METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING MOVEMENT OF CURSOR IN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20150268813A1
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Bos, Jeffrey Charles
• Granted Patent: US 9,436,348 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0235 using chord techniques G06F3/0234 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038

Abstract

A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a memory storing instructions. The portable electronic device also includes a processor executing the instructions to perform a plurality of operations. The operations may include detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held. The operations may also include detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held. The first and second keys of the portable electronic device may be located at a first and a second location of the portable electronic device respectively. The operations may further include determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location, and moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a memory storing instructions; and

a processor executing the instructions to perform operations comprising;

detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device;

detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device;

determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location; and

moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises:

detecting a trill gesture associated with the first and second keys.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a touch screen coupled to the processor, wherein the first and second keys each is a virtual key on a virtual keyboard of the portable electronic device.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second keys of the portable electronic device are each associated with a capacitive touch sensor.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises:

determining that the portable electronic device is configured to be in a fine cursor control (FCC) mode prior to moving the position of the cursor.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the cursor direction is a relative direction of the second location with reference to the first location.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises:

detecting a plurality of the key tapping actions associated with the second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held; and

moving the position of the cursor in the cursor direction for a plurality of spaces.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the plurality of the key tapping action includes a number of the key tapping actions, and the plurality of spaces includes a number of spaces identical to the number of the key tapping actions.

10. A computer-implemented method for activating a portable electronic device, the method comprising the following operations executed by a processor:

detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device;

detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device;

determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location; and

moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting a trill gesture associated with the first and second keys.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second keys each is a virtual key on a virtual keyboard of the portable electronic device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first and second keys of the portable electronic device are each associated with a capacitive touch sensor.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the portable electronic device is configured to be in a fine cursor control (FCC) mode prior to moving the position of the cursor.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the cursor direction is a relative direction of the second location with reference to the first location.

17. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

detecting a plurality of the key tapping actions associated with the second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held; and

moving the position of the cursor in the cursor direction for a plurality of spaces.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of the key tapping action includes a number of the key tapping actions, and the plurality of spaces includes a number of spaces identical to the number of the key tapping actions.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

detecting that a first key of a portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device;

detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device;

determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location; and

moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device.