Input sensitive user interface

• US 8,198,568 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Klinghult, Gunnar
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US11/551,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20080085743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,062 Days
• Field of Search: 219/494, 219/497, 219/499, 219/501, 219/505, 219/506, 345/169
• US Class Current: 219/497
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• 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 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/67 by electronic means
• 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

Abstract

A device may include a thermo-sensitive, tactile-responsive user interface that may be used in activating and/or deactivating a key lock function to control operation of the user interface.

Claims

1. A mobile communication device having a plurality of user input mechanisms, the mobile communication device comprising:

a housing to support the plurality of user input mechanisms;

at least one sensor to sense parameter information associated with a first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of acoustically-sensitive and photo-sensitive;

logic to;

determine, based on the sensed parameter information, a reference state associated with the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

determine, based on the reference state, a change in the parameter information at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms; and

enable operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the determined change in the parameter information; and

where the parameter information comprises a time rate-of-change of a temperature at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

2. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the parameter information comprises tactile information corresponding to a position of a finger of a user relative to the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

3. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic enables the operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on a concurrent sensing of a plurality of parameter information.

4. The mobile communication device of claim 3, where the parameter information further comprises a temperature at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms corresponding to a position of a portion of a user relative to the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

5. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

determines whether the reference state comprises a valid reference state based on a predetermined value, and

enables, when the reference state is determined not to comprise the valid reference state, the operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

6. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

determines, based on the parameter information and the reference state, that a thermal threshold value is achieved, and

enables the operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms when the thermal threshold value is determined to be achieved.

7. The mobile communication device of claim 6, where the logic:

determines whether the reference state comprises a valid reference state, and where, when the reference state is determined not to comprise the valid reference state, the thermal threshold value is deemed to have been achieved.

8. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

enables the operation of at least a second one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on parameter information associated with the at least a second one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

9. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

enables operation of another one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the enabled operation of the first one of the plurality of input mechanisms.

10. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the parameter information is selected by a user.

11. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

disables the operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms after a predetermined amount of time.

12. The mobile communication device of claim 1, where the logic:

disables the operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the parameter information sensed by the at least one sensor.

13. The mobile communications device of claim 6, further comprising:

means for determining a heat transfer rate associated with the parameter information, wherein the thermal threshold value is based on the heat transfer rate.

14. A mobile communication device having a plurality of user input mechanisms, the mobile communication device comprising:

a housing to support the plurality of user input mechanisms;

at least one sensor to sense parameter information associated with a first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of acoustically-sensitive and photo-sensitive;

logic to;

determine, based on the sensed parameter information, a reference state associated with the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

determine, based on the reference state, a change in the parameter information at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms; and

enable operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the determined change in the parameter information; and

where the at least one sensor senses at least two different types of parameter information at a single point of contact.

15. In a communication device including a plurality user input mechanisms, a method comprising:

providing a housing to support the plurality of user input mechanisms;

providing at least one sensor to;

sense parameter information at a first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of acoustically-sensitive and photo-sensitive;

providing logic to;

determine, based on the sensed parameter information, a reference state associated with the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

determine, based on the reference state, a change in the parameter information at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

enable operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the determined change in the parameter information; and

determine whether the reference state comprises a valid reference state based on a predetermined value; and

wherein the first threshold is based on a difference between the reference state and the sensed thermal parameter information.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

deactivating a lock on operation of at least one of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms or a second one of the plurality of user input mechanisms when the parameter information attains a first threshold.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining whether the reference state comprises a valid reference state based on a predetermined value.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein when the reference state is invalid, the method further comprises:

deeming the first threshold to be attained irrespective of the detected parameter information.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

deactivating a lock when the detected parameter information reaches the first threshold.

20. In a communication device including a plurality user input mechanisms, a method comprising:

providing a housing to support the plurality of user input mechanisms;

providing at least one sensor to;

sense parameter information at a first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms, wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of acoustically-sensitive and photo-sensitive;

providing logic to;

determine, based on the sensed parameter information, a reference state associated with the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

determine, based on the reference state, a change in the parameter information at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

enable operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the determined change in the parameter information; and

determine whether the reference state comprises a valid reference state based on a predetermined value; and

wherein the parameter information comprises a time rate-of-change of a temperature at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms.

21. A mobile communication device having a plurality of user input mechanisms, the mobile communication device comprising:

a housing to support the plurality of user input mechanisms;

at least one sensor to sense parameter information associated with a first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

wherein the at least one sensor is at least one of acoustically-sensitive and photo-sensitive;

logic to;

determine, based on the sensed parameter information, a reference state associated with the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms;

determine, based on the reference state, a change in the parameter information at the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms; and

enable operation of the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms based on the determined change in the parameter information;

wherein;

the first one of the plurality of user input mechanisms comprises a thermo-sensitive, tactile-responsive user interface; and

a key lock to control input via the user interface, wherein operation of the key lock is based on a determined change in a thermal parameter information and a touch detected by the user interface.

22. The mobile communications device of claim 21, wherein the detection of the determined change in the thermal parameter information occurs concurrently with the detection of the touch.