Ergonomic user interfaces and electronic devices incorporating same
First Claim
1. An electronic device, comprising:
- a housing;
a display viewable through a face of the housing, wherein the display comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein an alphanumeric character list is displayed within the first portion, wherein each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character list can be highlighted for selection, and wherein user selected alphanumeric characters from the alphanumeric character list in the first portion are displayed in the second portion; and
an input device that circumferentially surrounds the display and that is movable relative to the display by a user to highlight a respective alphanumeric character in the displayed alphanumeric character list, wherein the input device is rotatable about an axis that is substantially normal to the display and slidable within a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the axis, and wherein the input device is depressible by the user to select a highlighted alphanumeric character.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic device includes a housing that encloses a controller and/or other electronic components, a display viewable through a face of the housing that is configured to display an alphanumeric character list, and an input device adjacent the display that is movable by a user to highlight and select respective alphanumeric characters in a displayed character list. To highlight characters within a displayed character list, the input device is rotatable about an axis that is substantially normal to the display and is slidable within a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the axis. In some embodiments, the input device is rotatable and slidable within a plane that is substantially parallel with a plane defined by the housing face. To select a highlighted character, a user depresses the input device.
40 Citations
13 Claims
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1. An electronic device, comprising:
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a housing; a display viewable through a face of the housing, wherein the display comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein an alphanumeric character list is displayed within the first portion, wherein each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character list can be highlighted for selection, and wherein user selected alphanumeric characters from the alphanumeric character list in the first portion are displayed in the second portion; and an input device that circumferentially surrounds the display and that is movable relative to the display by a user to highlight a respective alphanumeric character in the displayed alphanumeric character list, wherein the input device is rotatable about an axis that is substantially normal to the display and slidable within a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the axis, and wherein the input device is depressible by the user to select a highlighted alphanumeric character. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A user interface for an electronic device, comprising:
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a display viewable through a face of a housing of the electronic device, wherein the display comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein an alphanumeric character list is displayed within the first portion, wherein each alphanumeric character in the alphanumeric character list can be highlighted for selection, and wherein user selected alphanumeric characters from the alphanumeric character list in the first portion are displayed in the second portion; and an input device circumferentially surrounding the display, wherein the input device is rotatable and slidable relative to the display by a user to highlight a respective alphanumeric character in the displayed alphanumeric character list, and is depressible by the user to select a highlighted alphanumeric, and wherein user selected alphanumeric characters are displayed in the display second portion. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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Specification