User input device for electronic device

• US 7,692,637 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US11/115,957
• Publication Number:
  US 20060238495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,806 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/902, 345/184, 345/473, 345168-173, 345/178, 345/764, 715/863, 715/773, 715/764, 715/835, 701/1, 701/211, 455/415, 704/258, 704/260, 382313-319, 358473-485, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• 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

Abstract

A user input device for controlling the movement of a cursor in a graphical user interface (GUI) includes a touch sensitive surface arranged to provide a pre-defined number of touch sensitive surface areas substantially continuous with one another each of which is associated with a corresponding pre-defined functionality. Touching contact with the given surface area causes the cursor to move in the corresponding direction or to stop. The speed of the cursor is controlled by the touching contact which may be a sliding, tapping, pressure or other suitable contact.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a user input device comprising;

a touch sensitive surface arranged in and forming a part of a surface of the electronic device and being arranged to provide a desired number of pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas each of said touch sensitive surface areas being associated with a respective corresponding pre-defined functionality;

appropriate control circuitry responsive to a touching contact with a said touch sensitive surface area configured to control the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic shown on a screen carried by the electronic device wherein;

a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a first pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding first direction in response to a sliding motion touching contact with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area in a first direction on said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to accelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding first direction and in a second direction opposite said first direction on said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to decelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding first direction;

a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a second pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding second direction in response to a sliding motion touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area in a first direction on said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to accelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding second direction and in a second direction on said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area for decelerating the cursor movement in said corresponding second direction; and

a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a third pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to stop movement in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

2. The electronic device as defined in claim 1 further comprising said first, second and third pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas being arranged such that said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area is juxtaposed and substantially continuous with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area is juxtaposed and substantially continuous with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

3. The electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein the direction of said cursor movement in said corresponding first direction is opposite to the direction of said cursor movement in said corresponding second direction.

4. The electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area activates a corresponding operation identified at a given cursor location in the display graphic.

5. The electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic device is portable and pocket sized and for handheld usage.

6. The electronic device is defined in claim 5 wherein the electronic device is a mobile cellular telephone.

7. The electronic device as defined in claim 5 wherein the electronic device is a gaming device.

8. The electronic device as defined in claim 1 wherein said screen carried by said portable electronic device is a touch sensitive screen and said touch sensitive surface comprises at least a portion of said touch sensitive screen.

9. A user input device comprising:

a touch sensitive surface arranged in and forming a part of a surface, said touch sensitive surface being arranged to provide a desired number of pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas each of said touch sensitive areas being associated with a respective corresponding pre-defined functionality;

appropriate control circuitry responsive to touching contact with said touch sensitive surface configured to control the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic wherein;

a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a first pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding first direction in response to a continuous pressing touching contact with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and to respond to a sliding motion touching contact in a first direction on said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to accelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding first direction and to respond to a sliding motion touching contact in a second direction opposite said first direction with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to decelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding first direction;

a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a second pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding second direction in response to a continuous pressing touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and to respond to a sliding motion touching contact in a first direction with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to accelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding second direction and to respond to a sliding motion touching contact in a second direction with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area to decelerate the cursor movement in said corresponding second direction; and

a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a third pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to stop movement in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area;

said first and said second touch sensitive surface further configured to respond to said continuous pressing touching contact such that the velocity of the cursor is proportional to the pressure force applied to said first and said second touch sensitive surface area.

10. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further comprising said first, second and third pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas being arranged such that said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area is juxtaposed and substantially continuous with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area is juxtaposed and substantially continuous with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

11. The user input device as defined in claim 9 wherein said cursor movement in said corresponding first direction is in a direction opposite to said cursor movement in said corresponding second direction.

12. The user input device as defined in claim 9 wherein the cursor is arranged to move a first pre-defined desired distance in said corresponding first direction in response to a touching contact with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and a second pre-defined desired distance in said corresponding second direction in response to a touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

13. The user input device as defined in claim 12 wherein the cursor is arranged to move said respective first and second pre-defined desired distance in response to each time said touching contact is made with said respective first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

14. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further configured to move the cursor moves until said continuous pressing contact is removed from said touch sensitive surface.

15. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further configured to activate a corresponding operation identified at a given cursor location in the display graphic in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

16. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further arranged for use with a portable electronic device wherein the portable electronic device is pocket sized and for handheld use.

17. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further arranged for use with a portable electronic device wherein the portable electronic device is a gaming device.

18. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further arranged for use with a portable electronic device wherein the portable electronic device is a mobile cellular telephone.

19. The user input device as defined in claim 9 wherein said first element touch sensitive surface is a resistive touch sensitive surface.

20. The user input device as defined in claim 9 wherein said first element touch sensitive surface is a capacitive touch sensitive surface.

21. The user input device as defined in claim 9 wherein said first element touch sensitive surface is an inductive touch sensitive surface.

22. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further configured to cause the cursor to move with an increasing speed proportional to the speed of the sliding motion touching contact along said touch sensitive surface area.

23. The user input device as defined in claim 22 wherein said touch sensitive surface is configured to respond to successive sliding motion touching contact to move the cursor correspondingly faster with each successive sliding motion touching contact on said touch sensitive surface.

24. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further configured to increase the velocity of the cursor in response to a higher pressure force applied to said touch sensitive surface area.

25. The user input device as defined in claim 9 further configured to decrease the velocity of the cursor in response to a lower pressure force applied to said touch sensitive surface area.

26. Method, comprising:

controlling the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic using a user input device comprising a touch sensitive surface arranged in and forming a part of a surface and arranged to provide a desired number of pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas, each of said touch sensitive surface areas being associated with a respective corresponding cursor movement direction and functionality;

touching a one or more of said touch sensitive surface areas;

responding to the touching of said touch sensitive surface areas to control the velocity and direction of the cursor, and

moving the cursor in a corresponding first direction in response to a touching contact with a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area,

moving the cursor in a corresponding second direction in response to a touching contact with a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area,

stopping the cursor movement in response to a touching contact with a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area, and

activating a corresponding operation at a given cursor location in the display graphic in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

27. The method as defined in claim 26 further comprising a sliding motion touching contact in a direction to move the cursor in a direction corresponding to the direction of the sliding motion touching contact.

28. The method as defined in claim 26 further comprising moving the cursor at an increasing speed or a decreasing speed corresponding to the speed and direction of the sliding motion touching contact on the corresponding pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

29. A touch sensitive element for moving a cursor in a graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

a touch sensitive surface arranged in and forming a part of a surface of the graphical user interface and arranged to provide a desired number of adjacent pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas, each of said pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas being associated with a corresponding pre-defined cursor movement direction and functionality, each of said pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas configured to be responsive to a touching contact to control the velocity and direction of movement of the cursor in accordance with the pre-defined direction and functionality associated with each of said respective pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas and one of said pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas further configured to stop the cursor movement in response to a touching contact and to activate a corresponding operation identified at a given location in the graphic user interface.

30. The touch sensitive element as defined in claim 29 further configured to move the cursor in a direction corresponding to the direction of a sliding motion touching contact with a said pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

31. The touch sensitive element as defined in claim 30 further configured to move the cursor at an increasing or a decreasing speed corresponding to the speed and direction of the sliding motion touching contact on a said pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

32. The touch sensitive element as defined in claim 29 wherein said touching contact is a tapping touching contact.

33. Computer program carried on a computer readable storage medium and executable by a processor in an electronic device for controlling the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic shown on a screen carried by the electronic device having a user input device comprising a touch sensitive surface arranged in and forming a pat of a surface of the electronic device and arranged to provide a pre-defined desired number of touch sensitive surface areas each of said touch sensitive areas being associated with a respective corresponding cursor movement direction and functionality wherein touching contact in a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area causes the cursor to move in a corresponding first direction, touching contact in a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area causes the cursor to move in a corresponding second direction, and touching contact in a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area causes the cursor to stop movement and to activate a corresponding operation identified at a given cursor location on the display graphic.

34. An electronic device comprising:

a user input device comprising;

a touch sensitive surface being arranged to provide a desired number of pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas each of said touch sensitive areas being associated with a respective corresponding pre-defined functionality;

appropriate control circuitry responsive to a touching contact with said touch sensitive surface for controlling the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic shown on a screen carried by the electronic device wherein;

a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a first pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding first direction in response to a touching contact with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area;

a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a second pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding second direction in response to a touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area; and

a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a third pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to stop movement in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and to activate a corresponding operation identified at a given cursor location in the display graphic.

35. The electronic device as defined in claim 34 wherein said touching contact further comprises a tapping touching contact on said touch sensitive surface for moving the cursor a first pre-defined desired distance in said corresponding first direction in response to a tapping touching contact on said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and a second pre-defined desired distance in said corresponding second direction in response to a tapping touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

36. The electronic device as defined in claim 35 wherein the cursor is arranged to move in said respective first and second pre-defined desired distance in response to each time said tapping touching contact is made on said respective first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area.

37. The electronic device as defined in claim 34 wherein said touch sensitive surface is configured to respond to a continuous pressing touching contact such that the velocity of the cursor is proportional to the pressure force applied to the touch sensitive surface area.

38. The electronic device as defined in claim 37 further configured to move the cursor until said continuous pressing touching contact is removed from said touch sensitive surface.

39. The electronic device as defined in claim 37 further configured to increase the velocity of the cursor in response to a higher pressure force applied to the touch sensitive surface area.

40. The electronic device as defined in claim 34 wherein said touching contact further comprises a continuous pressing touching contact against said touch sensitive surface and configured to cause the velocity of the cursor to be proportional to the time the pressing touching contact is applied to the touch sensitive surface area.

41. The electronic device as defined in claim 40 further configured to increase the velocity of the cursor in response to the pressing touching contact being applied to the touch sensitive surface area for a longer time duration.

42. A user input device comprising:

a touch sensitive surface, said touch sensitive surface being arranged to provide a desired number of pre-defined touch sensitive surface areas each of said touch sensitive areas being associated with a respective corresponding pre-defined functionality;

appropriate control circuitry responsive to touching contact with said touch sensitive surface for controlling the velocity and direction of movement of a cursor in a display graphic wherein;

a first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a first pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding first direction in response to a touching contact with said first pre-defined touch sensitive surface area;

a second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a second pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to move in a corresponding second direction in response to a touching contact with said second pre-defined touch sensitive surface area; and

a third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area comprises a third pre-defined functionality configured to cause the cursor to stop movement in response to a touching contact with said third pre-defined touch sensitive surface area and to activate a corresponding operation identified at a given cursor location in the display graphic;

said touch sensitive surface is further configured to respond to a continuous pressing touching contact such that the velocity of the cursor is proportional to the pressure force applied to the touch sensitive surface area.