Radio communication device having a navigational wheel

• US 20040253989A1
• Filed: 06/12/2003
• Published: 12/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tupler, Amy M., Michieli, Matthew R., Muszkiewicz, Robert P.
• Application Number:
  US10/460,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20040253989A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/566
• 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 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons

Abstract

A radio communication device (100) includes a navigational thumbwheel (102) that surrounds the periphery of the display area (114). Movement of the navigation thumbwheel (102) allows for movement of item(s) displayed on display area (114). The navigational thumbwheel (102) can be rotated either clockwise or counterclockwise. User controls (104) can be used to provide further movement/selection capabilities. In another embodiment, the navigational thumbwheel (102) can be depressed along certain portions of its outer ring (110), allowing the user further movement or selection capabilities using the thumbwheel (102).

Claims

1. A radio communication device, comprising:

a display; and

a navigational wheel surrounding the display.

2. A radio communication device as defined in claim 1, wherein the navigational wheel can be rotated in order to one of move and select an item that is being displayed on the display.

3. A radio communication device as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of user controls located around a periphery of the navigational wheel, the plurality of user controls allowing for one of movement and selection of an item being displayed on the display.

4. A radio communication device, as defined in claim 1, wherein the navigational wheel includes a see-through bezel and a ring surrounding the see-through bezel.

5. A radio communication device as defined in claim 4, wherein the see-though bezel is located substantially over the display, allowing for an item displayed in the display to be seen through the see-through bezel.

6. A radio communication device as defined in claim 4, wherein the ring is configured to allow for depression, thereby allowing for one of further movement of an item being displayed and selection of the item.

7. A method for controlling information on a radio communication device display, comprising the steps of:

displaying information on the display; and

rotating a navigational wheel that surrounds the display in order to control the information being displayed.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the step of rotating comprises

rotating the navigational wheel in one of a clockwise and counterclockwise direction.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, further comprising the step of:

depressing the navigational wheel in order to one of move and select the information being displayed.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the navigational wheel comprises a see-through bezel and a ring surrounding the see-through bezel.