Radiotelephones having contact-sensitive user interfaces and methods of operating same

• US 8,812,059 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Thornton, Curtis Wayne, Hayes, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H
• Application Number:
  US13/682,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20130143626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 379/428.01, 345/173
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/1643 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 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/043 using propagating acoustic waves
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• 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 device includes a housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces; the rear surface configured engage a user'"'"'s palm. The device includes a radiotelephone communications transceiver and a contact-sensitive display, supported by the housing. The contact sensitive display is configured to display an image at the front surface of the housing, and produce an output signal in response to moving contact of an object along a contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive display. The device also includes a controller configured to control at least one of the display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver and to scroll displayed rows along an axis of the display based upon the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. The controller has a mode that is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing including a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite edges of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite edges of the front surface to respective opposite edges of the rear surface, the rear surface configured to be engaged by a user'"'"'s palm during use of the device;

a radiotelephone communications transceiver, supported by the housing;

a contact-sensitive display, supported by the housing, the contact sensitive display configured to;

display an image at the front surface of the housing, and

produce an output signal in response to moving contact of an object along a contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive display; and

a controller, operatively coupled to the contact-sensitive display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver, the controller configured to control at least one of the contact-sensitive display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver and to scroll displayed rows along an axis of the contact-sensitive display based upon the output signal of the contact-sensitive display, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive surface and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive surface, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact-sensitive display is configured to produce the output signal in response to the user moving a finger across the contact-sensitive surface.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is operative to selectively display an icon on the contact-sensitive display.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the controller is operative to detect selection by the user of a display selected by the user.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein the controller is operative to detect selection by the user performing a single tap operation at a location of the icon.

6. The device of according to claim 4, wherein the controller is operative to detect selection by the user performing a double tap operation at a location of the icon.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact-sensitive display is configured to produce the output signal in response to detecting a single tap operation on the contact-sensitive surface.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact-sensitive display is configured to produce the output signal in response to detecting a double tap operation on the contact-sensitive surface.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact-sensitive display is configured to produce the output signal in response to detecting a predetermined number of multiple contacts on the contact-sensitive surface within a predetermined time interval.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of contact-sensitive buttons supported by the housing.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a user input indicating one of a first mode and a second mode of operation;

in response to receiving the user input indicating the first mode of operation;

providing on a contact-sensitive surface a display including at least one of an alphanumeric character and an icon;

detecting contact on the contact-sensitive surface at a location corresponding to the alphanumeric character or the icon;

generating an output signal in response to the detecting step; and

taking an action in response to the output signal; and

in response to receiving the user input indicating the second mode of operation;

detecting contact on the contact-sensitive surface;

generating an output signal in response to the detecting step; and

taking no action in response to the output signal.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein detecting contact on the contact-sensitive surface at the location corresponding to the alphanumeric character or the icon includes detecting a swiping motion by a user across the contact-sensitive surface.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein detecting contact on the contact-sensitive surface at the location corresponding to the alphanumeric character or the icon includes detecting a tapping motion by a user on the contact-sensitive surface.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein taking an action in response to the output signal includes changing the display provided on the contact-sensitive surface.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein changing the display includes scrolling rows of displayed alphanumeric characters in a direction indicated by moving contact on the contact-sensitive surface.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein changing the display includes sequentially highlighting rows of displayed alphanumeric characters in response to a swiping motion on the contact-sensitive surface.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein taking an action in response to the output signal includes generating a command to a telecommunications transceiver.

18. A device, comprising:

housing means;

display means, supported by the housing means, for displaying an image at a front surface of the housing means;

contact-sensitive means, supported by the housing means, for producing an output signal in response to moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive means;

control means for, responsive to the output signal, for scrolling displayed rows along an axis of the display means based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive means; and

means for receiving input from a user and for placing the control means in a first mode wherein the control means is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive means and a second mode wherein the control means is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive means, the second mode being entered in response to the input from the user.

19. The device according to claim 18, wherein the contact-sensitive means is embedded within the display means.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein the housing means includes means for engaging with a user'"'"'s palm during use of the device.