Method for Implementing Zoom Functionality On A Portable Device With Opposing Touch Sensitive Surfaces

• US 20110012928A1
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gorsica, John J., Lombardi, Michael J., Prochnow, Natalie J., Snyder, Ian M., Cholewin, Erik A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,126 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/661
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/022 The hinge comprising two parallel pivoting axes
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

An improved mobile electronic device 100 with a unique thin and cost-effective form and design can have a large display 170 in the outward surface of a flip 102, a large full qwerty keypad 138 in the outward surface of a base 108, and a touchpad 186 in the inward surface of the flip. This arrangement provides useful zooming functionality and magnification techniques, as well as the ability to navigate the display using the touchpad while assuring that the full view of the display is not blocked. This arrangement also accommodates changing the mode of the touchpad from a navigation mode to a zoom mode and vice versa.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a base;

a movable portion operatively connected to the base, said movable portion being selected from the group consisting of a flip and a slide, said movable portion being movable from an open position to a closed position and vice versa;

said base and said movable portion each having an outward surface and an inward surface;

a keypad on the inward or outward surface of said base;

a display assembly comprising a user interface and a display on the outward surface of said movable portion;

a touchpad comprising a navigation control on the inward surface of said movable portion for navigating the display, and said touchpad being positioned for use without blocking view of said display.

2. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said touchpad comprises a zoom control for zooming, increasing or decreasing the size of text or other graphics on said display.

3. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said touchpad comprises a magnifier for magnifying a portion of said display.

4. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the touchpad comprises a sliding bar in a browser window for zooming a portion of said display.

5. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said display comprises a touchscreen display; and

said touchpad comprises a zoomable touchpad for zooming in and out of an area of said display touched by the user in response to touching said touchpad.

6. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said touchpad comprises a changeable touchpad for changing from a navigation mode to a zoom control in a zoom mode in response to an event from the group consisting of pressing a shift key, pressing a command button, changing the orientation of the device, launching an application, and touching the touchscreen or touchpad with a specific gesture.

7. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said touchpad comprises a transforming touchpad for transforming to a zoom control when said touchpad is touched and held by the user and returning to the navigation control when said touchpad is released by the user.

8. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said touchpad comprises a capacitive touchpad for activating a window on said display to electronically display applications selected from the group consisting of applications which are downloaded, frequently used, idle, active, and available in the mobile electronic device when the user touches said capacitive touchpad, and said capacitive touchpad can be used by the user to scroll and select one or more of the applications.

9. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said user interface comprises tabbed windows providing tabs;

said touchpad comprises a touchpad scroll control for scrolling through said tabbed windows in response to moving a finger of the user along said touchpad; and

said display displays a page and comprises a touchscreen with scroll control for scrolling within the active page within the user interface to interact with the page while the touchpad is being scrolled to move between tabs.

10. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein:

said touchpad comprises a visual selector for viewing or cycling through media selected from the group consisting of songs, albums, contacts, e-mail, art, movies, videos, photographs, books, newspapers, magazines, and titles of the preceding; and

said display comprises a tracking device for selecting the media or a track or location of the media.

11. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a base defining a compartment for containing a battery;

a flip pivotably connected to said base by a hinge, said flip being pivotable from a closed position, to a partially open position and to a fully open position and vise versa;

said base and said flip each having an outward surface and an inward surface;

a keypad on the outward surface of said base, said keypad being selected from the group consisting of a qwerty keypad, capacitive keypad keyboard, alpha numeric keys, and a base touchscreen, and the keypad facing downwardly when the flip is in the partially open position;

a display assembly comprising a user interface with a touchscreen display on the outer surface of the flip, said display being positioned opposite the keypad when the flip is in a closed position, said display facing upwardly with and in proximity to the keypad when the flip is in a fully open position, and said display being positioned at an angle of inclination when said flip is in a partially open position; and

a touchpad on the inward surface of said flip and positioned transversely opposite of said display, said touchpad being substantially hidden and inaccessible when said flip is in the closed position, said touchpad comprising a navigation control on the inward surface of said flip for navigating said display, and said touchpad being positioned for use by a user without blocking view of said display.

12. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 11 wherein said touchpad is selected from the group consisting of:

a touchpad with a zoom control for zooming, increasing or decreasing the size of text or graphics on said display;

a touchpad with a magnifier for magnifying a portion of said display;

a touchpad with a sliding bar in a browser window for zooming a portion of said display;

a capacitive zoomable touchpad for zooming in and out of an area of said touchscreen display touched by the user in response to touching the touchpad;

a changeable touchpad for changing from the navigation control in a navigation mode to a zoom control in a zoom mode in response to an event from the group consisting of pressing a shift key, pressing a command button, changing the orientation of the device, launching an application, and touching the touchscreen or touchpad with a specific gesture;

a transforming touchpad for transforming to a zoom control when said touchpad is touched and held by the user and returning to the navigation control when said touchpad is released by the user; and

a capacitive touchpad for activating a window on said display to electronically display applications selected from the group consisting of applications which are downloaded, frequently used, idle, active, and available in the mobile electronic device when the user touches the touchpad, and the touchpad can be used by the user to scroll and select one or more of the applications.

13. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

said user interface comprises tabbed windows providing tabs;

said touchpad comprises a touchpad scroll control for scrolling through said tabbed windows in response to moving a finger of the user along said touchpad; and

said display displays a page and comprises a touchscreen with scroll control for scrolling within the active page within the user interface to interact with the page while the touchpad is being scrolled to move between tabs.

14. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

said touchpad comprises a visual selector for viewing or cycling through media selected from the group consisting of songs, albums, contacts, e-mail, art, movies, videos, photographs, books, newspapers, magazines, and titles of the preceding; and

said touchscreen display comprises a tracking device for selecting the media or a track or location of the media.

15. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 11 wherein:

said mobile electronic device is selected from the group of consisting of a flip phone, portable networking device, internet communications device, clamshell device, radio telephone, cellular phone, mobile phone, smart phone, portable gaming device, personal digital assistant, wireless e-mail device, two-way pager, handheld electronic device, and combinations thereof, and

said mobile electronic device is of a compact size for readily fitting in a shirt pocket, pants pocket, suit pocket, and/or purse.

16. A method using a mobile electronic device, comprising:

providing a mobile electronic device comprising a flip pivotably connected to a base, a keypad on an outward surface of the base, a display on an outward surface of the flip, and a capacitive touchpad on an inward surface of the flip; and

navigating the display by sliding a finger along or touching the touchpad;

while simultaneously

allowing full view of the display and substantially preventing blocking of the view of the display.

17. A method of using a mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 16 including zooming in and out of a portion of the display by touching, contacting, or engaging the touchpad.

18. A method of using a mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 17 including magnifying a portion of the display by pressing, tapping or clicking the touchpad.

19. A method of using a mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 17 including changing or transforming the mode of the touchpad from a navigation mode to a zoom mode and vice versa.

20. A method of using a mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 17 including;

scrolling the touchpad; and

/or

scrolling the display; and

said display comprises a touchscreen display.