Method and apparatus for integrating a wide keyboard in a small device

• US 7,336,263 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Valikangas, Jyrki
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus; Almis R.
• Application Number:
  US10/501,895
• Publication Number:
  US 20050140660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for using a wide keyboard including a wide range of keys in small mobile devices. A method relates to operating a mobile device having a touch sensitive display divided in input and output portions. A first location of a tactile input is detected on an input portion of the touch sensitive display displaying a plurality of keys. Next the input portion display view is zoomed by displaying and linearly magnifying the detected tactile input area and it'"'"'s surrounding. A second location of a tactile input is detected and a key on the location of a second detected tactile input is highlighted. The highlighted key is activated and identified as an input.

Claims

1. A method for operating a mobile device having a touch sensitive display, the method comprising:

dividing the touch sensitive display into an adjustable input portion and an adjustable output portion, areas of the adjustable input and output portions being adjustable with respect to each other,

displaying a plurality of keys within the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display,

detecting a location of a first tactile input on the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display displaying a plurality of keys,

zooming a view of the adjustable input portion by displaying and linearly magnifying an area within which the first tactile input was detected,

detecting a location of a second tactile input after magnifying said area,

highlighting a key on the location of the second detected tactile input, and

activating the highlighted key and identifying the activated key as an input.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the divided adjustable input and output portions in the touch sensitive display are adjusted application specific.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the divided adjustable input and output portions in the touch sensitive display are user adjustable.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting the location of the first tactile input includes discriminating whether the first tactile input was intended to control a function or a mode of the device or to select a key displayed within the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zooming step magnifies the area within which the first tactile input was detected and its surroundings in the touch sensitive display by a predetermined rate.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the magnification rate is specified by an application.

7. A method according to claim 5, wherein the magnification rate is determined by a user.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein in the zooming, the area within which the first tactile input was detected and its surroundings are magnified and a view shown by the rest of the adjustable input portion is hid.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein as a response to a persisting tactile input within the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display the zooming is performed a plurality of times.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein in the zooming, the magnification is implemented in sequential steps.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein in the zooming, the magnification is implemented stepless as a response to a persisting tactile input.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the activating is performed as a response to the tactile input being released.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the location detection actions of the first and the second tactile input and the activating is performed as a response to a situation in which a tactile input has been fixed for a predetermined period of time.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein after the activating is performed, the display view is displayed in a zoomed mode or returned back to an original mode depending on application specific determinations.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein after the activating is performed, the display view is displayed in a zoomed mode or returned back to an original mode depending on user specific determinations.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensitive display capable for being divided into an adjustable input portion and into an adjustable output portion, areas of the adjustable input and output portions being adjustable with respect to each other and the adjustable input portion being adapted to display a plurality of keys and to detect a tactile input,

a zooming circuit for zooming a view of the adjustable input portion for displaying and linearly magnifying an area surrounding a location of a first detected tactile input,

a highlighting circuit for highlighting a key on a location of a second detected tactile input, and

an activating circuit for activating the highlighted key and identifying the activated key as an input.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising means for adjusting the adjustable input and output portions application specific.

18. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the adjustable input and output portions are user-adjustable.

19. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising a processor coupled to the touch sensitive display for detecting a tactile input.

20. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising means for discriminating a type of a tactile input.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, comprising a processor for comparing the differences in times and locations of the first and the second detected tactile inputs for discriminating the type of at least one of the following:

the

first tactile input and the second tactile input.

22. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising means for linearly magnifying the area surrounding the location of the first detected tactile input and for hiding a view shown by the rest of the adjustable input portion.

23. An apparatus according to claim 22, comprising means for specifying a rate of the magnification by an application.

24. An apparatus according to claim 22, comprising means for determining a rate of the magnification by a user.

25. An apparatus according to claim 22, comprising means for magnifying the area surrounding the location of the first detected tactile input in sequential steps.

26. An apparatus according to claim 22, comprising means for magnifying the area surrounding the location of the first detected tactile input in a stepless manner as a response to a persisting tactile input.

27. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising means for displaying a symbol or executing a function as a response to an activating tactile input.

28. An apparatus according to claim 16, comprising means for scrolling the viewed adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display for changing the viewed area of the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display.

29. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the apparatus is a mobile device.

30. An apparatus having a touch sensitive display, the apparatus including:

means for dividing the touch sensitive display into an adjustable input portion and into an adjustable output portion, areas of the adjustable input and output portions being adjustable with respect to each other,

means for detecting a first tactile input on the adjustable input portion,

means for zooming a view of the adjustable input portion for displaying and linearly magnifying an area surrounding a location of the first detected tactile input,

means for highlighting a key on a location of a second detected tactile input, and

means for activating the highlighted key and identifying the activated key as an input.

31. A readable medium having a program code stored thereon for execution by a processor for operating a mobile device having a touch sensitive display, the program code when executed by said processor:

dividing the touch sensitive display into an adjustable input portion and an adjustable output portion, areas of the adjustable input and output portions being adjustable with respect to each other,

displaying a plurality of keys within the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display,

detecting a location of a first tactile input on the adjustable input portion of the touch sensitive display displaying a plurality of keys,

zooming a view of the adjustable input portion by displaying and linearly magnifying an area within which the first tactile input was detected,

detecting a location of a second tactile input after magnifying said area,

highlighting a key on the location of the second detected tactile input, and

activating the highlighted key and identifying the activated key as an input.