SELECTION OF A SELECTION ITEM ON A TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY

• US 20110012850A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Kwok, Jordanna, Melnyk, Pavlo, Lazaridis, Mihal
• Application Number:
  US12/818,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20110012850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0381 Multimodal input, i.e. interface arrangements enabling the user to issue commands by simultaneous use of input devices of different nature, e.g. voice plus gesture on digitizer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• 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 1/72469 for operating the device by selecting functions from two or more displayed items, e.g. menus or icons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

A focused selection item is displayed on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device. An actuation of a physical key is detected. At least one function associated with the focused selection item is performed in response to the actuation.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, one or more selection items, wherein a first selection item of the one or more selection items is displayed as a focused selection item;

detecting an actuation of a physical key;

performing at least one function associated with the focused selection item in response to the actuation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical key is a menu key.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting a touch that changes the focused selection item to a second selection item of the one or more selection items.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to detect a selection of the first selection item by detecting a touch associated with the first selection item.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more selection items are displayed in a dialog box displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the dialog box occupies an entire displayed area of the touch-sensitive display.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical key is disposed on a side of the electronic device.

8. The method of claim 1, further including setting a user-programmable key to function as the physical key.

9. A computer readable medium having stored instructions executed by a processor of a portable electronic device and causing the portable electronic device to implement the method of claim 1.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to display one or more selection items, wherein a first selection item of the one or more selection items is displayed as a focused selection item;

a physical key;

a microprocessor configured to;

detect an actuation of the physical key;

perform at least one function associated with the focused selection item.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the physical key is a menu key.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to, before detecting the actuation of the physical key, detect a touch that changes the focused selection item to a second selection item of the one or more selection items.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the touch-sensitive display is configured to detect a selection of the first selection item by detecting a touch associated with the first selection item.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the one or more selection items are displayed in a dialog box displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

15. The electronic device of claim 14, wherein the dialog box occupies an entire displayed area of the touch-sensitive display.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the physical key is disposed on a side of the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the physical key is a user-programmable key that is configurable to perform as the physical key.

18. A method comprising:

displaying, on a touch-sensitive display of an electronic device, a focused selection item;

detecting an actuation of a physical key;

performing at least one function associated with the focused selection item.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the focused selection item is a character on a keyboard displayed on the touch-sensitive display.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the focused selection item is an icon for an application displayed on the touch-sensitive display.