Methods and systems for increasing the input efficiency of personal digital assistants and other handheld stylus-engagable computing devices

• US 20030006974A1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Clough, James, Cherry, Darrel
• Granted Patent: US 6,670,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/179
• 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 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Methods and systems for enhancing the input fidelity of personal digital assistants (PDAs), and other handheld stylus-engagable computing devices are described. In some embodiments, this can be done by associating input commands with different user-input activities, including different combinations of user-input activities. By using different combinations of user-input activities to designate particular input commands, a more robust collection of commands can be provided to a user in a manner that is simple, straight-forward and easy to understand.

Claims

1. A method of operating a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device, the method comprising:

associating one or more input commands for use with a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device, with a combination of user-input activities, the computing device comprising a touch screen that is engagable with a stylus;

transmitting a signal from the stylus to the hand-held computing device, said transmitting comprising a first type of user-input activity;

detecting, in combination with said first type of user-input activity, at least one other type of user-input activity;

generating an input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

performing the generated command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting is performed responsive to a user engaging a button on the stylus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting is performed responsive to a user engaging multiple buttons on the stylus.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said at least one other type of user-input activity comprises touching the computing device'"'"'s touch screen with the stylus.

5. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors on a stylus-engagable, hand-held computing device having a touch screen, cause the one or more processors to:

detect a combination of user-input activities, the combination being associated with an input command, the user-input activities comprising (1) engaging a button on the stylus, and (2) touching the computing device'"'"'s touch screen with the stylus;

generate the input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

perform the generated command.

6. A personal digital assistant comprising the computer-readable media of claim 5.

7. A personal digital assistant comprising:

a stylus having one or more user-depressible buttons;

a stylus-engagable touch screen;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

an association embodied on the readable media, the association defining relationships between one or more input commands and a combination of user-input activities associated with individual input commands; and

computer-readable instructions on the readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

detect a combination of user-input activities, one user-input activity comprising touching the touch screen with the stylus;

generate an input command that is associated with the detected combination of user-input activities; and

perform the generated command.

8. The personal digital assistant of claim 7, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to detect a user-input activity that comprises depressing a button on the stylus.

9. A method of operating a stylus-engagable personal digital assistant, the method comprising:

displaying a selectable area on a touch screen of a personal digital assistant, said area being touch-selectable by a stylus associated with the personal digital assistant;

executing a first command if a stylus engages the selectable area; and

executing a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal to the personal digital assistant.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to a user engaging one or more buttons on the stylus to cause the stylus to transmit the receivable signal.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a bluetooth transmitter.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a light transmitter.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein said executing of the second different command comprises doing so responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a signal via a infrared (IR) transmitter.

17. The hand-held computing device of claim 16 embodied as a personal digital assistant.

18. The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a bluetooth signal.

19. The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a radio frequency (RF) signal.

20. The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a light signal.

21. The hand-held computing device of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable instructions cause the one or more processors to execute a second different command responsive, in part, to the stylus transmitting a infrared (IR) signal.

15. One or more computer-readable media having computer-readable instructions thereon which, when executed by one or more processors on a stylus-engagable, hand-held personal digital assistant having a touch screen, cause the one or more processors to:

display a selectable area on the touch screen, said area being touch-selectable by a stylus associated with the personal digital assistant;

execute a first command if only a stylus engages the selectable area; and

execute a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal to the personal digital assistant.

16. A hand-held computing device comprising:

a stylus comprising one or more user-depressible buttons and a transmitter coupled with the one or more buttons, the transmitter being configured to transmit a signal when a button is depressed;

a stylus-engagable touch screen;

one or more processors;

one or more computer-readable media;

an association embodied on the readable media, the association defining relationships between one or more input commands and a combination of user-input activities associated with individual input commands; and

computer-readable instructions on the readable media which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

display a selectable area on the touch screen, said selectable area being touch-selectable by the stylus;

execute a first command if the stylus engages the selectable area; and

execute a second different command if the stylus engages the selectable area and the stylus transmits a receivable signal responsive to a user depressing at least one of the user-depressible buttons.