On-screen diagonal cursor navigation on a handheld communication device having a reduced alphabetic keyboard

• US 7,552,142 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mak-Fan, David, Lee, Matthew, Fyke, Steven, Bocking, Andrew, Bells, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo; Isaac M
• Application Number:
  US11/423,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20070209024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 715200-277, 345156-184
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 : including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 : by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 : by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 : Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Method an arrangement for affecting diagonal movement of a cursor 171 on the display screen 322 of a handheld communication device 300 having a reduced alphabetic keyboard. The method includes sensing movement at an auxiliary user input 328 of the handheld communication device 300 indicative of the user'"'"'s desire to affect diagonal movement of the cursor 171 on the display screen 322 of the handheld communication device 300. X-direction signals and Y-direction signals are produced based on the sensed movement at the auxiliary user input 328. During that time while the necessary signals are being collected and processed, the cursor 171 is held steady on the display screen 322 until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement or diagonal cursor movement.

Claims

1. A method for affecting diagonal movement of a cursor on a display screen of a handheld communication device, said method comprising:

sensing movement at an auxiliary user input of the handheld communication device indicative of the user'"'"'s desire to affect diagonal movement of the cursor on the display screen of the handheld communication device;

producing x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on said sensed movement at the auxiliary user input;

holding the cursor steady on the display screen while processing said x-direction signals and y-direction signals until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement or diagonal cursor movement; and

affecting diagonal cursor movement on the display screen of the handheld communication device when diagonal cursor movement is discriminated to have been user indicated, said handheld communication device comprises a lighted display located above a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device when said handheld communication device is in an operable configuration, said auxiliary user input being located essentially between the display and keyboard in the operable configuration and said keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated and wherein at least a portion of the individual keys have multiple letters associated therewith.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said handheld communication device transmits data to, and receives data from a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the data transmitted between said handheld communication device and the communication network supports voice and textual messaging.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said alphabetic letters are configured in one of a QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak layout.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said auxiliary user input is a trackball.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein motion of the trackball is assessed using a plurality of sensors that quantify rotational motion of the trackball about an intersecting x-axis and an intersecting y-axis of the trackball.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said plurality of sensors number two, one of said two sensors outputting signals indicative of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting y-axis of the trackball and the other of the two sensors outputting signals indicative of y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting x-axis of the trackball.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein said two sensors are oriented radially about the trackball with approximately ninety degree spacing therebetween.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein each of said two sensors is a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

10. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said plurality of sensors number four, a first pair of opposed sensors outputting signals indicative of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting y-axis of the trackball and a second pair of opposed sensors outputting signals indicative of a y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting x-axis of the trackball.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the four sensors are oriented radially about the trackball with approximately ninety degree spacing between consecutive sensors.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein each of said four sensors is a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

13. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein each produced x-direction signal represents a discrete amount of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and each produced y-direction signal represents a discrete amount of y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the predetermined criterion for discriminating user indicated x-direction cursor movement is identification of a threshold number of x-direction signals in a predetermined signal sample.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the predetermined criterion for discriminating user indicated y-direction cursor movement is identification of a threshold number of y-direction signals in a predetermined signal sample.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the predetermined criterion for discriminating user indicated diagonal cursor movement is identification of a threshold number of x-direction signals and a threshold number of y-direction signals in a predetermined signal sample.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein pattern recognition software is utilized to identify user indicated diagonal cursor movement based on analysis of a predetermined signal sample.

18. A method for affecting diagonal movement of a highlighting cursor amongst an array of icons on a display screen of a handheld communication device, said method comprising:

sensing movement at an auxiliary user input of the handheld communication device indicative of the user'"'"'s desire to affect diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor from a currently highlighted icon on the display screen to a diagonally located icon on the display screen of the handheld communication device;

producing x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on said sensed movement at the auxiliary user input;

holding the highlighting cursor steady on a presently highlighted icon on the display screen while processing said x-direction signals and y-direction signals until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated movement to an icon left or right of the presently highlighted icon, above or below the presently highlighted icon, or diagonally positioned relative to the presently highlighted icon; and

affecting diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor between diagonally positioned icons on the display screen of the handheld communication device when diagonal cursor movement is discriminated to have been user indicated, said handheld communication device comprises a lighted display located above a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device when said handheld communication device is in an operable configuration, said auxiliary user input being located essentially between the display and keyboard in the operable configuration and said keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated and wherein at least a portion of the individual keys have multiple letters associated therewith.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said handheld communication device transmits data to, and receives data from a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the data transmitted between said handheld communication device and the communication network supports voice and textual messaging.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said alphabetic letters are configured in one of a QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak layout.

22. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said auxiliary user input is a trackball.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein each sensor is a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

24. A handheld communication device capable of affecting diagonal movement of a highlighting cursor amongst an array of icons on a display screen of the handheld communication device, said handheld communication device comprising:

a lighted display located above a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device, said keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated and wherein at least a portion of the individual keys have multiple letters associated therewith;

an auxiliary user input located essentially between the display and keyboard;

sensors capable of sensing movement at the auxiliary user input indicative of the user'"'"'s desire to affect diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor from a currently highlighted icon on the display screen to a diagonally located icon on the display screen of the handheld communication device, said sensors producing x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on said sensed movement at the auxiliary user input; and

a processor capable of analyzing the produced x-direction signals and y-direction signals and outputting a cursor control signal that holds the highlighting cursor steady on a presently highlighted icon on the display screen during said processing and until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated movement to an icon left or right of the presently highlighted icon, above or below the presently highlighted icon, or diagonally positioned relative to the presently highlighted icon and then affecting diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor between diagonally positioned icons on the display screen of the handheld communication device when diagonal cursor movement is discriminated to have been user indicated.

25. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 24, wherein said auxiliary user input is a trackball.

26. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 25, wherein each sensor is a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

27. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 24, further comprising a radio transmitter capable of transmitting data to a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals and a radio receiver capable of receiving data from the communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

28. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 27, wherein the data transmitted between said handheld communication device and the communication network supports voice and textual messaging.

29. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 24, wherein said alphabetic letters are configured in one of a QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, and Dvorak layout.