Applying a navigational mode to a device

• US 8,418,083 B1
• Filed: 11/26/2007
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Mobile Innovations LLC (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Lundy, Michael T., Landers, Robert Brian, Whitney, Jason K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Leggett, Andrea
• Application Number:
  US11/945,054
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 715/863, 715/810
• US Class Current: 715/863
• 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 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser

Abstract

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media, for applying a navigational mode to a device based on one or more state indicators is provided. One or more state indicators are obtained. The state indicators indicate the state of a navigational mode selector. Such a navigational mode selector may be utilized to alter the navigational mode applied to a device. Thereafter, the state indicators are associated with a navigational mode. Upon associating the state indicators with a navigational mode, the navigational mode is applied to a device so that a display screen feature may be effectively manipulated.

Claims

1. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for applying navigational modes to devices based on state indicators, the method comprising:

obtaining one or more state indicators that provide an indication of a state of a navigational mode selector that is a button on a user device utilized to select a navigation mode from among a first navigational mode that manipulates a selector, that is used to select selectable items, based on motion of the user device and a second navigational mode that manipulates content, presented via a user interface of the user device, based on motion of the user device, the one or more state indicators providing an indication of a touch state that indicates the navigational mode selector is contacted by a user when the user contacts, but does not depress, the button on the user device or a depressed state that indicates the navigation mode selector is depressed by the user when the user depresses the button on the user device;

associating the one or more state indicators with the navigational mode, wherein one of the touch state or the depressed state is associated with the first navigational mode that manipulates the selector that is used to select selectable items, and the other of the touch state or the depressed state is associated with the second navigational mode that manipulates content presented via a user interface of the user device; and

applying the navigational mode to a device.

2. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the navigational mode comprises a distinct operation within a computer program that manipulates the one or more display screen features based on one or more device motion events, one or more device action events, or a combination thereof.

3. The computer-readable media of claim 2, wherein the one or more device motion events comprise a movement applied to and detected by a device or other equipment associated therewith.

4. The computer-readable media of claim 3, wherein the movement comprises a lateral movement, a vertical movement, a rotational movement, a gesture, or a combination thereof.

5. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the navigational mode comprises a discrete navigational mode, a continuous navigational mode, a capture navigational mode, a tilt navigational mode, a rotational navigational mode, a gesture navigational mode, a menu navigational mode, a selection navigational mode, or a combination thereof.

6. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the one or more state indicators comprise text, a value, a symbol, a signal, a resistance, a voltage, a pressure, a location, a temperature, or a combination thereof.

7. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the navigational mode selector comprises a key.

8. The computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein one or more contact sensors are used to indicate the state of the navigational mode selector.

9. The computer-readable media of claim 8, wherein the one or more contact sensors comprise a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor, a bio-presence sensor, or a combination thereof.

10. A system for applying navigational modes to devices based on state indicators, the system comprising:

a processing unit; and

a memory for storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the processing unit executes;

a state indicator obtaining component configured to obtain one or more state indicators that provide an indication of a state of a navigational mode selector comprising a key on a user device utilized to select a navigational mode from among a first navigational mode that manipulates a selector, that is used to select selectable items, based on motion of the user device and a second navigational mode that manipulates content, presented via a user interface of the user device, based on motion of the user device, the one or more state indicators providing an indication of a touch state that indicates the navigational mode selector is contacted by a user when the user touches, but does not depress, the key on the user device or a depressed state that indicates the navigation mode selector is depressed by the user when the user depresses the key on the user device;

a state indicator associating component configured to associate the one or more state indicators with the navigational mode, wherein one of the touch state or the depressed state is associated with the first navigational mode that manipulates the selector that is used to select selectable items, and the other of the touch state or the depressed state is associated with the second navigational mode that manipulates content presented via a user interface of the user device; and

a navigational mode applying component configured to apply the navigational mode to a device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the navigational mode comprises a distinct operation within a computer program that manipulates the one or more display screen features based on one or more device motion events.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more device motion events comprise a movement applied to and detected by the device or other equipment associated therewith.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the movement comprises a lateral movement, a vertical movement, a rotational movement, a gesture, or a combination thereof.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the navigational mode comprises a discrete navigational mode, a continuous navigational mode, a lock navigational mode, a tilt navigational mode, a rotational navigational mode, a gesture navigational mode, or a combination thereof.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the one or more state indicators comprise text, a value, a symbol, a signal, a resistance, a voltage, a pressure, a location, a temperature, or a combination thereof.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the navigational mode selector comprises one or more contact sensors.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more contact sensors comprise a pressure sensor, a displacement sensor, a bio-presence sensor, or a combination thereof.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon that, when executed, perform a method for applying navigational modes to devices based on state indicators, the method comprising:

obtaining a first state indicator from a bio-presence sensor that indicates a touch state of a navigational mode selector comprising a button on a user device indicating that the navigational mode selector utilized to select a navigational mode from among a set of navigational modes is touched by a user, wherein each of the navigational modes comprises a distinct operation within a computer program that manipulates at least one display screen feature in accordance with motion of the user device, the at least one display screen feature comprises a content display screen feature, a focus display screen feature, or a selector display screen feature;

associating the first state indicator that indicates the touch state of the button on the user device with a first navigational mode for manipulating content presented on a display screen of the user device based on the indication of the touch state of the navigational mode selector that the navigational mode selector is touched by the user;

applying the first navigational mode to the user device such that a content is manipulated based on motion of the user device;

during the first navigational mode being applied to the device, obtaining a second state indicator from a pressure or displacement sensor that indicates a depressed state of the navigational mode selector comprising the button on the user device indicating that the navigational mode selector is depressed by the user;

associating the second state indicator that indicates the depressed state of the button on the user device with a second navigational mode for manipulating a cursor presented on the display screen of the user device based on the indication of the depressed state of the navigational mode selector that the navigational mode selector is depressed by the user;

and

applying the second navigational mode to the user device such that the cursor is manipulated based on motion of the user device.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 18, wherein the first state indicator indicates a default state of the navigational mode selector.