Portable communication apparatus, and a method of controlling a user interface thereof

• US 20070035529A1
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Pedersen, Thomas, Balle, Henrik
• Application Number:
  US10/570,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20070035529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• 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 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72445 for supporting Internet browser applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A method of controlling a user interface of a portable communication apparatus (100) is disclosed. The user interface includes a display (240, 336) with a limited presentation area (352) and a manual input device (250, 338) with a rotary element (252). Graphical data to be presented is received and represents a required presentation area (500) larger than said limited presentation area. A first sub area (510) of said required presentation area is presented on said display. A first user input is accepted through said manual input device as a rotator rotary movement of said rotary element, indicating a desired navigation direction within said required presentation area. A second user input is accepted through said manual input device as a rotary movement of said rotary element, indicating a desired navigation distance within said required presentation area in said desired navigation direction. The second sub area (510′″) of said required presentation area is presented on said display, wherein the angular and vectorial displacement, respectively, of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area is determined by said first and second user input, respectively.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a user interface of a portable communication apparatus, said user interface including a display and a manual input device, said display having a limited presentation area, said manual input device comprising a rotary element, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving graphical data to be presented, wherein said graphical data represents a required presentation area which is larger than said limited presentation area of said display;

presenting a first sub area of said required presentation area on said display;

accepting a first user input through said manual input device in the form of a rotary movement of said rotary element, said first user input indicating a desired navigation direction within said required presentation area;

accepting a second user input through said manual input device in the form of a rotary movement of said rotary element, said second user input indicating a desired navigation distance within said required presentation area in said desired navigation direction; and

presenting a second sub area of said required presentation area on said display, wherein the angular displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area is determined by said first user input and wherein the vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area is determined by said second user input.

2. A method as in claim 1, comprising the further step, after said step of accepting a first user input, of:

accepting a third user input through said manual input device, wherein said third user input indicates a confirmation of the navigation direction as selected by said first user input.

3. A method as in claim 2, comprising the further step, after said step of accepting a second user input, of:

accepting a fourth user input through said manual input device, wherein said fourth user input indicates a confirmation of the navigation distance as selected by said second user input.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein said third and fourth user inputs are accepted in the form of respective selections of a key element included in said manual input device.

5. A method as in claim 1, said portable communication apparatus further comprising a wireless communication interface, wherein said method further comprises receiving over said wireless communication interface said graphical data to be presented.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein said wireless communication interface is at least one of:

a short-range supplementary radio data interface;

a short-range infrared data interface;

a WAP compatible interface;

a HTTP compatible interface; and

an RF interface for a mobile telecommunications system.

7. A method as in claim 1, wherein said graphical data to be presented comprises a digital image.

8. A method as in claim 1, wherein said graphical data to be presented pertains to hypertext data such as hypertext markup language data (HTML) or wireless markup language data (WML).

9. A method as in claim 1, wherein, during input of said second user input, the vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area is repeatedly determined and an updated second sub area is responsively presented on said display.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein a position indicator is shown within said second sub area to indicate its current vectorial displacement.

11. A method as in claim 10, wherein said position indicator is shown at the center of said second sub area.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein said graphical data to be presented pertains to hypertext data such as hypertext markup language data (HTML) or wireless markup language data (WML);

wherein, during input of said second user input, the vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area is repeatedly determined and an updated second sub area is responsively presented on said display;

wherein a position indicator is shown within said second sub area to indicate its current vectorial displacement; and

further comprising the steps of;

determining whether said position indicator coincides with a hyperlink; and

in response to accepting a fifth user input through said manual input device, activating said hyperlink.

16. A method as in claim 3, wherein said third and fourth user inputs are accepted in the form of respective selections of a depressible rim section of said rotary element.

13. A portable communication apparatus, comprising:

a controller;

a user interface coupled to said controller, said user interface including a display and a manual input device, said display having a limited presentation area, said manual input device comprising a rotary element;

means for receiving graphical data to be presented, wherein said graphical data represents a required presentation area which is larger than said limited presentation area of said display;

means for presenting a first sub area of said required presentation area on said display;

means for accepting a first user input through said manual input device in the form of a rotary movement of said rotary element, said first user input indicating a desired navigation direction within said required presentation area;

means for accepting a second user input through said manual input device in the form of a rotary movement of said rotary element, said second user input indicating a desired navigation distance within said required presentation area in said desired navigation direction;

means for determining, from said first user input, an angular displacement of a second sub area of said required presentation area with respect to said first sub area;

means for determining, from said second user input, a vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area; and

means for presenting said second sub area on said display.

14. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 13, in the form of a mobile terminal for a mobile telecommunications system.

15. A portable communication apparatus as in claim 13, in the form of a portable digital assistant (PDA).

17. One or more computer readable media storing computer executable instructions for performing a method of controlling a user interface of a portable communication apparatus, said method comprising steps of:

a controller;

a user interface coupled to said controller, said user interface including a display and a manual input device, said display having a limited presentation area, said manual input device comprising a rotary element;

receiving graphical data to be presented, wherein said graphical data represents a required presentation area which is larger than a limited presentation area of a display of the portable communication apparatus;

presenting a first sub area of said required presentation area on said display;

accepting a first user input through a manual input device of the portable communication apparatus in the form of a rotary movement of a rotary element of the manual input device, said first user input indicating a desired navigation direction within said required presentation area;

accepting a second user input through said manual input device in the form of a rotary movement of said rotary element, said second user input indicating a desired navigation distance within said required presentation area in said desired navigation direction;

determining, from said first user input, an angular displacement of a second sub area of said required presentation area with respect to said first sub area;

determining, from said second user input, a vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area; and

presenting said second sub area on said display.

18. The computer readable media of claim 17, said method further comprising:

receiving the graphical data over a wireless communication interface.

19. The computer readable media of claim 18, wherein said wireless communication interface comprises one of a GSM interface and a CDMA interface.

20. The computer readable media of claim 17, said method further comprising repeatedly determining, during input of said second user input, the vectorial displacement of said second sub area with respect to said first sub area;

and

responsively presenting an updated second sub area on said display.