Method and apparatus for implementing a virtual rotary dial pad on a portable electronic device

• US 8,406,816 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2009
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Marui, Keizo, Groux, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US12/364,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20100197353A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,512 Days
• Field of Search: 455564-566, 455418-420, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 345/156, 345/173, 715/702
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• 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 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A portable electronic device that allows a user to dial a telephone number using a virtual rotary dial pad configuration. The device includes a physically depressible touch screen display. Speed dialing is enabled by touching and dragging a selected numeric or non-numeric symbol to a predetermined location on the touch screen display and by holding the selected symbol at the predetermined location for a predetermined duration of time. Successful dialing of a symbol results in tactile, audio or visual feedback. Touching and dragging selected symbols may be replaced by touching the selected symbol and physically depressing the touch screen. Both numeric and non-numeric symbols may be dialed.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch screen display;

a communication system that allows the portable electronic device to send and receive wireless communications; and

a virtual rotary dial pad presented on the display, the dial pad enabling a user of the portable electronic device to dial numeric and non-numeric symbols and to call a telephone number using the display and the communication system;

the virtual rotary dial pad having a specific location on the display to which a selected numeric or non-numeric symbol may be rotated;

the virtual rotary dial pad enabled to perform a speed dial function responsive to rotation of the selected symbol to the specific location and holding the selected symbol at the specific location for a specific duration of time in conjunction with physical depression of the display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the virtual rotary dial pad rotates when individual numeric and non-numeric symbols are dialed.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a feedback generator that generates feedback to the user when a numeric or non-numeric symbol has been rotated to the specific location.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback generator is a vibrator of the device.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback generator is a speaker of the device.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the feedback generator is the display.

7. A method of dialing a telephone number using a virtual rotary dial pad on a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

touching a symbol on a touch screen display of the portable electronic device, the available symbols being both numeric and non-numeric;

dragging the touched symbol to a specific location on the display, thereby resulting in the touched symbol being dialed; and

performing a speed dial function responsive to the dragged symbol being held at the specific location for a specific duration of time in conjunction with physical depression of the display.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of dragging the touched symbol to the specific location results in each selectable symbol of the virtual rotary dial pad being rotated.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating feedback to a user when the touched symbol is dragged to the specific location.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the generated feedback is one of a vibration, an audio, and a visual feedback.

11. A system for using hardware of a portable electronic device to dial a telephone number, the system comprising:

a portable electronic device that includes a touch screen display, a processor, and a memory; and

instructions stored in the memory and acted upon by the processor to;

render on the touch screen display a virtual rotary dial pad that enables dialing of both numeric and non-numeric symbols; and

perform a speed dial function responsive to one of said symbols being dragged to a specific location on the touch screen display and held at the specific location for a specific duration of time in conjunction with physical depression of the display.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the instructions direct the device to generate tactile, audio or visual feedback upon the dialing of a symbol.