Adaptable interface for a mobile computing device
First Claim
1. A method for enabling a handheld mobile computer'"'"'s hardware buttons, the method comprising:
- choosing a first operating system or a second operating system, the first operating system requiring a first subset of hardware buttons from among a plurality of hardware buttons of a touch-display assembly and the second operating system requiring a second subset of hardware buttons from among the plurality, wherein the plurality of hardware buttons are configured such that enabled hardware buttons appear as illuminated glyphs with remaining hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light, and wherein a configuration of the illuminated glyphs for the first subset differs from a configuration of the illuminated glyphs for the second subset;
if the chosen operating system is the first operating system, then enabling the hardware buttons from the first subset of hardware buttons, the enabling indicated at least in part by illuminating the first subset of hardware buttons with at least one light source, and not enabling hardware buttons not in the first subset of hardware buttons, the hardware buttons not in the first subset of hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light;
if the chosen operating system is the second operating system, then enabling the hardware buttons from the second subset of hardware buttons, the enabling indicated at least in part by illuminating the second subset of hardware buttons with at least one light source, and not enabling hardware buttons not in the second subset of hardware buttons, the hardware buttons not in the second subset of hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light; and
launching the chosen operating system.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile computing device may be configured to run more than one operating system. Each operating system may require one or more specialized buttons to perform or enable various functions. The layout, shape, and function corresponding the buttons for each operating system may be unique. Adapting the buttons for a particular operating system may be accomplished by using soft buttons displayed as part of the graphical user interface. Here, however, valuable display area must be dedicated to the buttons. Another adaptation approach requires reconfiguring the hardware. Both approaches have drawbacks. In the invention disclosed, two sets of hardware buttons are incorporated in the same touch panel. Enabling a button is based on the choice of operating system. Enabled buttons are visible and operable while not enabled buttons or not visible and not operable. In this way, the hardware buttons in the mobile computing device may be reconfigured without using display area and without requiring hardware disassembly.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for enabling a handheld mobile computer'"'"'s hardware buttons, the method comprising:
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choosing a first operating system or a second operating system, the first operating system requiring a first subset of hardware buttons from among a plurality of hardware buttons of a touch-display assembly and the second operating system requiring a second subset of hardware buttons from among the plurality, wherein the plurality of hardware buttons are configured such that enabled hardware buttons appear as illuminated glyphs with remaining hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light, and wherein a configuration of the illuminated glyphs for the first subset differs from a configuration of the illuminated glyphs for the second subset; if the chosen operating system is the first operating system, then enabling the hardware buttons from the first subset of hardware buttons, the enabling indicated at least in part by illuminating the first subset of hardware buttons with at least one light source, and not enabling hardware buttons not in the first subset of hardware buttons, the hardware buttons not in the first subset of hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light; if the chosen operating system is the second operating system, then enabling the hardware buttons from the second subset of hardware buttons, the enabling indicated at least in part by illuminating the second subset of hardware buttons with at least one light source, and not enabling hardware buttons not in the second subset of hardware buttons, the hardware buttons not in the second subset of hardware buttons being inconspicuous in ambient light; and launching the chosen operating system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 17, 18)
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8. A handheld mobile computing device, comprising
a computer-readable memory for storing (i) a first operating system and/or a second operating system, and (ii) button-handling software; -
a touch-display assembly comprising a touch-sensitive screen, the touch-sensitive screen comprising (i) a display area and (ii) a button area; a clear cover glass covering the touch-display assembly, the cover glass having a plurality of buttons stenciled in an opaque layer contiguous to the button area, wherein the plurality of buttons comprise (i) a first button set comprising one or more buttons required by the first operating system and (ii) a second button set comprising one or more buttons required by the second operating system; one or more light sources positioned behind the touch-display assembly and the cover glass, the one or more light sources configured to illuminate glyphs corresponding to enabled buttons; and a central processing unit (CPU), communicatively coupled to the computer-readable memory, and (i) configured by the first operating system and the button-handling software to enable the first button set and cause the one or more light sources to illuminate one or more glyphs corresponding to the first operating system; and
(ii) configured by the second operating system and the button-handling software to enable the second button set and cause the one or more light sources to illuminate one or more glyphs corresponding to the second operating system;wherein a configuration of the one or more glyphs for the first button set differs from a configuration of the one or more glyphs for the second button set. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 19)
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12. A handheld mobile computing device, comprising:
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a computer-readable memory for storing data and software; a central processing unit (CPU), communicatively coupled to the computer-readable memory, configured at startup by a boot-loader program stored on the computer-readable memory and configured to load either a first operating system or a second operating system; and a display comprising a (i) visual display area and (ii) a button area, wherein the button area comprises two sets of buttons;
(i) a first button set comprising one or more glyphs illuminated and made operable by the CPU when the first operating system is loaded and (ii) a second button set comprising one or more glyphs illuminated and made operable by the CPU when the second operating system is loaded;
wherein a configuration of the one or more glyphs for the first button differs from a configuration of the one or more glyphs for the second button set. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 20)
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Specification