Using touchscreen by pointing means

• US 7,023,428 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2002
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pihlaja, Pekka
• Primary Examiner(s): WU, XIAO MIN
• Application Number:
  US10/327,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20030146905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 345/156, 345/157, 345/162, 178/18.01, 178/18.1, 178/19.01
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method for selecting a function on a touchscreen. At least one element is displayed on the screen for providing a function. The function is arranged to be executed in response to activating the element. A cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged to be shown on the screen. The handle part of the cursor is arranged substantially at a point on the screen indicated by a user such that the pointing part resides on the screen substantially at a different point than the indicated point. The element indicated by the pointing part is activated in response to the user selecting the element.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a function on a touchscreen comprising at least one element for providing the function configured to be executed in response to activating said element, wherein

a cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged on the touchscreen, said pointing part and/or handle part is modifiable with respect to at least one of the following parameters:

a distance between a point indicated by the pointing part and the handle part,

a direction of the point indicated with respect to the handle part,

size of the handle part;

the method comprising;

arranging said handle part of the cursor substantially at a point on the touchscreen indicated by a user by a pointing means such that said pointing part resides on the touchscreen substantially at a different location than the point indicated, and

activating the element indicated by the pointing part in response to the user selecting the element.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

arranging a threshold value to be stored in a memory for a distance between a point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the pointing part,

comparing the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part with the threshold value, and

activating a predetermined operation mode in response to a relation between said threshold value and the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying said handle part on the touchscreen such that it does not conceal other information on the touchscreen.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying said point indicated by the user by means of a touch of the pointing means on the touchscreen, and

selecting the element indicated by the pointing part in response to releasing the touch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the touchscreen is configured to identify the intensity of a touch, whereby

said point indicated by the user is identified in response to touching the touchscreen substantially lightly, and

the element indicated by the pointing part is selected in response to a substantially more intense touch.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

identifying said point indicated by the user by means of the pointing means residing substantially close to the surface of the touchscreen, and

selecting the element indicated by the pointing part in response to touching the touchscreen.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

arranging a threshold value to be stored in a memory for a distance between a point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the pointing part,

comparing the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part with the threshold value, and

selecting said element indicated by the pointing part in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part being shorter than said threshold value, or

scrolling the touchscreen in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part being longer than said threshold value.

8. An electronic device configured to display at least one element on a touchscreen in order to provide a function configured to be executed in response to activating said element, wherein

a cursor comprising a handle part and a pointing part is arranged on the touchscreen, said pointing part and/or handle part is configured to be modified with respect to at least one of the following parameters:

a distance between a point indicated by the pointing part and the handle part,

a direction of the indicated point with respect to the handle part,

size of the handle part;

said handle part of the cursor is configured to be adjusted substantially at a point on the touchscreen indicated by a user by a pointing means such that said pointing part resides on the screen substantially at a different location than the indicated point, and

the element indicated by the pointing part is activated in response to the user selecting the element.

9. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to store in a memory a threshold value for a distance between a point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the pointing part,

the device is configured to compare the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part with the threshold value, and

a predetermined operation mode is activated in response to a relation between said threshold value and the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part.

10. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

said handle part is configured for display on the touchscreen such that it does not conceal other information on the touchscreen.

11. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to identify said point indicated by the user by means of a touch of the pointing means on the touchscreen, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to releasing the touch.

12. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the touchscreen is configured to identify the intensity of a touch, whereby

the device is configured to identify said point indicated by the user in response to touching the touchscreen substantially lightly, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to a substantially more intense touch.

13. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to identify said point indicated by the user by the pointing means residing substantially close to the surface of the touchscreen, and

the device is configured to select the element in response to touching the touchscreen.

14. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the device is configured to store in a memory a threshold value for a distance between a point indicated on the touchscreen and a previous location of the pointing part, and

the device is configured to compare the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part with the threshold value, and

the device is configured to select the element indicated by the pointing part in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part being shorter than said threshold value, or

the device is configured to scroll the touchscreen in response to the distance between the point indicated on the touchscreen and the previous location of the pointing part being longer than said threshold value.

15. The electronic device of claim 8, wherein

the handle part and the pointing part are substantially separate parts.