Precision resolution

• US 7,154,479 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2003
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jakobsen, Janne, Knudsen, Christian Saxe, Stagsted, Lone, Balle, Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): LAO, LUNYI
• Application Number:
  US10/449,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20040239692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-169, 200/5.R, 200/6.A, 200/11.R, 200/8.R, 348/734, 463 37- 38, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/575.1, 455/575.2
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0213 Arrangements providing an integrated pointing device in a keyboard, e.g. trackball, mini-joystick for pointing devices integrated in a laptop computer G06F1/169; joysticks G05G9/047; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0236 using selection techniques to select from displayed items
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/033 Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user , e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor digitisers characterised by the transducing means G06F3/041
• 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: H04M 1/23 Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof by improving visibility H04M1/22
• 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 1/72427 for supporting games or graphical animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/70 methods for entering alphabetical characters, e.g. multi-tap or dictionary disambiguation methods for entering alphabetical characters per se G06F3/0237

Abstract

A mobile communication apparatus comprises a processor means and an interface. The interface comprises a display and a input means, which comprises a rotating input means arranged to provide a angular movement signal in accordance with an angular movement of the rotating input means. The processor means is adapted to generate a selectable number of counts from said angular movement signal.

Claims

1. Mobile communication apparatus comprising processor means and an interface, said interface comprising a display and an input means, said input means comprising a rotating input means arranged to provide an angular movement signal in accordance with an angular movement of said rotating input means, and said processor means being adapted to generate a selectable number of counts from said angular movement signal by way of a dynamic selection of number of counts for a given angular movement, wherein said input means further comprises a selection means for selecting an item marked, and means for correcting said angular movement signal by disabling count generation during a predetermined time period before actuation of the selection means.

2. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angular movement signal comprises a signal pattern such as a pulse, a sequence of pulses, a digital signal, an analogue signal, or any combination thereof.

3. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said processing means is adapted to generate said selectable number of counts in accordance with instructions received from an application to be executed by said processor means, user interaction, or any combination thereof.

4. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said application comprises a calendar, a game, a media player, a web browser, a phone book, a messaging service, or an FM-radio, or any combination thereof.

5. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising speed monitoring means adapted to monitor a angular movement speed of said rotating input means and to generate angular movement speed data.

6. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said processor means is adapted to receive said angular movement speed data from said speed monitoring means and to translate said angular movement speed into a processing action.

7. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processing action comprises scrolling, and wherein said processor means translates low angular movement speed to scroll up/down and high angular movement speed to page up/down.

8. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processing action comprises data flipping, and wherein said processor means translates low angular movement speed to next/previous data and high angular movement speed to fast forward/reverse.

9. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said processing action comprises scanning, and wherein said processor means translates low angular movement speed to manual search and high angular movement speed to automatic search.

10. Mobile communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said mobile communication apparatus comprises a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, or a videophone, or any combination thereof.

11. Mobile communication apparatus comprising processor means and an interface, said interface comprising a display and an input means, said input means comprising a rotating input means arranged to provide an angular movement signal in accordance with an angular movement of said rotating input means, wherein said input means further comprises a selection means for selecting an item marked on said display, which selection means is arranged to change the selection of a marked item by ignoring angular movement of the rotating input means during a predetermined time period before actuation of the selection means, and said processor means is adapted to generate a selectable number of counts from said angular movement signal by way of a dynamic selection of number of counts for a given angular movement.

12. Method for inputting data in a mobile communication apparatus comprising:

generating an angular movement signal upon angular movement of a rotating input means, receiving said angular movement signal by processor means, defining a number of counts for an angular movement of said rotating input means, generating counts in accordance with said angular movement signal, enabling selection of a marked item, and correcting said angular movement signal by disabling count generation during a predetermined time period before actuation of the selection means, wherein said generating of counts includes a dynamic selection of number of counts for a given angular movement.

13. Method for inputting data according to claim 12, wherein defining said number of counts comprises receiving number data from an application executed by said mobile communication apparatus, or receiving number data from user interaction, or any combination thereof.

14. Method for inputting data according to claim 13, comprising monitoring an angular movement speed of said rotating input means and generating angular movement speed data.

15. Method for inputting data according to claim 14, further comprising receiving said angular movement speed data and translating said angular movement speed into a processing action.

16. Computer program comprising code adapted to perform the following steps when said program is run on a data-processing system:

generating an angular movement signal upon angular movement of a rotating input means, receiving said angular movement signal by processor means, defining a number of counts for a angular movement of said rotating input means, generating counts in accordance with said angular movement signal, enabling selection of a marked item, and correcting said angular movement signal by disabling count generation during a predetermined time period before actuation of the selection, wherein said generating of counts includes a dynamic selection of number of counts for a given angular movement.

17. Computer program according to claim 16, wherein said program is adapted to be used to input data in a mobile communication apparatus.

18. Computer program according to claim 16, wherein said program is executed on a mobile communication apparatus comprising processor means and an interface, said interface comprising a display and a input means, said input means comprising a rotating input means arranged to provide a angular movement signal in accordance with an angular movement of said rotating input means, and said processor means being adapted to generate a selectable number of counts from said angular movement signal.