SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20130222274A1
• Filed: 02/29/2012
• Published: 08/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: MORI, Robert Felice, YURKONIS, Philip Gabriel, LO, Jonathan Haking
• Granted Patent: US 9,817,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/146 Instrument input by gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1468 Touch gesture
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method, computer readable storage medium, and electronic device are provided which operates on hierarchical data having a plurality of levels by detecting one of a plurality of gestures on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device. Each of the plurality of gestures is associated with a different level in the hierarchical data.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an electronic device, the electronic device operating on hierarchical data, the hierarchical data having a plurality of levels, the method comprising:

detecting one of a plurality of gestures on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, each of the plurality of gestures associated with a different level in the hierarchical data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting an item in the hierarchical data based on the level associated with the one of the plurality of gestures.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of contact points on the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different portion of a path.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of repetitions of a path.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gestures is performed on a different combination of regions of the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the plurality of gestures comprises a plurality of swipes.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein selecting an item in the hierarchical data comprises selecting a first item in a category that is different from the current category, the different category and current category belong to the level associated with the one of the plurality of gestures.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is docked within an automobile.

10. A computer readable storage medium for controlling an electronic device, the electronic device operating on hierarchical data, the hierarchical data having a plurality of levels, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for:

detecting one of a plurality of gestures on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, each of the plurality of gestures associated with a different level in the hierarchical data.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10 further comprising computer executable instructions for selecting an item in the hierarchical data based on the level associated with the one of the plurality of gestures.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of contact points on the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different portion of a path.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of repetitions of a path.

15. An electronic device for operating on hierarchical data, the hierarchical data having a plurality of levels, the electronic device comprising a processor, a touch-sensitive input mechanism and memory, the memory storing computer executable instructions for:

detecting one of a plurality of gestures on the touch-sensitive input mechanism, each of the plurality of gestures associated with a different level in the hierarchical data.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the memory further stores computer executable instructions for selecting an item in the hierarchical data based on the level associated with the one of the plurality of gestures.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of contact points on the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

18. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different portion of a path.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein each of the plurality of gestures comprises a different number of repetitions of a path.

20. The electronic device of claim 16 further comprising a dock for mounting the electronic device within an automobile.