Portable electronic device with a touch-sensitive display and navigation device and method

• US 8,854,316 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Shenfield, Alon
• Primary Examiner(s): Hicks, Charles V
• Application Number:
  US12/837,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20120013543A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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

Abstract

A method includes detecting a touch at a location on a touch-sensitive display, receiving an input by a navigation device, and performing a function associated with at least one of the touch and the input in response to elapsing of a time period between detecting the touch and receiving the input.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a touch at a location on a touch-sensitive display;

receiving an input by a navigation device separated from the touch-sensitive display by a distance;

determining a time between detecting the touch and receiving the input;

performing a first function associated with the touch and a second function associated with the input in response to determining that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is not within a predetermined time period;

in response to determining that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is within the predetermined time period;

performing the second function associated with the input, and not performing the first function associated with the touch, when;

the touch is detected prior to receiving the input and the input is in a direction away from the location of the touch;

or

the input is received prior to detecting the touch and the input is in a direction toward the location of the touch.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input comprises a scrolling input at the navigation device.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first function and the second function are performed in response to determining that the location is outside a predetermined area of the touch-sensitive display.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first function and the second function are performed in response to determining that the location is not within a predetermined distance of the navigation device.

5. The method according to claim 1, comprising:

in response to determining that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is within the predetermined time period;

performing the first function associated with the touch and the second function associated with the input when;

the touch is detected prior to receiving the input and the input is in a direction toward the location of the touch;

or

the input is received prior to detecting the touch and the input is in a direction away from the location of the touch.

6. The method according to claim 1, comprising starting a timer to determine when the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second function associated with the input is performed when the touch on the touch-sensitive display is not a moving touch.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage device having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of a portable electronic device to perform the method according to claim 1.

9. A method comprising:

detecting a touch at a location on a touch-sensitive display;

receiving an input by a navigation device separated from the touch-sensitive display by a distance;

determining a time between detecting the touch and receiving the input;

performing a first function associated with the touch and a second function associated with the input in response to determining that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is not within a predetermined time period;

in response to determining that the touch moves a distance greater than a threshold distance and that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is within the predetermined time period;

performing the first function associated with the touch, and not performing the second function associated with the input when;

the input is received prior to detecting the touch and the touch moves in a direction away from the navigation device;

or

the touch is detected prior to receiving the input and the touch moves in a direction toward the navigation device.

10. The method according to claim 9, comprising:

in response to determining that the touch moves a distance greater than a threshold distance and that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is within the predetermined time period;

performing the first function associated with the touch and the second function associated with the input when;

the input is received prior to detecting the touch and the touch moves in a direction toward the navigation device; and

the touch is detected prior to receiving the touch and the touch direction moves away from the navigation device.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display;

a navigation device separated from the touch-sensitive display by a distance;

a processor operably coupled to detect a touch at a location on the touch-sensitive display, receive an input from a navigation device, determine a time between detecting the touch and receiving the input, and perform a first function associated with the touch and a second function associated with the input in response to determining that the time between detecting the touch and receiving the input is not within a predetermined time period,

wherein, when the location of the touch is within a predetermined distance of the navigation device, when the input is received within the predetermined time period prior to detecting the touch, and when the touch has moved in a direction away from the navigation device, performing the first function associated with the touch after the touch moves a threshold distance from the location and not performing the second function associated with the input.

12. The portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the navigation device comprises one of a touch-sensitive track pad, a trackball, and an optical joystick.

13. The portable electronic device according to claim 11, wherein, when the location of the touch is within a predetermined distance of the navigation device, when the input is received within the predetermined time period prior to detecting the touch, and when a direction of the input is toward the touch, performing the second function associated with the input and not performing the first function associated with the touch.

14. A method comprising:

detecting a touch at a location on the touch-sensitive display;

receiving a scrolling input at a navigation device separated from the touch-sensitive display by a distance;

determining a time between detecting the touch and receiving the scrolling input;

when the location of the touch is not within a predetermined distance of the navigation device;

performing a first function associated with the touch; and

performing a second function associated with the scrolling input;

when the location of the touch is within the predetermined distance of the navigation device and the time between detecting the touch and receiving the scrolling input is within a predetermined time period;

when the scrolling input is received within the predetermined time period prior to detecting the touch and when the touch has moved in a direction away from the navigation device, performing the first function associated with the touch after the touch moves a threshold distance from the location and not performing the second function;

when the scrolling input is received within the predetermined time period prior to detecting the touch and when a direction of the scrolling input is toward the touch, performing the second function associated with the scrolling input and not performing the first function associated with the touch.