Method, device computer program and graphical user interface for user input of an electronic device

• US 20070075976A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Kongqiao, Wang, Kangas, Jari, Kun, Yu
• Granted Patent: US 7,728,818 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/172
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04807 Pen manipulated menu
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• 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

A method of controlling an electronic device including a touch sensitive display the method including displaying a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity; detecting a coupling, formed by a user, of at least two graphical items, the coupling including, a trace on the touch sensitive display between the at least two graphical items; and, performing an action dependent upon the identity of the coupled graphical items.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device comprising a touch sensitive display the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity;

detecting a coupling, formed by a user, of at least two graphical items, the coupling comprising, a trace on the touch sensitive display between the at least two graphical items; and

,

performing an action dependent upon the identity of the coupled graphical items.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein coupling a first graphical item to a second graphical item causes the device to perform a first action.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first action is an action associated with the first graphical item and is performed on information associated with the second graphical item.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein coupling the first graphical item to a third graphical item causes the device to perform a second action.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the second action is an action associated with the third graphical item and is performed on information associated with the first graphical item.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the identity of each graphical item is associated with a function of the device and/or information stored in the device.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the graphical items are stationary during the formation of the coupling.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the trace between two graphical items can begin on either of the at least two graphical items.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the identity of a graphical item may depend upon the mode of the device.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the graphical items are arranged in groups of associated actions.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the graphical items are arranged at the edge of the touch sensitive display.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein coupling a graphical item to any graphical item in the same group causes the trace to be cancelled.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a pen or stylus is used to make traces across the touch sensitive display.

30. A computer program comprising program instructions for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 1.

14. An electronic device comprising:

a touch sensitive display for displaying a plurality of graphical items;

detection means for detecting user input on the touch sensitive display; and

control means for controlling the touch sensitive display;

wherein each graphical item has an identity and the control means is arranged, in response to detection, by the detection means, of a coupling formed by a user between the at least two graphical items comprising a trace on the touch sensitive display between the at least two graphical items, to control the device to perform an action dependent on the identity of the coupled graphical items.

15. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein coupling a first graphical item to a second graphical item causes the device to perform a first action.

16. A device as claimed in claim 15 wherein the first action is an action associated with the first graphical item and is performed on information associated with the second graphical item.

17. A device as claimed in claim 15 wherein coupling the first graphical item to a third graphical item causes the device to perform a second function.

18. A device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the second action is an action associated with the third graphical item and is performed on information associated with the first graphical item.

19. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the identity of each graphical item is associated with a function of the device and/or information stored in the device.

20. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the graphical items are stationary during the formation of the coupling.

21. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the trace between two graphical items can begin on either of the at least two graphical items.

22. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the identity of a graphical item may depend upon the mode of the device.

23. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein the graphical items are arranged in groups of associated actions.

24. A device as claimed in claim 23 wherein the graphical items are arranged at the edge of the touch sensitive display.

25. A device as claimed in claim 24 wherein coupling a graphical item to any graphical item in the same group causes the trace to be cancelled.

26. A device as claimed in claim 14 wherein a pen or stylus is used to make traces across the touch sensitive display.

27. A computer program comprising program instructions for controlling an electronic device comprising a touch sensitive display which, when loaded into a processor, comprises:

means for

controlling the display to display a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity;

detecting a coupling, formed by a user, of at least two graphical items, the coupling comprising a trace on the touch sensitive screen between the at least two graphical items; and

controlling the device to perform an action dependent upon the identity of the coupled graphical items.

28. A physical entity embodying the computer program as claimed in claim 27.

29. An electromagnetic carrier signal carrying the computer program as claimed in claim 27.

31. A graphical user interface that:

displays a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity;

enables the coupling of at least two graphical items by a user making a trace between the at least two graphical items; and

, in response to detecting the coupling of the at least two graphical items

enables performance of an action of the device wherein the action performed depends on the identity of the at least two graphical items.

32. A method of controlling an electronic device using a touch sensitive display the method comprising:

displaying a plurality of graphical items on the touch sensitive display where each graphical item has an identity;

detecting a coupling, formed by a user, of two graphical items comprising a trace on the touch sensitive display between the two graphical items;

performing a first action of the device, in response to the detection of the coupling of a first graphical item to a second graphical item; and

performing a second action of the device, in response to the detection of the coupling of the first graphical item to a third graphical item.