Mobile terminals including multiple user interfaces on different faces thereof configured to be used in tandem and related methods of operation

• US 8,395,584 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2008
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sisvel International S.A. (Fineur International S.A.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Griffin, Jeffrey Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H
• Application Number:
  US12/017,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,876 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-178
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A mobile terminal includes a housing, a first user interface located on a first face of the housing, a second user interface located on a second face of the housing different from the first face, and a controller within the housing and coupled to the first and second user interfaces. The second user interface includes a touch sensor configured to be used in tandem with the first user interface. The second user interface is positioned on the housing relative to the first user interface such that, when the mobile terminal is held in the user'"'"'s hand, the first user interface is operable by a thumb and the second user interface is operable by a finger of the same hand. The first user interface is configured to receive a first user input, and the second user interface is configured to receive a second user input. The controller is configured to detect a combination of the received first and second user inputs, and is configured to perform a mobile terminal function associated with the detected combination responsive to detection of the combination. Related user interfaces and methods of operation are also discussed.

Claims

1. A mobile terminal, comprising:

a housing sized and configured to be held in a user'"'"'s hand;

a first user interface located on a first face of the housing and configured to receive a first user input, wherein the first user interface includes a physical or virtual button;

a second user interface located on a second face of the housing different from the first face and configured to receive a second user input, the second user interface comprising a touch sensor configured to be used in tandem with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface is positioned on the housing relative to the first user interface to enable one-handed operation of the mobile terminal; and

a controller within the housing and coupled to the first and second user interfaces, wherein the controller is configured to detect a combination of the received first and second user inputs and perform a mobile terminal function associated with the detected combination responsive to detecting the combination, and wherein the controller is configured to perform no mobile terminal functions responsive to detecting receipt of the second user input without receipt of the first user input such that the second user interface is not configured to be used without the first user interface,

wherein the button includes at least three alphanumeric characters and/or symbols associated therewith, and wherein;

the controller is configured to enter a first one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input;

the controller is configured to enter a second one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a first direction of motion in on the second user interface as the second user input; and

the controller is configured to enter a third one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a second direction of motion different from the first direction on the second user interface as the second user input.

2. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the second face comprises a back of the mobile terminal housing configured to face away from a user during operation of the mobile terminal.

3. The mobile terminal of claim 2, wherein the first face comprises a front of the mobile terminal housing opposite the back and configured to face toward the user during operation of the mobile terminal.

4. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to detect the combination based on first and second user inputs that are received substantially concurrently via the first and second user interfaces, respectively.

5. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first user interface comprises a keypad including the physical button.

6. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the first user interface comprises a second touch sensor.

7. The mobile terminal of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine a handedness of the user and perform the function responsive to detection of a different combination of the first and second user inputs based on the handedness of the user.

8. A method of operating a handheld mobile terminal, the method comprising:

receiving a first user input via a first user interface located on a first face of a mobile terminal housing, wherein the first user interface includes a physical or virtual button and/or receiving a second user input via a second user interface located on a second face of the mobile terminal housing different from the first face, the second user interface comprising a touch sensor configured to be used in tandem with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface is positioned on the housing relative to the first user interface to enable one-handed operation of the mobile terminal;

performing a mobile terminal function associated with a detected combination of the first and second user inputs responsive to receiving the first and second user inputs; and

performing no mobile terminal functions responsive to receiving the second user input without receiving the first user input,

wherein the button includes at least three alphanumeric characters and/or symbols associated therewith, and wherein performing the mobile terminal function further comprises;

entering a first one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input;

entering a second one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a first direction of motion on the second user interface as the second user input; and

entering a third one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a second direction of motion different from the first direction on the second user interface as the second user input.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the following when the mobile terminal is held in a user'"'"'s hand:

operating the first user interface responsive to a thumb of the user'"'"'s hand to provide the first user input; and

operating the second user interface responsive to a finger of the same hand to provide the second user input and enable one-handed operation of the mobile terminal.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the second face comprises a back of the mobile terminal housing configured to face away from a user during mobile terminal operation.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first face comprises a front of the mobile terminal housing opposite the back and configured to face toward the user during mobile terminal operation.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting the combination of the first and second user inputs responsive to receiving the first and second user inputs substantially concurrently via the first and second user interfaces, respectively.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the first user interface comprises a second touch sensor.

14. A non-transitory computer program product for operating a handheld mobile terminal, the computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium including computer readable program code embodied therein, wherein, when executed on at least one processor, the computer readable program code causes the at least one processor to:

receive a first user input via a first user interface including a physical or virtual button located on a first face of a mobile terminal housing and/or receive a second user input via a second user interface located on a second face of the mobile terminal housing different from the first face, the second user interface comprising a touch sensor configured to be used in tandem with the first user interface, wherein the second user interface is positioned on the housing relative to the first user interface to enable one-handed operation of the mobile terminal;

perform a mobile terminal function associated with a detected combination of the first and second user inputs responsive to receiving the first and second user inputs; and

perform no mobile terminal functions responsive to receiving the second user input without receiving the first user input such that the second user interface is not configured to be used without the first user interface

wherein the button includes at least three alphanumeric characters and/or symbols associated therewith, and wherein the computer readable program code further causes the at least one processor to;

enter a first one of the associated, characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input;

enter a second one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a first direction of motion on the second user interface as the second user input; and

enter a third one of the associated characters and/or symbols responsive to detecting activation of the button on the first user interface as the first user input in combination with detecting a second direction of motion different from the first direction on the second user interface as the second user input.