Context sensitive pop-up window for a portable phone

• US 6,570,596 B2
• Filed: 03/24/1999
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Mobile Phones UK Limited (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Frederiksen, Steen Lillethorup
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Kieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/274,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20020080186A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,525 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/338, 345/340, 345/347, 345/352, 345/353, 345/333, 345/341, 345/123, 345/156, 345/975, 345/157, 345/160, 345/167, 345/184, 345/708, 345/781, 345/808, 345/810, 345/841, 345/744, 345/784, 345/857, 455/575, 455/560, 455/550
• US Class Current: 715/808
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2019/146 Roller type actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/008 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being perpendicular to the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/233 including a pointing device, e.g. roller key, track ball, rocker switch or joystick constructional details of pointing devices per se G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• 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: Y10S 715/975 Pop-up dialog box for entry

Abstract

A portable phone is described having a display, input device for inputting information and instructions, and a control unit controlling the display in dependence on the operation of the input device. The input device includes a navigation device for moving a marker in an active part of the display. The navigation device is provided with a roller body and includes the ability for detecting the rolling and depression of the roller body and for providing control signals in response thereto. In an information input mode, the control unit moves the marker in the display in dependence on the rolling control signal and generates a pop-up window upon reception of the depression control signal, the pop-up window covering a part of the active display and containing operations which are allowed in a position defined by the marker.

Claims

1. A portable phone having:

a display adapted to display data, and input means for inputting both information and instructions to a control unit in the phone, the control unit controlling the display in dependence on the operation of the input means;

the input means including;

a moving means in the form of a navigation key for moving a marker in the display; and

a request means in the form of a selection key for providing a request to the control unit for displaying operations which are allowed in a position defined by the marker;

the control unit generating a pop-up window which covers a part of the display upon reception of the request, and which includes the allowed operations in dependence of the position of the marker; and

the navigation key and the selection key allowing a user to navigate between the allowed operations present in the pop-up window, and to select one of these allowed operations, the pop-up window being initiated by the user pressing the selection key.

2. A portable phone according to claim 1, wherein a navigation and selection key assembly is positioned centrally on a front surface of said phone, and includes said selection key and said navigation key.

3. A portable phone according to claim 2, wherein said navigation and selection key assembly includes:

a depressible roller body;

a support structure of the roller body;

an encoder operatively connected to said control unit for detecting the rolling of the roller body; and

a sensor operatively connected to said control unit for detecting the depression of the roller body;

said control unit generating said pop-up window which includes a set of allowed operations, and which covers a part of said display upon reception of a request provided by depressing the roller body.

4. A portable phone according to claim 3, wherein said navigation and selection key assembly is the only input means of said phone.

5. A portable phone according to claim 3, further comprising an editor controlled by said control unit and operated by said navigation key, said control unit defining for the editor:

a first display part in said display for displaying a string of entered information; and

a second display part in the display for displaying a string of a plurality of possible information candidates;

one of the candidates in the candidate string being highlighted by said marker whose movement through information candidates is controlled by the rolling of the roller body, and the highlighted candidate being selectable for entering into the string of entered information by pressing said roller body.

6. A portable phone according to claim 1, wherein said means for moving said marker in said display comprises navigation key means including a roller body whose rolling is detected by means of an encoder operatively connected to said control unit which controls movement of said marker in said display in dependence thereon.

7. A portable phone according to claim 6, wherein said request means comprises a sensor integrated in a support structure for said roller body, said moving and request means being integrated in said navigation key means.

8. A portable phone according to claim 7, further comprising an editor controlled by said control unit and operated by said navigation key means, said control unit defining for the editor:

a first display part in the display for displaying a string of entered information; and

a second display part in the display for displaying a string of a plurality of possible information candidates;

one of the candidates in the candidate string being highlighted by said marker whose movement through information candidates is controlled by the rolling of said navigation key means, and highlighted candidate being selectable for entering into the string of entered information by pressing said navigation key means.

9. A portable phone according to claim 8, wherein all inputs into said phone may be performed by rolling and pressing a navigation and selection key assembly.

10. A portable phone according to claim 9, wherein said navigation and selection key assembly is the only input means of said phone.

11. A portable phone according to claim 1, wherein the content of said pop-up window in an entry or editing mode exhibits marker determined context sensitivity.

12. A phone according to claim 11, wherein said display is a dot matrix display for displaying signs arranged in a predetermined number of lines in the active part of said display, each of the lines may contain a plurality of signs, and said marker is provided as a gleaming bar which may be positioned between two of the signs.

13. A portable phone according to claim 11, wherein said phone changes state upon the occurrence of the context sensitive pop-up window to a listing mode in which a plurality of allowable operations are listed in said pop-up window, and wherein said request providing input means changes functionality to a selection means which, when depressed, selects the operation marked by said marker.

14. A portable phone according to claim 1, wherein said pop-up window is demarcated from the active display areas by means of borderlines defining a rectangular frame.

15. A portable phone according to claim 14, wherein said pop-up window within said rectangular frame displays a number of selectable operations in a listing mode.

16. A portable phone according to claim 15 wherein said pop-up window within said rectangular frame displays from 2 to 4 selectable operations.

17. A portable phone according to claim 15, wherein said control unit handles a list including a plurality of selectable operations arranged in a predetermined order with only a fractional set of a full set of operations shown simultaneously in said pop-up window;

and rolling of said navigation key means causes scanning through the full set of operation.

18. A portable phone according to claim 17, wherein said pop-up window displays three operations with said display updated for every step in said list, whereby said marker will highlight the operation in the middle of said pop-up window.

19. A portable phone according to claim 15, wherein a full set of operations is arranged with two operations defined as a first item and a last item in a list, respectively;

and in a listing mode, wen said marker passes outside the first or the last item in the list, said pop-up window disappears and said phone goes from listing mode to a mode associated with a background display.

20. A portable phone according to claim 1, wherein said pop-up window area covers from about 30 percent to about 70 percent of the full active display area.

21. A portable phone having:

a display adapted to display data, and input means for inputting both information and instructions to a control unit in the phone, the control unit controlling the display in dependence on the operation of the input means;

the input means including;

a navigation key for moving a marker in the display; and

a selection key for providing a request to the control unit for displaying operations which are allowed in a position defined by the marker, the allowed operations being shown in close relation to the displayed data in a pop-up window upon request by a user;

the control unit generating the pop-up window which includes the allowed operations and covers from about 30 percent to about 70 percent of the full active display area; and

the navigation key and the selection key allowing the user to navigate between the allowed operations present in the pop-up window and to select one of the allowed operations, the pop-up window being initiated by the user pressing the selection key.

22. A portable phone having:

transceiver means for wireless communication via a telecommunication network for call handling;

a display adapted to display data;

input means for inputting both information and instructions to a control unit in the phone, the control unit controlling the display in dependence on the operation of the input means, the input means including a navigation key for moving a marker in the display and a selection key for providing a request to the control unit for displaying operations which are allowed in a position defined by the marker;

the control unit generating a pop-up window which covers a part of the display upon reception of the request and which includes the allowed operations; and

a navigation and selection key assembly positioned centrally on a front surface of the phone and including the selection key and the navigation key for allowing a user to navigate between the allowed operations present in the display as well as in the pop-up window and to select one of these operations, the pop-up window being initiated by the user pressing the selection key.