Communications device with touch sensitive screen

• US 6,518,957 B1
• Filed: 08/08/2000
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Kronstrom, Kai, Lehtinen, Kari
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/634,739
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: 379/433.06, 379/433.07, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/179, 345/156, 345/157, 345/168, 345/169, 455/566, 455/90
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable communications device which includes: a housing 4, a display for entering and displaying data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen, radio circuitry for receiving and processing communication channel data and a processor for controlling operation of the device. When a voice communication channel is established, the processor is operable to disable at least a portion of the touch sensitive screen.

Claims

1. A communications device comprising:

a housing;

a display which enters and displays data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen;

radio circuitry which receives and processes voice call data; and

a processor which controls operation of the device which, in response to voice communication channel being established, is operable to disable at least a portion of the touch sensitive screen.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein:

the processor is operable to disable all of the touch sensitive screen apart from a pre-defined area.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein:

the pre-defined area of the touch sensitive screen includes an area that is operable, when touched, to enable the touch sensitive screen.

4. A device according to claim 1 comprising:

a data input apparatus which enters data via the touch sensitive screen, the data input apparatus being attachable to the device wherein the processor is operable to enable the touch sensitive screen when the data input apparatus is removed from the device.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein:

the processor is operable to cause an icon to be displayed on the display when the data input apparatus is removed from the device, the icon indicating that the data input apparatus is removed.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein:

the processor is operable to cause an audible alert to be produced when the data input device is not re-attached to the device after a predetermined time of disablement.

7. A device according to claim 1 comprising:

a data input apparatus for entering data via the touch sensitive screen, the data input apparatus being attachable to the device wherein the processor is operable to disable the touch sensitive screen when the data input apparatus is attached to the device.

8. A device according to claim 7, wherein:

the processor is operable to cause an icon to be displayed on the display when the data input apparatus is removed from the device, the icon indicating that the data input apparatus is removed.

9. A device according to claim 7, wherein:

the processor is operable to cause an audible alert to be produced when the data input device is not re-attached to the device after a predetermined time of disablement.

10. A device according to claim 1 comprising:

means for over-riding the disablement provided by the processor.

11. A device according to claim 1 wherein:

the device is portable.

12. A device according to claim 1 wherein:

the device is a radiotelephone.

13. A communications device comprising:

a housing;

a display which enters and displays data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen;

radio circuitry which receives and processes voice call data; and

a processor which controls operation of the device which is operable to disable the touch sensitive screen in response to a user initiating a voice call.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein:

the processor is operable to disable all of the touch sensitive screen apart from a pre-defined area.

15. A device according to claim 14 wherein:

the pre-defined area of the touch sensitive screen includes an area that is operable, when touched, to enable the touch sensitive screen.

16. A communications device comprising:

a housing;

a display which enters and displays data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen;

radio circuitry which receives and processes voice call data; and

a processor which controls operation of the device which is operable to disable the touch sensitive screen in response to the device starting dialing to establish a voice communication.

17. A device according to claim 16 wherein:

the processor is operable to disable all of the touch sensitive screen apart from a pre-defined area.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein:

the pre-defined area of the touch sensitive screen includes an area that is operable, when touched, to enable the touch sensitive screen.

19. A communications device comprising:

a housing;

a display which enters and displays data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen;

radio circuitry which receives and processes voice call data; and

a processor which controls operation of the device which is operable to disable the touch sensitive screen in response to a voice call being received by the device.

20. A device according to claim 19, wherein:

the processor is operable to disable all of the touch sensitive screen apart from a pre-defined area.

21. A device according to claim 20 wherein:

the pre-defined area of the touch sensitive screen includes an area that is operable, when touched, to enable the touch sensitive screen.

22. A communications device comprising:

a housing;

a display which enters and displays data, the display being disposed in the housing and having a touch sensitive screen;

radio circuitry which receives and processes voice call data; and

a processor which controls operation of the device which is operable to disable the touch sensitive screen in response to a voice call being answered in response to a user input.

23. A device according to claim 22, wherein:

the processor is operable to disable all of the touch sensitive screen apart from a pre-defined area.

24. A device according to claim 23 wherein:

the pre-defined area of the touch sensitive screen includes an area that is operable, when touched, to enable the touch sensitive screen.

25. A method of operating a portable communications device comprising a display for entering and displaying data, the display having a touch sensitive screen, the method comprising:

receiving and processing voice call data; and

controlling operation of the device with a processor which, in response to a voice communication channel being established, is operable to disable at least a portion of the touch sensitive screen.