On-screen cursor navigation delimiting on a handheld communication device

• US 8,635,559 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Matthew Richard, Butt, Fahd Sohail, Talukdar, Taneem
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadeese
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hope, Darrin
• Application Number:
  US11/618,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20080163129A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 715/859, 715/856, 715/860, 715/864, 345/157, 345/167
• US Class Current: 715/859
• 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 1/169 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 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• 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 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

A handheld communication device and method for affecting movement of a highlighting cursor amongst an array of icons on a display screen is described. In an embodiment, the handheld communication device includes a lighted display, a keyboard and an auxiliary user input, e.g. a trackball, located essentially between the display and keyboard. The auxiliary user input is used to move the highlighting cursor from a first icon located on the display screen, to a second icon located on the display screen. In operation, the highlighting cursor is prevented from moving from a first row of icons to a successive second row of icons when a cross-wise directed force is applied to the auxiliary user input and the highlighted cursor has reached a terminal icon of the first row.

Claims

1. A handheld communication device capable of affecting movement of a highlighting cursor amongst an array of icons arranged in rows and columns on a display of the handheld communication device, the rows being oriented along a first dimension and the columns being oriented along a second dimension, said handheld communication device comprising:

the display;

an input device configured to;

generate first input signals upon being manipulated in a first direction that corresponds to the first dimension; and

generate second input signals upon being manipulated in a second direction that corresponds to the second dimension;

a sensor that measures a manipulation rate of the input device, the manipulation rate being associated with at least one of the corresponding first direction and second direction; and

a microprocessor communicatively coupled to the input device, the sensor, and the display, the microprocessor programmed to;

receive the first input signals and the second input signals;

receive the manipulation rate associated with at least one of the corresponding first direction and second direction;

determine whether the manipulation rate exceeds a preselected threshold;

generate first navigation signals when the manipulation rate exceeds the preselected threshold, the first navigation signals being configured to navigate the highlighting cursor substantially directly to a terminal icon within the array of icons;

generate second navigation signals when the manipulation rate does not exceed the preselected threshold, the second navigation signals being configured to navigate the highlighting cursor sequentially through icons in one of the corresponding rows or columns, the corresponding rows and columns including terminal icons; and

pin the highlighting cursor at one of the terminal icons when the microprocessor continues to receive at least one of the first navigation signals and the second navigation signals.

2. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the input device is a trackball.

3. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to generate the second navigation signals to navigate the highlighting cursor along a same row or a same column upon receiving the first input signals or the second input signals, respectively.

4. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary input device that instructs the microprocessor to navigate the highlighting cursor substantially directly to the terminal icon.

5. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 4, wherein the auxiliary input device is disposed along a side of said handheld communication device.

6. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a keyboard, the auxiliary input device being disposed proximate to at least one of a top and a bottom of the keyboard.

7. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to generate the second navigation signals to navigate the highlighting cursor between rows or columns upon receiving the second input signals or the first input signals, respectively.

8. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the microprocessor is programmed to dispose a commonly utilized icon at a predetermined location about said display.

9. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 8, wherein the microprocessor disposes said commonly utilized icon at a corner location amongst said array of icons.

10. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 8, wherein the microprocessor disposes said commonly utilized icon along a side location amongst said array of icons.

11. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 8, wherein the input device generates an auxiliary signal that instructs the microprocessor to navigate the highlighting cursor to said commonly utilized icon.

12. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 9, wherein the microprocessor is responsive to a user selecting the predetermined location to dispose the commonly utilized icon.

13. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 1, wherein the manipulation rate includes information on at least one of an amount of force applied to the input device and an acceleration applied to the input device.

14. A method for affecting movement of a highlighting cursor on a display of a handheld communication device, the display having an array of icons arranged in rows and columns with the rows being oriented along a first dimension and the columns being oriented along a second dimension, said method comprising:

receiving first input signals at a microprocessor, the first input signals being generated by an input device that is manipulated in a first direction corresponding to the first dimension;

receiving second input signals at the microprocessor, the second input signals being generated by the input device that is manipulated in a second direction corresponding to the second dimension;

measuring a manipulation rate of the input device, the manipulation rate being associated with at least one of the corresponding first direction and second direction;

determining whether the manipulation rate exceeds a preselected threshold;

generating first navigation signals when the manipulation rate exceeds the preselected threshold, the first navigation signals being configured to navigate the highlighting cursor substantially directly to a terminal icon within the array of icons;

generating second navigation signals when the manipulation rate does not exceed the preselected threshold, the second navigation signals being configured to navigate the highlighting cursor sequentially through icons in one of the corresponding rows or columns, the corresponding rows and columns including terminal icons; and

pinning the highlighting cursor at one of the terminal icons when the microprocessor continues to receive at least one of the first navigation signals and the second navigation signals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first input signals and the second input signals are generated by a trackball.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving the second navigation signals to navigate the highlighting cursor along a same row

or a same column.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising disposing a commonly utilized icon at a predetermined location on said display.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein disposing said commonly utilized icon includes positioning the commonly utilized icon at a corner location amongst said array of icons.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an auxiliary signal to navigate said highlighting cursor to said commonly utilized icon.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving an auxiliary input signal to directly navigate said highlighting cursor to said predetermined location.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein disposing the commonly utilized icon at the predetermined location includes enabling a user to select the predetermined location.

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the manipulation rate includes information on at least one of an amount of force applied to the input device and an acceleration applied to the input device.