METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTING A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE ON AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20160034140A1
• Filed: 08/04/2014
• Published: 02/04/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility LLC (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Navsariwala, Umesh, Patel, Deepesh
• Granted Patent: US 9,971,496 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for adjusting a graphical user interface on an electronic device includes receiving, from a detection element positioned at a backside of an electronic device, first data generated when a hand is positioned at the backside of the electronic device. Further, a one-handed or two-handed operation of the electronic device is determined based on the first data. A displaying of a graphical user interface on the electronic device is adjusted when the one-handed operation is determined.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting a graphical user interface on an electronic device, the method comprising:

receiving, from a detection element positioned at a backside of an electronic device, first data generated when a hand is positioned at the backside of the electronic device;

determining, based on the first data, whether there is a one-handed operation of the electronic device; and

adjusting a displaying of a graphical user interface on the electronic device when the one-handed operation is determined.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first data from the detection element comprises receiving the first data from a near field communication integrated circuit coupled to a near field communication antenna.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

initiating a diagnostic mode of the near field communication integrated circuit;

measuring a field strength from the near field communication antenna while the near field communication integrated circuit is in the diagnostic mode, wherein the first data indicates the one-handed operation of the electronic device when the measured field strength is within a first range of field strength values.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first data from the detection element comprises receiving the first data from a capacitive sensing integrated circuit coupled to a near field communication antenna.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

switching a switching element, which is coupled to the near field communication antenna, from a near field communication integrated circuit to the capacitive sensor integrated circuit;

measuring a capacitance of the near field communication antenna, wherein the first data indicates the one-handed operation when the measured capacitance is within a first range of capacitance values.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving second data from a set of sensors disposed on a periphery of the electronic device;

determining handedness, based on the second data, when the one-handed operation is determined.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting at least one function, performed in relation to the electronic device, which indicates one-handed operation of the electronic device after an initial determination of two-handed operation of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein detecting the at least one function comprises detecting contact to a button on the electronic device, wherein the contact is detected within a time interval threshold of determining the two-handed operation.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising, as a consequence of detecting the at least one function, adjusting a threshold value or a threshold range for determining the one-handed operation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is adjusted by at least one of:

shifting, in at least one of a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, at least one of a keyboard, an icon, or an area displayed on a touchscreen of the electronic device;

or

adjusting, by compressing toward a center of a touchscreen of the electronic device, at least one of the keyboard, the icon, or the area displayed on the touchscreen.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining whether at least one of the detection element is already in use or a wireless charging component is operating on the electronic device;

directing the displaying of a default graphical user interface when the detection element is already in use or when the wireless charging component is operating on the electronic device.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a set of characteristics of the electronic device;

determining whether there is the one-handed operation of the device based on the set of characteristics of the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the set of characteristics of the electronic device comprises at least one of:

an orientation of the device;

a size of the device;

a screen size of the device;

or

a location of the detection element on the backside of the electronic device.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a detection element disposed on a backside of the electronic device, wherein the detection element is configured to generate first data in response to a hand positioned at the backside of the electronic device; and

a processor coupled to the detection element, wherein the processor is configured to;

receive the first data;

determine, based on the first data, whether there is a one-handed operation of the electronic device; and

adjust a displaying of a graphical user interface on the electronic device when the one-handed operation is determined.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the detection element comprises a near field communication antenna coupled to a near field communication integrated circuit.

16. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the detection element comprises a capacitive sensor integrated circuit coupled to a near field communication antenna.

17. The electronic device of claim 16 further comprising a switching element coupled to the processor and connected to the near field communication antenna, wherein the switching element is configured to connect the capacitive sensor integrated circuit or a near field communication integrated circuit to the near field communication antenna under the control of the processor.

18. The electronic device of claim 14 further comprising a set of sensors disposed at a periphery of the electronic device, where the set of sensors are configured to provide second data to the processor that indicates right-handed operation or left-handed operation of the electronic device.

19. The electronic device of claim 14 further comprising an orientation detection element coupled to the processor and configured to determine an orientation of the electronic device, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether there is the one-handed operation of the electronic device based on the orientation of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 14 further comprising a touchscreen coupled to the processor and configured to display the graphical user interface, wherein the processor is configured to adjust the graphical user interface displayed on the touchscreen by at least one of:

shifting a position of at least one of a keyboard, an icon, or an area of the graphical user interface;

decreasing a dimension of at least one of the keyboard, the icon, or the area of the graphical user interface.