Virtual hard keys on a wireless device

• US 20080062134A1
• Filed: 09/12/2006
• Published: 03/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Helio LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Helio LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Duarte, Matias, Hayes, Gregory Paul, Ford, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,797,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1624 with sliding enclosures, e.g. sliding keyboard or display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1671 Special purpose buttons or auxiliary keyboards, e.g. retractable mini keypads, keypads or buttons that remain accessible at closed laptop G06F1/1666 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0238 Programmable keyboards key guide holders G06F3/0224
• 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
• 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 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

Embodiments of the claimed invention provide systems and methods whereby the functionality of soft keys on a mobile electronic device may be shifted depending on the orientation of the device. The device detects its orientation and then maps a different function to the appropriate soft keys to ensure that the soft keys retain their functionalities from the end-user'"'"'s perspective.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a sensor for detecting an orientation of the device;

a first soft key that can adopt one or more functions depending upon the orientation of the device; and

a screen that changes its display based on the orientation of the device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a gravimetric sensor.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a mercury switch.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a pendulum.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a ball bearing switch.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a second soft key that can adopt one or more functions depending upon the orientation of the device.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein, in one orientation of the device, the first soft key provides a specific functionality and in another orientation of the device, the second soft key provides the same specific functionality.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the first and second soft keys exchange functionality such that the desired functionality is always provided by a soft key which is fixed with respect to an end-user.

10. A mobile electronic device comprising:

means for detecting an orientation of the device;

means for changing a function of a device key based on the orientation of the device; and

means for altering a display based on the orientation of the device.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises a gravimetric sensor.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.

13. A method for changing a function of a soft key on a device comprising the steps of:

detecting a first orientation of the device at a first time;

sensing a change in the orientation of the device to a second orientation; and

mapping a different function to each soft key.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of polling sensors in the device to determine the device'"'"'s orientation after the first orientation is detected.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising sending an interrupt to a processor within the device immediately after a change in the orientation of the device is sensed.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of mapping one or more functions depending upon the orientation of the device to a second soft key.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein, in one orientation, the first soft key provides a specific functionality, and in another orientation, the second soft key provides the same specific functionality.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and second soft keys exchange functionality such that the desired functionality is always provided by a soft key which is fixed with respect to an end-user.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein the device'"'"'s orientation is detected using a gravimetric sensor.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein the device'"'"'s orientation is detected using a gyroscope.

21. A method for changing a function of a key on a device comprising the steps of:

detecting a first orientation of the device at a first time; and

configuring the function of the key with respect to the orientation.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising the step of:

detecting a second orientation of the device at a second time; and

if there is a difference between the first and second orientations, reconfiguring the function of the key with respect to the new orientation.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein configuring and reconfiguring the function of the key comprises shifting the function of one key to another key such that the location of the key with a specific function remains fixed relative to the end-user.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the orientation is detected using a gravimetric sensor.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the orientation is detected using a gyroscope.