Method of operating a handheld device for directional input

• US 20060071905A1
• Filed: 12/16/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Varanda, Marcelo
• Granted Patent: US 8,115,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1694 the I/O peripheral being a single or a set of motion sensors for pointer control or gesture input obtained by sensing movements of the portable computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer

Abstract

A directional input device for use in a handheld device is disclosed herein. The directional input device provides input to an element of the user interface in response to the inclination of the handheld. The input device can be embedded into any handheld communicating or computing device to provide directional input to an element of the user interface of the handheld without consuming space on the face of the device that could otherwise be used for a larger screen.

Claims

1. A handheld computing device, comprising:

a display;

means for detecting directional input and providing a directional input signal indicative of the detected directional input, the means for detecting directional input located within the handheld computing device;

a processor coupled to the display and the means for detecting directional input and operable to receive and process the directional input signal; and

a memory subsystem, the memory storing an operating system executed by the processor to display on the display a graphical user interface for controlling the operation of the handheld computing device, wherein the graphical user interface provides a graphical element responsive to the directional input signal processed by the processor;

wherein the operating system comprises processor-executable instructions that cause the graphical element to move in one of an axial constraining mode or an axial selecting mode, and wherein the graphical element moves in a direction substantially perpendicular to an axis of inclination in the axial constraining mode, and moves in a direction substantially corresponding to an axis of inclination in the axial selecting mode.

2. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the means for detecting directional input comprises:

an internally-located directional input device comprising;

a primary contact positionally fixed in the handheld computing device;

a directional contact positionally fixed in the handheld computing device and operatively connected to the primary contact;

circuit closing means, movable on, and in electrical contact with, the primary contact, for movement, in response to inclination of the handheld computing device in the direction of the directional contact, between a neutral position in which the primary contact and the directional contact form an open circuit, and an active position in which the primary contact and the directional contact form a closed circuit; and

a direction interpreter, operatively connected to the primary and directional contacts, for generating a directional input signal to processor for processing for the graphical user interface when the closed circuit is formed, the directional input signal causing the graphical element to change position within the graphical user interface.

3. The handheld computing device of claim 2, wherein the directional input device further includes a second directional contact positionally fixed in the handheld computing device and operatively connected to the primary contact to form a second open circuit when the circuit closing means is in the neutral position, and wherein the second open circuit is closable by the circuit closing means in response to inclination of the handheld computing device in the direction of the second directional contact by movement of the circuit closing means to a second active position.

4. The handheld computing device of claim 3, wherein the direction interpreter generates a second directional input when the circuit closing means is in the second active position.

5. The handheld computing device of claim 4, wherein the generated second directional input is uniquely associated with the direction of the inclination.

6. The handheld computing device of claim 2, further including a plurality of subsequent directional contacts, positionally fixed in the handheld, each subsequent directional contact connected to the primary contact to create a plurality of subsequent open circuits, each subsequent open circuit closable by the circuit closing means in response to an inclination of the handheld device in the direction of the associated subsequent directional contact by movement of the circuit closing means to a subsequent active position.

7. The handheld computing device of claim 6, wherein the direction interpreter generates a directional input when the circuit closing means is in a subsequent active position.

8. The handheld computing device of claim 7, wherein the generated directional input is uniquely associated with the direction of the inclination.

9. The handheld computing device of claim 6, wherein each of the directional contacts are further connected to adjacent directional contacts to create a plurality of secondary open circuits, each of the plurality of secondary open circuits closable by the circuit closing means in response to inclination of the handheld to a junction of adjacent directional contacts.

10. The handheld computing device of claim 9, wherein the direction interpreter generates the directional input when one of the secondary open circuits is closed.

11. The handheld computing device of claim 2, further including a base, electrically connected to the primary contact, for supporting the circuit closing means in response to movement between the neutral position and the active position.

12. The handheld computing device of claim 11, wherein the base biases the circuit closing means to the neutral position.

13. The handheld computing device of claim 2, wherein the circuit closing means is a ball bearing.

14. The handheld computing device of claim 2, wherein the circuit closing means is a mercury contact.

15. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the graphical element changes position within the graphical user interface only in response to an inclination of the handheld computing device.

16. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the graphical element is a pointer.

17. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the graphical element is a menu bar selection.

18. The handheld computing device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to detect movement patterns from the directional input signal and wherein the graphical element is further responsive to the detected movement patterns.

19. The handheld computing device of claim 18, wherein the graphical element is configured to accelerate in response to a detected movement pattern.

20. The handheld computing device of claim 18, wherein the graphical element is configured to perform a selection function in response to the detected movement pattern.

21. The handheld computing device of claim 20, wherein the detected movement pattern is a flick of the wrist.