User interface for an electronic device

• US 5,892,475 A
• Filed: 06/23/1997
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hanger Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Palatsi, Mikko Juhani
• Primary Examiner(s): KATBAB, ABDOLLAH
• Application Number:
  US08/880,584
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 345/352, 345/353, 345/356, 345/357, 345/123, 345/146
• US Class Current: 715/810
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device

Abstract

A user interface comprising input means, and control means for determining whether a period of time of a predetermined duration has elapsed from a first operation of the input means, and responsive to another operation of the input means: if the other operation is detected within the period of time to cause an item to be made available for selection, or if the other operation is detected after the period of time has elapsed to cause an item to be selected. The user interface may be suitable for a telephone.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising input means, and control means for determining whether a period of time of a predetermined duration has elapsed from a first operation of the input means, and responsive to another operation of the input means:

if the other operation is detected within the period of time to cause an item to be made available for selection, and

if the other operation is detected after the period of time has elapsed to cause an item to be selected.

2. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means is responsive to the first operation to cause an item to be made available for selection.

3. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, comprising output means for indicating the function of the input device, and wherein the control means causes the function indicated by the output means to change when the period expires.

4. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the input means comprises at least a first input device and a second input device, the first operation is an actuation of either of the input devices and the second actuation is an actuation of only the first input device.

5. A user interface as claimed in claim 4, wherein the control means is responsive to actuation of the second input device whether within the period of time or after the period of time has elapsed to cause an item to be made available for selection.

6. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the item is a menu item.

7. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the item is made available for selection by a user.

8. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said item made available for selection differs from any item available for selection immediately previously.

9. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined duration is configurable by a user.

10. A user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein each input device is a binary user input device.