User interface for mobile handheld computer unit

• US 8,095,879 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neonode Smartphone LLC (Aequitas Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Neonode, Inc.
• Inventors: Goertz, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): PITARO, RYAN F
• Application Number:
  US10/315,250
• Publication Number:
  US 20040109013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,318 Days
• Field of Search: 715/864, 715/702
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a user interface for a mobile handheld computer unit, which computer unit comprises a touch sensitive area (1), which is divided into a menu area (2) and a display area (3). The computer unit is adapted to run several applications simultaneously and to present an active application on top of any other application on the display area (3). The menu area (2) is adapted to present a representation of a first (21), a second (22) and a third predefined (23) function. The first function (21) is a general application dependent function, the second function (22) is a keyboard function, and the third function (23) is a task and file manager. Any one of these three functions can be activated when the touch sensitive area (1) detects a movement of an object with its starting point within the representation of the function on the menu area (2) and with a direction from the menu area (2) to the display area (3).

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program with computer program code, which, when read by a mobile handheld computer unit, allows the computer to present a user interface for the mobile handheld computer unit, the user interface comprising:

a touch sensitive area in which a representation of a function is provided, wherein the representation consists of only one option for activating the function and wherein the function is activated by a multi-step operation comprising (i) an object touching the touch sensitive area at a location where the representation is provided and then (ii) the object gliding along the touch sensitive area away from the touched location, wherein the representation of the function is not relocated or duplicated during the gliding.

2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the function, when activated, causes the user interface to display icons representing different services or settings for a currently active application.

3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that a selection of a preferred service or setting is done by tapping on a display icon corresponding to the preferred service or setting.

4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the function, when activated, causes the user interface to display a keyboard and a text field.

5. The computer readable medium of claim 4, wherein said text field is used for inputting and editing of text through said keyboard.

6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the function, when activated, causes the user interface to display a list with a library of available applications and files on the mobile handheld computer unit.

7. The computer readable medium of claim 6, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that a selection of an application or file is done by gliding the object along said touch sensitive area so that a representation of a desired one of said application or file is highlighted, raising said object from said touch sensitive area, and then tapping on said touch sensitive area.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that at any given time said list presents only files or only applications, and that an area of said list presents a field through which said list can be changed from presenting files to presenting applications, or from presenting applications to presenting files.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that, one item in said list is highlighted by a moveable marking, and the user interface enables list navigation whereby gliding the object along the touch sensitive area in a direction towards the top of said list or towards the bottom of said list causes said marking to move in the same direction without scrolling the list.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that, if the number of applications or files in said list exceeds the number of applications or files that can be presented on said touch sensitive area as content, and if the object is (i) glided along said touch sensitive area to the top or bottom of said touch sensitive area, then (ii) raised above said touch sensitive area, then (iii) replaced on said touch sensitive area, and then (iv) again glided along said touch sensitive area to the top or bottom of said touch sensitive area, said list navigation pages the content of said list up or down by one whole page.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 10, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that if the object is raised from any first position on said touch sensitive area and then replaced on any second position on said touch sensitive area, said list navigation can be continued from said second position.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that an active application, function, service or setting is advanced one step by gliding the object along the touch sensitive area from left to right, and that the active application, function, service or setting is closed or backed one step by gliding the object along the touch sensitive area from right to left.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the user interface is characterised in, that said representation of said function is located at the bottom of said touch sensitive area.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive area is 2-3 inches in diagonal dimension.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 1, characterised in, that said computer program code is adapted to function as a shell upon an operating system.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the representation is finger-sized.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the location where the representation is provided does not provide touch functionality for a different function.