Orientation based multiple mode mechanically vibrated touch screen display

• US 7,791,594 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dunko, Gregory A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu; Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHARIFI-TAFRESHI, KOOSHA
• Application Number:
  US11/468,426
• Publication Number:
  US 20080059888A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,469 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/649, 345/169, 345/650, 345/156, 715/700
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1614 Image rotation following screen orientation, e.g. switching from landscape to portrait mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/18 wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

A system and method is disclosed for reconfiguring the graphical user interface (GUI) of a mechanically vibrated touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes. The reconfiguration of the GUI is based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device. An orientation sensing mechanism senses whether the portable mobile communications device is currently in a portrait or landscape orientation. An orientation sensing application accesses an orientation profile that associates each mode of operation with either a portrait or landscape orientation and determines which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device. The GUI of the mechanically vibrated touchscreen display is then reconfigured for the default mode of operation.

Claims

1. A method of reconfiguring the graphical user interface (GUI) of a touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes, the reconfiguration of the GUI based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device, the method comprising:

sensing whether the portable mobile communications device is currently in a portrait or landscape orientation;

accessing an orientation profile that associates each mode of operation with either a portrait or landscape orientation, wherein a first mode of operation comprises a first set of control buttons displayed on a first GUI in the portrait orientation to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in the portrait orientation, and wherein a second mode of operation comprises a second set of control buttons displayed on a second GUI in the landscape orientation to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in the landscape orientation, wherein the first set of control buttons is different than the second set of control buttons, and wherein the first set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in landscape orientation and wherein the second set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in a portrait orientation;

determining which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device;

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for the default mode of operation;

detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device when the GUI of the touchscreen display is in the default mode of operation; and

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation in response to the detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

receiving input indicative of a response to prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for another mode of operation associated with the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device if the received input indicative of a response to prompting the user is negative;

repeating the prompting, receiving, and reconfiguring steps until the GUI on the touchscreen display for the desired mode of operation is presented.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the modes of operation include phone mode, camera mode, game mode, music player mode, and web-browser mode.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

means for prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

means for receiving input indicative of a response to prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for another mode of operation associated with the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device if the received input indicative of a response to prompting the user is negative; and

means for repeating the process until the GUI on the touchscreen display for the desired mode of operation is presented.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the modes of operation include phone mode, camera mode, game mode, music player mode, and web-browser mode.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the touchscreen display comprises mechanically vibrated touchscreen display that, when a button that is displayed on the GUI is selected by the user, issues a tactile sensation to the user to indicate that the button was selected.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising presenting an area on the touchscreen that, when depressed, presents a list of modes of operations to allow the user to manually select a desired mode of operation.

4. A method of reconfiguring the graphical user interface (GUI) of a touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes, the method comprising:

sensing the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device;

accessing an orientation profile that associates each mode of operation with an orientation, wherein a first mode of operation comprises a first set of control buttons displayed on a first GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a first orientation, and wherein a second mode of operation comprises a second set of control buttons displayed on a second GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a second orientation, wherein the first set of control buttons is different than the second set of control buttons, and wherein the first set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in landscape orientation and wherein the second set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in a portrait orientation;

presenting a list of modes of operation associated with the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device in response to sensing the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device;

prompting the user to select a mode of operation from the list;

receiving input indicative of a selected mode of operation; and

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for the selected mode of operation associated;

detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device when the GUI of the touchscreen display is in the default mode of operation; and

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation in response to the detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the modes of operation include phone mode, camera mode, game mode, music player mode, and web-browser mode.

6. A system that can reconfigure the graphical user interface (GUI) of a touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes, the reconfiguration of the GUI based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device, the system comprising:

orientation sensing means for sensing whether the portable mobile communications device is currently in a portrait or landscape orientation;

an orientation profile for associating each mode of operation with either a portrait or landscape orientation, wherein a first mode of operation comprises a first set of control buttons displayed on a first GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in the portrait orientation, and wherein a second mode of operation comprises a second set of control buttons displayed on a second GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in the landscape orientation, wherein the first set of control buttons is different than the second set of control buttons, and wherein the first set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in landscape orientation and wherein the second set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in a portrait orientation;

means for determining which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device based on the orientation profile; and

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for the default mode of operation;

means for detecting that the user has shaken the portable mobile communications device when the GUI of the touchscreen display is in the default mode of operation; and

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation in response to the detecting that the user has shaken the portable mobile communications device.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the orientation sensing means is an accelerometer.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the orientation sensing means is a gyroscopic device.

11. A method of reconfiguring the graphical user interface (GUI) of a touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes, the reconfiguration of the GUI based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device, the method comprising:

sensing the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device;

accessing an orientation profile that associates each mode of operation with an orientation, wherein a first mode of operation comprises a first set of control buttons displayed on a first GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a first orientation, and wherein a second mode of operation comprises a second set of control buttons displayed on a second GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a second orientation, wherein the first set of control buttons is different than the second set of control buttons, and wherein the first set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in landscape orientation and wherein the second set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in a portrait orientation;

determining which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device;

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for the default mode of operation;

detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device when the GUI of the touchscreen display is in the default mode of operation; and

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation in response to the detecting that the user has shaken the portable mobile communications device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

receiving input indicative of a response to prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for another mode of operation associated with the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device if the received input indicative of a response to prompting the user is negative;

and repeating the prompting, receiving, reconfiguring steps until the GUI on the touchscreen display for the desired mode of operation is presented.

13. A system that can reconfigure the graphical user interface (GUI) of a touchscreen display associated with a portable mobile communications device that is operable in a variety of modes, the reconfiguration of the GUI based on the orientation of the portable mobile communications device, the system comprising:

orientation sensing means for sensing the orientation of a portable mobile communications device;

an orientation profile for associating each mode of operation with an orientation, wherein a first mode of operation comprises a first set of control buttons displayed on a first GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a first orientation, and wherein a second mode of operation comprises a second set of control buttons displayed on a second GUI to allow input from a user for operation of the portable mobile communications device when the portable mobile communications device is orientated in a second orientation, wherein the first set of control buttons is different than the second set of control buttons, and wherein the first set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in landscape orientation and wherein the second set of control buttons are configured to have a orientation in a portrait orientation;

means for determining which mode of operation is the default mode for the sensed orientation of the portable mobile communications device based on the orientation profile;

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for the default mode of operation;

means for detecting that the user has shaken the portable mobile communications device when the GUI of the touchscreen display is in the default mode of operation; and

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for a mode of operation other than the default mode of operation in response to the detecting that the user has shaken the portable communication device.

14. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

means for prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

means for receiving input indicative of a response to prompting the user if the current mode is the desired mode of operation;

means for reconfiguring the GUI of the touchscreen display for another mode of operation associated with the current orientation of the portable mobile communications device if the received input indicative of a response to prompting the user is negative; and

means for repeating the process until the GUI on the touchscreen display for the desired mode of operation is presented.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the modes of operation include phone mode, camera mode, game mode, music player mode, and web-browser mode.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the orientation sensing means is an accelerometer.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein the orientation sensing means is a gyroscopic device.