PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING SAME

• US 20110109561A1
• Filed: 11/10/2009
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: LEE, John Jong-Suk, LANGLOIS, Michael George, BOCKING, Andrew Douglas, GRIFFIN, Jason Tyler, MUJKIC, Alen
• Application Number:
  US12/615,653
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109561A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A method includes rendering an interface area for inputting a first plurality of characters associated with a plurality of locations on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device, detecting, by the touch-sensitive display, a first gesture in a first direction on the touch-sensitive display, associating a second set of characters with the plurality of locations in response to detecting the gesture.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

rendering an interface area for inputting a first plurality of characters associated with a plurality of locations on a touch-sensitive display of a portable electronic device;

detecting, by the touch-sensitive display, a first gesture in a first direction on the touch-sensitive display;

associating a second set of characters with the plurality of locations in response to detecting the first gesture.

2. The method according to claim 1, comprising, when a subsequent touch is detected at a location associated with one of the second set of characters, entering the one of the second set of characters.

3. The method according to claim 1, comprising determining a direction of the first gesture and wherein associating the second set of characters comprises associating based on the direction of the first gesture.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the direction of the first gesture comprises determining one of a horizontal swipe and a vertical swipe relative to an orientation of the rendered interface area.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining the direction of the first gesture comprises determining one of a right direction and a left direction or determining one of an upward direction and a downward direction relative to an orientation of the rendered interface area.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein detecting the first gesture comprises detecting one of a single swipe and a multiple-touch swipe.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the first gesture is a multiple-touch swipe, associating the second set of characters with the plurality of locations until a further gesture is detected.

8. The method according to claim 1, comprising displaying a visual indicator that the second set of characters are associated with the plurality of locations until a further gesture is detected.

9. The method according to claim 1, comprising associating the first set of characters with the plurality of locations when a second gesture is detected in a second direction on the touch-sensitive display, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the first gesture is a single gesture, associating the first set of characters is with the plurality of locations after a touch is detected at one of the plurality of locations.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein associating a second set of characters comprises associating capitalized versions of the first plurality of characters with the plurality of locations when the first gesture is a vertical gesture.

12. The method according to claim 1, comprising rendering the second set of characters in the interface area in response to detecting the first gesture.

13. The method according to claim 1, comprising associating a third set of characters with the plurality of locations when a second gesture is detected in the first direction on the touch-sensitive display.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising, when a subsequent touch is detected at a location associated with one of the third set of characters, entering the one of the third set of characters.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising rendering the third set of characters in the interface area in response to detecting the second gesture.

16. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable code executable by at least one processor of a portable electronic device to perform the method according to claim 1.

17. A portable electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive display configured to render an interface area for inputting a first plurality of characters associated with a plurality of locations on the touch-sensitive display and to detect a first gesture in a first direction;

a processor configured to associate a second set of characters with the plurality of locations when the first gesture is detected.