associated with the touch is performed according to a first event handling process. When a secondary input is detected that overlaps at least partially in time with the touch, a second function associated with the touch is performed according to a second event handling process.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

when no secondary input to the electronic device is detected during the touch, performing a first function associated with the touch, which first function is performed according to a first event handling process;

when a secondary input is detected that overlaps at least partially in time with the touch, performing a second function associated with the touch, which second function is performed according to a second event handling process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event handling process is one of a set of first event handling processes.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

detecting termination of the secondary input;

performing a function associated with a subsequent touch according to one of the set of first event handling processes.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the secondary input is an actuation of a key of the electronic device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein:

detecting the touch comprises detecting a first touch in a first region of the touch-sensitive display;

wherein the secondary input is a second touch in a second region of the touch-sensitive display.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second region is a non-display area.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein the second touch is a touch and hold gesture.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second event handling process is one of a set of second event handling processes.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a subsequent touch while the secondary input is maintained;

performing a function associated with the subsequent touch according to one of the set of second event handling processes.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of the electronic device to perform the method of claim 1.

15. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein:

the touch is a first touch in a first region of the touch-sensitive display;

the secondary input is a second touch in a second region of the touch-sensitive display.

18. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the second event handling process is one of a set of second event handling processes.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a processor coupled to the touch-sensitive display and configured to;

detect a touch on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device;

when no secondary input to the electronic device is detected during the touch, perform a first function associated with the touch, which first function is performed according to a first event handling process;

when a secondary input is detected that overlaps at least partially in time with the touch, perform a second function associated with the touch, which second function is performed according to a second event handling process.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the first event handling process is one of a set of first event handling processes.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect termination of the secondary input;

perform a function associated with a subsequent touch according to one of a set of first event handling processes.

14. The electronic device according to claim 11, further comprising a keyboard, wherein the secondary input is provided through an actuation of a key on the keyboard.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the second region is a non-display area.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the second touch is a touch and hold gesture.

19. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to:

detect a subsequent touch while the secondary input is maintained;

perform a function associated with the subsequent touch according to one of the set of second event handling processes.