Multi-Orientation Mobile Device, Computer-Readable Storage Unit Therefor, and Methods for Using the Same

• US 20150153909A1
• Filed: 11/29/2013
• Published: 06/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zubas, Michael, Heil, Kenneth D., Lewis, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,483,087 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence

Abstract

A multi-orientation mobile communication device having a first button positioned at the first side of device at a first relative positioning with respect to a second button on the first side and a third button positioned at a second side of the body at the first relative positioning with respect to a fourth button positioned on the second side. The device also includes instructions causing a processor to perform operations comprising determining that an orientation of the device has changed and reassigning, responsively, button characteristics based on relative positioning of the first through fourth buttons following the re-orientation.

Claims

1. A multi-orientation mobile communication device, comprising:

a body comprising a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side and also extending between the first side and the second side;

a first button positioned at the first side of the body at a first relative positioning with respect to a second button positioned also on the first side of the body;

the second button positioned at a second relative positioning with respect to the first button;

a third button positioned at the second side of the body at the first relative positioning with respect to a fourth button positioned also on the second side of the body;

the fourth button positioned at the second relative positioning with respect to the third button, wherein, when the mobile communication is in an initial orientation, the first side, including the first button and the second button, is in a first user-perspective button area, and the second side, including the third button and the fourth button, is in a second user-perspective button area;

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating a first characteristic to the first button based on the first button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the first user-perspective button area and bearing the first relative positioning with respect to the second button;

associating a second characteristic to the second button based on the second button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the first user-perspective button area and bearing the second relative positioning with respect to the first button;

associating a third characteristic to the third button based on the third button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the second user-perspective button area and bearing the first relative positioning with respect to the fourth button;

associating a fourth characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the second user-perspective button area and bearing the second relative positioning with respect to the third button;

determining that an orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to a new orientation wherein the first side, including the first button and the second button, is in the second user-perspective button area, and the second side, including the third button and the fourth button, is in the first user-perspective button area; and

reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, comprising;

associating the first characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area and bearing the first relative positioning with respect to the third button;

associating the second characteristic to the third button based on the third button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area and bearing the second relative positioning with respect to the fourth button;

associating the third characteristic to the second button based on the second button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the second user-perspective button area and bearing the first relative positioning with respect to the first button; and

associating the fourth characteristic to the first button based on the first button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the second user-perspective button area and bearing the second relative positioning with respect to the second button.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein each characteristic includes at least one feature selected from a group consisting of a function and a state.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein:

the first relative positioning comprises being positioned closer to the third side of the mobile communication device; and

the second relative positioning comprises being positioned closer to the fourth side of the mobile communication device.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining that the orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to the new orientation comprises using input received from an accelerometer.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, wherein the operation of determining that the orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to the new orientation comprises using input received from a camera component.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 5, wherein the input indicates that a user face is in front of the camera component.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first device face extending between the first side and the second side and between the third side and the fourth side; and

a second device face opposite the first device face, the second device face also extending between the first side and the second side and between the third side and the fourth side;

wherein the first device face is open to a device-user direction when the device is at the initial orientation and the second device face is open to the device-user direction when the device is at the new orientation.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, further comprising:

a fifth button positioned at the third side of the body at a third relative positioning with respect to a sixth button positioned also on the third side of the body;

the sixth button positioned at a fourth relative positioning with respect to the fifth button;

a seventh button positioned at the fourth side of the body at the third relative positioning with respect to an eighth button positioned also on the fourth side of the body; and

the eighth button positioned at the fourth relative positioning with respect to the seventh button,

wherein, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, the third side, including the fifth button and the sixth button, is in the third user-perspective button area, and the fourth side, including the seventh button and the eighth button, is in the fourth user-perspective button area;

wherein the operations further comprise;

associating a fifth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the third user-perspective button area and bearing the third relative positioning with respect to the sixth button;

associating a sixth characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the third user-perspective button area and bearing the fourth relative positioning with respect to the fifth button;

associating a seventh characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fourth user-perspective button area and bearing the third relative positioning with respect to the eighth button; and

associating an eighth characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fourth user-perspective button area and bearing the fourth relative positioning with respect to the seventh button; and

wherein the operation of reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, further comprises;

associating the fifth characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the third user-perspective button area and bearing the third relative positioning with respect to the seventh button;

associating the sixth characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area and bearing the fourth relative positioning with respect to the eighth button;

associating the seventh characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fourth user-perspective button area and bearing the third relative positioning with respect to the fifth button; and

associating the eighth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fourth user-perspective button area and bearing the fourth relative positioning with respect to the sixth button.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 8, wherein:

the third relative positioning comprises being positioned closer to the first side of the mobile communication device; and

the fourth relative positioning comprises being positioned closer to the second side of the mobile communication device.

10. A multi-orientation mobile communication device, comprising:

a body comprising a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side and also extending between the first side and the second side;

a first button positioned at the first side of the body, wherein the first button has a first size;

a second button positioned at the first side of the body, wherein the second button has a second size differing from the first size;

a third button positioned at the second side of the body, wherein the third button has a third size;

a fourth button positioned at the second side of the body, wherein the fourth button has a fourth size differing from the third size, wherein, when the mobile communication is in an initial orientation, the first side, including the first button and the second button, is in a first user-perspective button area, and the second side, including the third button and the fourth button, is in a second user-perspective button area;

a processor;

a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating a first characteristic to the first button based on the first button having the first size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the first user-perspective button area;

associating a second characteristic to the second button based on the second button having the second size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the first user-perspective button area;

associating a third characteristic to the third button based on the third button having the third size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the second user-perspective button area;

associating a fourth characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button having the fourth size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the second user-perspective button area;

determining that an orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to a new orientation wherein the first side, including the first button and the second button, is in the second user-perspective button area, and the second side, including the third button and the fourth button, is in the first user-perspective button area; and

reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, comprising;

associating the first characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button having the fourth size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area;

associating the second characteristic to the third button based on the third button having the third size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area;

associating the third characteristic to the second button based on the second button having the second size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the second user-perspective button area and bearing the first relative positioning with respect to the first button; and

associating the fourth characteristic to the first button based on the first button having the first size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the second user-perspective button area.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein:

the first size is equal generally to the third size; and

the second size is equal generally to the fourth size.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the operation of determining that the orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to the new orientation comprises using input received from an accelerometer.

13. The mobile communication device of claim 10, wherein the operation of determining that the orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to the new orientation comprises using input received from a camera component.

14. The mobile communication device of claim 10, further comprising:

a first device face extending between the first side and the second side, and the third side and the fourth side; and

a second device face opposite the first device side, the second device face also extending between the first side and the second side, and the third side and the fourth side;

wherein the first device face is open to a device-user direction when the device is at the initial orientation, and the second device face is open to the device-user direction when the device is at the new orientation.

15. The mobile communication device of claim 10, further comprising:

a fifth button positioned at the third side of the body and having a fifth size;

a sixth button positioned at the third side and having a sixth size;

a seventh button positioned at the third side and having a seventh size; and

an eighth button positioned at the third side and having an eighth size;

wherein, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, the third side, including the fifth button and the sixth button, is in the third user-perspective button area, and the fourth side, including the seventh button and the eighth button, is in the fourth user-perspective button area;

wherein the operations further comprise;

associating a fifth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button having the fifth size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the third user-perspective button area;

associating a sixth characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button having the sixth size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the third user-perspective button area;

associating a seventh characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button having the seventh size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fourth user-perspective button area; and

associating an eighth characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button having the eighth size and being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fourth user-perspective button area; and

wherein the operation of reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, further comprises;

associating the fifth characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button having the eighth size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the third user-perspective button area;

associating the sixth characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button having the seventh size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the third user-perspective button area;

associating the seventh characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button having the sixth size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fourth user-perspective button area; and

associating the eighth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button having the fifth size and being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fourth user-perspective button area.

16. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein:

the fifth size is equal generally to the seventh size; and

the sixth size is equal generally to the eighth size.

17. The mobile communication device of claim 15, wherein:

the fifth size is equal generally to the first size; and

the sixth size is equal generally to the second size.

18. A multi-orientation mobile communication device, comprising:

a body comprising a first side, a second side opposite the first side, a third side extending between the first side and the second side, and a fourth side opposite the third side and also extending between the first side and the second side;

a first button positioned at the first side of the body;

a second button positioned at the second side of the body;

a third button positioned at the third side of the body;

a fourth button positioned at the fourth side of the body, wherein, when the mobile communication is in an initial orientation, the first button is positioned in a first user-perspective button area, the second button is positioned in a second user-perspective button area, the third button is positioned in a third user-perspective button area, and the fourth button is positioned in a fourth user-perspective button area;

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

associating a first characteristic to the first button based on the first button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the first user-perspective button area;

associating a second characteristic to the second button based on the second button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the second user-perspective button area;

associating a third characteristic to the third button based on the third button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the third user-perspective button area;

associating a fourth characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fourth user-perspective button area;

determining that an orientation of the mobile communication device has changed from the initial orientation to a new orientation differing by one-hundred and eighty degrees from the initial orientation; and

reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, comprising;

associating the first characteristic to the second button based on the second button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the first user-perspective button area;

associating the second characteristic to the first button based on the first button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the second user-perspective button area;

associating the third characteristic to the fourth button based on the fourth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the third user-perspective button area; and

associating the fourth characteristic to the third button based on the third button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fourth user-perspective button area.

19. The mobile communication device of claim 18, wherein:

a first transition of the device connects the first side to the third side;

a second transition of the device connects the third side to the second side;

a third transition of the device connects the second side to the fourth side;

a fourth transition of the device connects the fourth side to the first side;

the first button is positioned on the first side proximate the first transition and distal from the fourth transition;

the second button is positioned on the second side proximate the third transition and distal from the second transition;

the third button is positioned on the third side proximate the second transition and distal from the first transition; and

the fourth button is positioned on the fourth side proximate the fourth transition and distal from the third transition.

20. The mobile communication device of claim 18, further comprising:

a fifth button positioned at the first side of the body proximate the first button;

a sixth button positioned at the second side of the body proximate the second button;

a seventh button positioned at the third side of the body proximate the third button; and

an eighth button positioned at the fourth side of the body proximate the fourth button;

wherein, when the mobile communication is in an initial orientation, the fifth button is positioned in a fifth user-perspective button area adjacent the first user-perspective button area, the sixth button is positioned in a sixth user-perspective button area adjacent the second user-perspective button area, the seventh button is positioned in a seventh user-perspective button area adjacent the third user-perspective button area, and the eighth button is positioned in an eighth user-perspective button area adjacent the fourth user-perspective button area;

wherein the operations further comprise;

associating a fifth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the fifth user-perspective button area;

associating a sixth characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the sixth user-perspective button area;

associating a seventh characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the seventh user-perspective button area; and

associating an eighth characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button being, when the mobile communication device is at the initial orientation, positioned in the eighth user-perspective button area; and

wherein the operation of reassigning, in response to determining that the orientation has changed to the new orientation, button characteristics, further comprises;

associating the fifth characteristic to the sixth button based on the sixth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the fifth user-perspective button area;

associating the sixth characteristic to the fifth button based on the fifth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the sixth user-perspective button area;

associating the seventh characteristic to the eighth button based on the eighth button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the seventh user-perspective button area; and

associating the eighth characteristic to the seventh button based on the seventh button being positioned, upon the mobile communication device arriving at the new orientation, in the eighth user-perspective button area.