Defining user input fields on a portable media device

• US 7,889,173 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Abanami, Thamer A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio; Insa
• Application Number:
  US11/532,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/158, 345/169
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A user may always know that on a portable media device, by pressing an input field in particular location, such as the input field to the right of the center point of a plurality of input fields, the same function may occur no matter what the orientation of the device.

Claims

1. A portable media device comprising:

a housing;

a display mounted on the housing;

a memory that stores computer executable instructions and in which music files can be stored;

a processor being adapted to execute the computer executable instructions stored in the memory;

a reporting device that is adapted to provide an orientation indication signal that is generally representative of an orientation of the portable music player;

at least four actuatable keys peripherally arranged around a center point on the housing, the at least four actuatable keys extending perpendicularly away from the housing to provide tactile feedback to a user when the user grasps the portable media device and touches one or more of the at least four actuatable keys;

wherein, when the portable media device is disposed in a first orientation, first, second, third and fourth ones of the at least four keys are disposed in an orientation below, above, forward and behind the center point;

wherein, when the portable media device is disposed in a second orientation in which the housing is rotated 180 degrees about the axis defined by the center point away from the first orientation, the first, second, third and fourth ones of the at least four keys are disposed in an orientation above, below, right and left of the center point;

wherein the computer executable instructions comprising instructions for receiving the orientation indication from the reporting device;

wherein the computer executable instructions include a first set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, assigns a first portable media player function to the first key when the portable media player device is disposed in the first orientation and, when the orientation of the portable media player is changed to the second orientation, assigns the first portable media player function to the second key;

wherein the computer executable instructions include a second set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, assigns a second portable media player function to the second key when the portable media player device is disposed in the first orientation and, when the orientation of the portable media player is changed to the second orientation, assigns the second portable media player function to the first key;

wherein the computer executable instructions include a third set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, assigns a third portable media player function to the third key when the portable media player device is disposed in the first orientation and, when the orientation of the portable media player is changed to the second orientation, assigns the third portable media player function to the fourth key;

wherein the computer executable instructions include a fourth set of instructions that, when executed by the processor, assigns a fourth portable media player function to the fourth key when the portable media player device is disposed in the first orientation and, when the orientation of the portable media player is changed to the second orientation, assigns the fourth portable media player function to the fourth key;

a tuner that is adapted to receive radio signals and play the received radio signals, actuation of the third and fourth keys allowing a user to increase and decrease, respectively, the volume of the played radio signals; and

wherein the portable media device is designed so that a user can choose to activate a particular one of the first, second, third and fourth portable media functions only by means of the tactile feedback that is given to a user when a user grasps the portable media device and touches the first, second, third and fourth keys.

2. The portable media player of claim 1, wherein the first portable media player function comprises a forward function that, when executed, allows a user to stop playing a first music file stored in the memory and start playing a second music file stored in the memory.

3. The portable media player of claim 2, wherein the second portable media player function comprises a reverse function that, when executed, allows a user to cause the portable media device to stop playing the second music file and start playing the first music file.

4. The portable media player of claim 3, wherein the third portable media player function comprises an increase function that, when executed at a time when a third music file from the memory is being played, a user can increase the volume of the played third music file.

5. The portable media player of claim 4, wherein the fourth portable media player function comprises a decrease function that, when executed at a time when a fourth music file from the memory is being played, a user can decrease the volume of the played fourth music file.