CONTROL TECHNIQUES FOR UTILIZING MOBILE DEVICES IN ATYPICAL ENVIRONMENTS
First Claim
1. A method implemented by a processor-based computing device, the method comprising:
- providing a user interface having a plurality of modes, each of the plurality of modes being associated with one or more device functions of the computing device such that at least one of the one or more device functions is unavailable for use during operation while the computing device is operating in at least one other of the plurality of modes, the providing of the user interface including;
assigning a mode selection function to a first hardware actuator of the computing device;
causing the computing device to operate in a first of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the first mode includes assigning a first set of the one or more device functions associated with the first mode to one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device; and
in response to a first activation of the first hardware actuator, causing the computing device to operate in a distinct second of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the distinct second mode includes assigning a distinct second set of the one or more device functions associated with the distinct second mode to the one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Methods, articles and systems are provided to enable a human user to control particular functions of a processor-based mobile computing device by utilizing hardware actuators of the mobile computing device, such as when touchscreen or other capacitive controls of the computing device may be unreliable or unavailable based on an atypical physical environment or enclosure of the mobile computing device within an external device case. An executing mobile application may assign a first function of the mobile application and/or mobile computing device to a first hardware actuator of the mobile computing device, and assign a set of additional functions of the mobile application and/or mobile computing device to other hardware actuators.
10 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method implemented by a processor-based computing device, the method comprising:
providing a user interface having a plurality of modes, each of the plurality of modes being associated with one or more device functions of the computing device such that at least one of the one or more device functions is unavailable for use during operation while the computing device is operating in at least one other of the plurality of modes, the providing of the user interface including; assigning a mode selection function to a first hardware actuator of the computing device; causing the computing device to operate in a first of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the first mode includes assigning a first set of the one or more device functions associated with the first mode to one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device; and in response to a first activation of the first hardware actuator, causing the computing device to operate in a distinct second of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the distinct second mode includes assigning a distinct second set of the one or more device functions associated with the distinct second mode to the one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored contents that, when executed, configure a computing device having a plurality of hardware actuators to:
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assign a first function to a first of the hardware actuators; in response to a first user activation of the first hardware actuator, assign a first set of additional device functions to one or more of the plurality of hardware actuators other than the first hardware actuator; and in response to a distinct second user activation of the first hardware actuator that occurs after the first user activation of the first hardware actuator, assign a distinct second set of additional device functions to the one or more other hardware actuators. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system, comprising:
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an external device case that includes one or more buttons, each of the one or more buttons being configured to sealingly extend when actuated in order to activate a corresponding hardware actuator of a computing device when the computing device is enclosed by the external device case; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium having contents that, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising; providing a user interface having a plurality of modes, each of the plurality of modes being associated with one or more device functions of the computing device such that at least one of the one or more device functions is unavailable for use during operation of the user interface while operating in at least one other of the plurality of modes, the providing of the user interface including; assigning a mode selection function to a first hardware actuator of the computing device; causing the computing device to operate in a first of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the first mode includes assigning a first set of the one or more device functions associated with the first mode to one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device; and in response to activation of the first hardware actuator, causing the computing device to operate in a distinct second of the plurality of modes, wherein causing the computing device to operate in the distinct second mode includes assigning a distinct second set of the one or more device functions associated with the distinct second mode to the one or more second hardware actuators of the computing device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification