Personal digital assistant application access and activation method and system

• US 20020063678A1
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Published: 05/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wong, Yoon Kean
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• 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 1/169 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 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer

Abstract

The present invention system and method facilitates one handed operation of a hand held computer including application access and activation. A personal digital assistant application access and activation system and method of the present invention permits a user to hold a PDA in one hand and activate a new application with the same hand. In one embodiment of the present invention an application list is presented on a display when a jog dial is depressed for a specific amount of time (e.g., two seconds). In one exemplary implementation of the present invention the application list includes a variety of application titles and application icons representing applications. A highlighting indicator is moved to a different application identifier in response to movements in the jog dial. The highlighted application is activated when the jog dial is depressed again. In one embodiment of the present invention a first application is activated even though a second application is already running. In one exemplary implementation of the present invention an application list includes a cancel indicator for canceling an application access. In yet another exemplary implementation the application list includes an off indicator for turning off the hand held computer.

Claims

1. A personal digital assistant jog dial application access and activation system comprising:

a data bus for communicating information;

a display for displaying an image including a listing of applications, said display coupled to said data bus;

a central processor for processing said information, said central processor coupled to said data bus;

a random access memory for storing information and instructions for said central processor, said random access memory coupled to said data bus;

a read only memory for storing static information and instructions;

said read only memory is coupled to said data bus;

a jog dial for accessing and activating an application, said jog dial coupled to said data bus.

2. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 1 wherein said jog dial accesses said application when depressed longer than a specific duration of time.

3. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 1 wherein said access comprises displaying a list of applications on said display.

4. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 3 wherein said jog dial permits a selection of said application by changing a highlight indicator on said display when said jog dial is rotated.

5. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 4 wherein said activation occurs when said jog dial is depressed after said selection is made.

6. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 4 wherein said highlight indicator moves up said application list when said jog dial is rotated up and moves down said application list when said jog dial is rotated down.

7. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 4 wherein said application list includes a cancel indicator for canceling said access.

8. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 4 wherein said application list includes an off indicator for turning off said personal digital assistant.

9. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 1 wherein said jog dial accesses said application list when said jog dial is depressed a specified number of times.

10. The personal digital assistant jog dial application activation system of claim 1 wherein said application list includes application icons.

11. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method comprising the steps of:

presenting an application list on a display when a jog dial is depressed for a specific amount of time;

moving a highlighting indicator to a different application identifier in response to movements in said jog dial; and

activating an application in association with said application identified when said jog dial is depressed again.

12. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein said presentation of said application list occurs while an application is active.

13. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein a user depresses said jog dial for a specified period of time.

14. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein said application list includes a variety of application titles and application icons representing applications.

15. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein a user rotates the jog dial to highlight an application identifier included in the application list.

16. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein said jog dial is rotated up to move a highlighter up in the list and down to move the highlighter down the list.

17. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 wherein a user depresses said jog dial again when a desired application is highlighted and that application is activated.

18. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 further comprising the step of canceling an application activation by highlighting a cancel indicator included in said application list and depressing said jog dial.

19. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 further comprising the step turning off a hand held computer by highlighting an off indicator included in said application list and depressing said jog dial.

20. A personal digital assistant jog dial application activation method of claim 11 further comprising the step of performing an operating system function in a hand held computer by highlighting an operating system indicator included in said application list and depressing said jog dial.

21. A computer program application access and activation system comprising:

a data bus for communicating information;

a display for displaying a navigable application identification graphic, said display coupled to said data bus;

a central processor for processing said information, said central processor coupled to said data bus;

a memory for storing information and instructions for said central processor, said random access memory coupled to said data bus; and

an input component for accessing and activating an application, said input component coupled to said data bus.

22. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 21 wherein said navigable application identification graphic includes OS level operation identifiers or icons.

23. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 21 wherein said navigable application identification graphic comprises an application list.

24. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 21 wherein said navigable application identification graphic appears on said display when said input component is manipulated in a predetermined manner for longer than a specific period of time.

25. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 21 wherein said input component provides navigation instructions and enter instructions in response to manipulations of said input component.

26. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 25 wherein said manipulations of said input component cause a corresponding movement is a highlight indicator shown on said display.

27. The computer program application access and activation system of claim 21 wherein a depression of said input component cause activation of a highlighted application.

29. A personal digital assistant operating system function access and activation method of claim 28 wherein said presentation of said operating function list occurs while another operating system function is already being performed.

30. A personal digital assistant operating system functions access and activation method of claim 28 wherein a user manipulates said input component for a specified period of time to make said operating system function list appear.

31. A personal digital assistant operating system function access and activation method of claim 28 wherein said operating system function list includes a cancel identifier for canceling the operating system function access and application activities.

32. A personal digital assistant operating system function access and activation method of claim 28 wherein said operating system function list includes an off identifier for turning off the personal digital assistant.

28. A personal digital assistant operating system function access and activation method comprising the steps of:

presenting an operating system function list on a display when an input component is manipulated in a predetermined manner;

moving a highlighting indicator to a different operating system function identifier in response to manipulation of said input component; and

activating an operating system function associated with said operating system function identifier when said input component is manipulated in a predetermined manner.