On-screen diagonal cursor navigation on a handheld communication device

• US 8,878,784 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Lee, Matthew, Bocking, Andrew, Mak-Fan, David, Fyke, Steven, Bells, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): MERKOULOVA, OLGA VLADIMIROVNA
• Application Number:
  US11/423,740
• Publication Number:
  US 20070188462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,066 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/179, 345/184, 345161-167, 345/157, 345/160, 345/168, 345/169, 455/556.1, 455/566, 455/556.2
• US Class Current: 345/157
• 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 1/1664 Arrangements for ergonomically adjusting the disposition of keys of 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 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3215 Monitoring of peripheral devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3228 Monitoring task completion, e.g. by use of idle timers, stop commands or wait commands
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3259 Power saving in cursor control device, e.g. mouse, joystick, trackball
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3265 Power saving in display device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3287 by switching off individual functional units in the computer system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03549 Trackballs G06F3/03541 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04892 Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• 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 1/72403 with means for local support of applications that increase the functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 : including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 : including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0254 : detecting a user operation or a tactile contact or a motion of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0267 : by controlling user interface components
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/027 : by controlling a display operation or backlight unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 : Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 : Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 : Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Method and arrangement for affecting diagonal movement of a cursor 171 on a display screen 322 of a handheld communication device 300. The method includes sensing movement at an auxiliary user input 328 of the handheld communication device 300 indicative of a user'"'"'s desire to affect diagonal movement of the cursor 171 on the display screen 322 of the handheld communication device 300. X-direction signals and Y-direction signals are produced based on the sensed movement at the auxiliary user input 328. During that time while necessary signals are being collected and processed, the cursor 171 is held steady on the display screen 322 until a predetermined criterion is met for discriminating whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement or diagonal cursor movement.

Claims

1. A method for affecting diagonal movement of a cursor on a display screen disposed on a handheld communication device having an auxiliary user input, the method comprising:

sensing a set of direct diagonal physical movements at an auxiliary user input of a handheld communication device indicating diagonal movement of a cursor on a display screen of the handheld communication device;

producing a set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on the set of direct diagonal physical movements that has been sensed at the auxiliary user input;

analyzing a signal sample from the produced set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify in the signal sample a signal pattern of x-direction signals and y-direction signals matching a criterion of a defined number of x-direction signals and a defined number of y-direction signals out of a total number of signals in the signal sample, the identified signal pattern that matches the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal cursor movement discriminated from whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement, or diagonal cursor movement;

holding, the cursor stationary on the display screen while processing the x-direction signals and y-direction signals and while analyzing the signal sample from the produced set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify the signal pattern matching the criterion; and

affecting diagonal cursor movement on the display screen in response to determining that the analyzing identified in the signal sample the signal pattern matching the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal cursor movement.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the handheld communication device transmits data to, and receives data from, a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the handheld communication device comprises a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated, one letter per key.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the auxiliary user input comprises a trackball and wherein the set of direct diagonal physical movements occurs at the trackball and is assessed using a plurality of sensors that quantify rotational motion of the trackball about an intersecting x-axis and an intersecting y-axis of the trackball.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors number two sensors, one of the two sensors outputting signals indicative of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting y-axis of the trackball and another of the two sensors outputting signals indicative of y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting x-axis of the trackball.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the two sensors are oriented radially about the trackball with approximately ninety degree spacing therebetween.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein each of the two sensors comprises a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

8. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors number four sensors, a first pair of opposed sensors outputting signals indicative of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting y-axis of the trackball and a second pair of opposed sensors outputting signals indicative of a y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and about the intersecting x-axis of the trackball.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the four sensors are oriented radially about the trackball with approximately ninety degree spacing between consecutive sensors.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein each of the four sensors comprises a hall effect sensor located proximate said trackball.

11. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein each produced x-direction signal represents a discrete amount of x-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device and each produced y-direction signal represents a discrete amount of y-component rolling motion of the trackball relative to the handheld communication device.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein pattern recognition software is utilized to analyze the signal sample to identify the signal pattern matching the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal cursor movement.

13. A method for affecting diagonal movement of a highlighting cursor amongst an array of icons on a display screen of a handheld communication device having an auxiliary user input, the method comprising:

sensing movement at an auxiliary user input of the handheld communication device indicative of affecting diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor from a presently highlighted icon on the display screen to a diagonally located icon on the display screen of the handheld communication device;

producing x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on the sensed movement at the auxiliary user input;

analyzing a signal sample from the produced x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify in the signal sample a signal pattern of x-direction signals and y-direction signals matching a criterion of a defined number of x-direction signals and a defined number of y-direction signals out of a total number of signals in the signal sample, the identified signal pattern that matches the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor to an icon diagonally positioned relative to the presently highlighted icon, the identified user-indicated diagonal movement being discriminated from whether the user has indicated x-direction movement of the highlighting cursor to an icon left or right of the presently highlighted icon, y-direction movement of the highlighting cursor to an icon above or below the presently highlighted icon, or diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor to an icon diagonally positioned relative to the presently highlighted icon;

holding the highlighting cursor steady on the presently highlighted icon on the display screen while processing the x-direction signals and y-direction signals and while analyzing the signal sample from the produced set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify the signal pattern matching the criterion; and

affecting diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor from the presently highlighted icon to a diagonally positioned icon on the display screen of the handheld communication device in response to determining that the analyzing identified in the signal sample the signal pattern matching the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal movement of the highlighting cursor.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the handheld communication device transmits data to, and receives data from, a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the display screen is located above an alphabetic keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device when the handheld communication device is in an operable configuration, the auxiliary user input being located essentially between the display screen and the alphabetic keyboard in the operable configuration.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the auxiliary user input comprises a touchpad.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the auxiliary user input comprises a touch screen.

18. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the handheld communication device comprises a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated, one letter per key.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the processing of the x-direction signals and y-direction signals and the analyzing is performed with a processor according to a resident computer program, and wherein the criterion is a user definable condition.

20. A handheld communication device capable of affecting movement of a cursor on a display screen of the handheld communication device, the handheld communication device comprising at least:

a display screen;

an auxiliary user input; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the display screen and the auxiliary user input, the processor configured to perform a method comprising;

sensing a set of direct diagonal physical movements at an auxiliary user input of a handheld communication device indicating diagonal movement of a cursor on a display screen of the handheld communication device;

producing a set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals based on the set of direct diagonal physical movements that has been sensed at the auxiliary user input;

analyzing a signal sample from the produced set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify in the signal sample a signal pattern of x-direction signals and y-direction signals matching a criterion of a defined number of x-direction signals and a defined number of y-direction signals out of a total number of signals in the signal sample, the identified signal pattern that matches the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal cursor movement discriminated from whether the user has indicated x-direction cursor movement, y-direction cursor movement, or diagonal cursor movement;

holding, the cursor stationary on the display screen while processing the x-direction signals and y-direction signals and while analyzing the signal sample from the produced set of x-direction signals and y-direction signals to identify the signal pattern matching the criterion; and

affecting diagonal cursor movement on the display screen in response to determining that the analyzing identified in the signal sample the signal pattern matching the criterion identifying user-indicated diagonal cursor movement

21. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 20, further comprising a plurality of sensors capable of sensing movement at the auxiliary user input indicative of the user'"'"'s desire to affect cursor movement on the display screen, and wherein each sensor comprises a hall effect sensor located proximate the auxiliary user input.

22. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 20, further comprising a radio transmitter capable of transmitting data to a communication network utilizing radio frequency signals and a radio receiver capable of receiving data from the communication network utilizing radio frequency signals.

23. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 20, wherein the auxiliary user input comprises a touchpad.

24. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 20, wherein the auxiliary user input comprises a touch screen.

25. The handheld communication device as recited in claim 20, wherein the handheld communication device comprises a keyboard suitable for accommodating textual input to the handheld communication device, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys with which alphabetic letters are associated, one letter per key.

26. The device of claim 20, wherein the processor performs the processing of the x-direction signals and y-direction signals and the analyzing according to a resident computer program, and wherein the criterion is a user definable condition.