Active keypad lock for devices equipped with touch screen

• US 20060012577A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kyrola, Marko
• Application Number:
  US10/893,566
• Publication Number:
  US 20060012577A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04162 for exchanging data with external devices, e.g. smart pens, via the digitiser sensing hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A device comprising at least a touch screen and a keypad for providing input functions. The keypad is provided with a key lock operation comprising an active state and a inactive state. The active state is adapted to disable at least part of the input functions of the keypad, and the inactive state is adapted to enable the input functions of the keypad. The device also comprises a detector for detecting when a stylus is in proximity with the touch screen; and a key lock activator for setting the key lock into said active state when the detector provides indication of the proximity of the stylus.

Claims

1. A device comprising at least

a touch screen;

a keypad for providing input functions, the keypad being provided with a key lock operation comprising an active state and a inactive state, the active state being adapted to disable at least part of the input functions of the keypad, and the inactive state being adapted to enable the input functions of the keypad;

a detector for detecting when a stylus is in proximity with the touch screen; and

a key lock activator for setting the key lock into said active state when the detector provides indication of the proximity of the stylus.

2. The device according to claim 1, the touch screen comprising a touch panel, a touch panel controller, and a display;

the touch panel controller being adapted to operate as said detector and to provide said indication when the stylus is in proximity with the touch panel.

3. The device according to claim 2, the touch panel controller being adapted to provide said indication when the stylus touches the touch panel.

4. The device according to claim 3, said touch panel controller being adapted to provide indication of coordinate information of the touching point of the stylus on the touch panel, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to use the provided coordinate information as said indication of the proximity of the stylus.

5. The device according to claim 1 comprising a key lock enablement indicator, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to examine status of the key lock enablement indicator before setting the key lock into said active state to check whether the key lock can be activated or not.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to set the key lock into said inactive state when the detector does not provide indication of the proximity of the stylus.

7. The device according to claim 6 comprising a delay parameter indicative of a time value, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to set the key lock into said inactive state when the detector has not provided indication of the proximity of the stylus during the time indicated by the delay parameter.

8. The device according to 1 wherein the proximity of the stylus is detected in a predefined area of the touch screen.

9. The device according to 8 wherein an application running in the device determines the area which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

10. The device according to 8 wherein the user defines the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

11. The device according to 8 wherein the operating system of the device defines the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

12. A system comprising at least

a touch screen;

a keypad for providing input functions, the keypad being provided with a key lock operation comprising an active state and a inactive state, the active state being adapted to disable at least part of the input functions of the keypad, and the inactive state being adapted to enable the input functions of the keypad;

a detector for detecting when a stylus is in proximity with the touch screen; and

a key lock activator for setting the key lock into said active state when the detector provides indication of the proximity of the stylus.

13. The system according to claim 12, the touch screen comprising a touch panel, a touch panel controller, and a display;

the touch panel controller being adapted to operate as said detector and to provide said indication when the stylus is in proximity with the touch panel.

14. The system according to claim 13, the touch panel controller being adapted to provide said indication when the stylus touches the touch panel.

15. The system according to claim 14, said touch panel controller being adapted to provide indication of coordinate information of the touching point of the stylus on the touch panel, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to use the provided coordinate information as said indication of the proximity of the stylus.

16. The system according to claim 12 comprising a key lock enablement indicator, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to examine the status of the key lock enablement indicator before setting the key lock into said active state to check whether the key lock can be activated or not.

17. The system according to claim 12, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to set the key lock into said inactive state when the detector does not provide indication of the proximity of the stylus.

18. The system according to claim 17 comprising a delay parameter indicative of a time value, wherein said key lock activator is adapted to set the key lock into said inactive state when the detector has not provided indication of the proximity of the stylus during the time indicated by the delay parameter.

19. The system according to 12 wherein the proximity of the stylus is detected in a predefined area of the touch screen.

20. The system according to 19 wherein an application running in the system determines the area which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

21. The system according to 19 wherein the user defines the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

22. The system according to 19 wherein the operating system of the system defines the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

23. A method comprising at least

activating a key lock of a keypad, the keypad being provided with a key lock operation comprising an active state and a inactive state, in which active state at least part of input functions of the keypad being disabled, and in which inactive state the input functions of the keypad being enabled;

detecting when a stylus is in proximity with the touch screen; and

setting the key lock into said active state when the proximity of the stylus is detected.

24. The method according to claim 23 comprising providing said indication when the stylus touches the touch panel.

25. The method according to claim 23 comprising providing indication of coordinate information of the touching point of the stylus on the touch panel, wherein the provided coordinate information is used as said indication of the proximity of the stylus.

26. The method according to claim 23 comprising enabling or disabling the key lock, wherein the method comprises examining if the key lock is enabled before setting the key lock into said active state to determine whether the key lock can be activated or not.

27. The method according to claim 23 comprising setting the key lock into said inactive state when no indication of the proximity of the stylus is provided.

28. The method according to claim 27 comprising setting the key lock into said inactive state when no indication of the proximity of the stylus is provided during a defined time.

29. The method according to 23 comprising detecting the proximity of the stylus in a predefined area of the touch screen.

30. The method according to 29 comprising running an application which determines the area which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

31. The method according to 29 comprising defining by a user the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

32. The method according to 29 comprising running an operating system which defines the area, which activates the key lock, in the touch screen.

33. A computer program product comprising machine executable steps for

activating a key lock of a keypad, the keypad being provided with a key lock operation comprising an active state and a inactive state, in which active state at least part of input functions of the keypad being disabled, and in which inactive state the input functions of the keypad being enabled;

detecting when a stylus is in proximity with the touch screen; and

setting the key lock into said active state when the proximity of the stylus is detected.

34. The computer program product according to 33 comprising machine executable steps for defining an area of the touch screen in which the proximity of the stylus can be detected.

35. The computer program product according to 34 wherein an application running in the device is adapted to determine the area, in which the key lock can be activated in the touch screen.

36. The computer program product according to 34 comprising machine executable steps for enabling a user to define an area of the touch screen in which the key lock can be activated in the touch screen.

37. The computer program product according to 34 wherein the operating system is adapted to define the area, which can be used to activate the key lock, in the touch screen.