Handheld electronic device and operation method thereof

• US 8,514,186 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2008
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Tan, Yun-Long, Wang, Yi-Shen
• Primary Examiner(s): ABDULSELAM, ABBAS I
• Application Number:
  US12/262,317
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,754 Days
• Field of Search: 345168-169, 345/173, 715/808, 715/840, 341/22, 178/18.01, 379/93.19
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A handheld electronic device and an operation method thereof are provided. The electronic device includes a virtual keyboard and a touch screen. The virtual keyboard includes a plurality of key sections. The touch screen has an inputting area for showing one of the key sections. When the touch screen detects a sliding movement from a user in the inputting area, the inputting area shows another one of the key sections without showing the other ones of the key sections.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a virtual keyboard, comprising a plurality of key sections; and

a touch screen having an inputting area for showing one of the key sections, wherein when the touch screen detects a sliding movement from a user in the inputting area, the inputting area shows another one of the key sections without showing remaining ones of the key sections.

2. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the inputting area is disposed at a lower portion of the touch screen so as to be directly touched by the user when the user holds the handheld electronic device.

3. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein each of the key sections is rectangular-shaped, sector-shaped, or spherical sector-shaped.

4. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the key sections are arranged to be a pillar-shaped keyboard, a plate-shaped keyboard, or a sphere-shaped keyboard.

5. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the key sections include an alphabet key section, a number key section, a symbol key section and a character key section.

6. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the key sections have different bottom designs, different colors, or different typefaces.

7. The handheld electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the key sections includes a plurality of left key sections and a plurality of right key sections, the inputting areas includes a left inputting area for showing one of the left key sections and a right inputting area for showing one of the right key sections,

wherein when the touch screen detects the sliding movement from the user in the left inputting area, the left inputting area shows another one of the left key sections;

and

wherein when the touch screen detects the sliding movement from the user in the right inputting area, the right inputting area shows another one of the right key sections.

8. The handheld electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the left inputting area and the right inputting area are disposed at a left corner and a right corner of the touch screen respectively so as to be directly touched by the user when the user holds the electronic device.

9. The handheld electronic device according to claim 7, wherein each of the left key sections is rectangular-shaped, sector-shaped, or spherical sector-shaped, and each of the right key sections is rectangular-shaped, sector-shaped, or spherical sector-shaped.

10. The handheld electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the left key sections are arranged to be a pillar-shaped keyboard, a plate-shaped keyboard, or a sphere-shaped keyboard, and the right key sections are arranged to be a pillar-shaped keyboard, a plate-shaped keyboard, or a sphere-shaped keyboard.

11. The operation method according to claim 1, wherein the sliding movement comprises a horizontal movement, a vertical movement, a clockwise movement, a counterclockwise movement, and a curvilinear movement.

12. An operating method of a handheld electronic device, comprising:

actuating a virtual keyboard comprising a plurality of key sections, wherein a touch screen of the electronic device shows one of the key sections;

detecting a sliding movement from a user in an inputting area;

showing another one of the key sections without showing remaining ones of the key sections; and

detecting a pressing movement in the another one of key sections from the user and performing an input action accordingly.

13. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the step of detecting the sliding movement comprising:

detecting the sliding movement in the inputting area, wherein the sliding movement is defined by a sliding point which moves along a direction in the inputting area; and

the step of showing the another one of the key sections comprising;

the virtual keyboard rotating from an angle to another angle as the sliding point moves; and

hiding the one of the key sections corresponding to the angle and showing the another one of the key sections corresponding to the another angle.

14. The operation method according to claim 12 further comprising:

generating a first sound responsive to the sliding movement of switching the key sections; and

generating a second sound responsive to the pressing movement on the shown key section.

15. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the inputting area includes a left inputting area and a right inputting area, and the key sections includes a plurality of left key sections and a plurality of right key sections, the step of detecting a sliding movement comprises:

detecting the sliding movement in the left inputting area or the right inputting area; and

the step of showing the another one of the key sections comprises;

simultaneously showing the left inputting area corresponding to the left key sections and the right inputting area corresponding to the right key sections.

16. The operation method according to claim 12, wherein the sliding movement comprises a horizontal movement, a vertical movement, a clockwise movement, a counterclockwise movement, and a curvilinear movement.

17. The operation method according to claim 12 further comprising:

generating a first sound responsive to the sliding movement of switching the left or right key sections; and

generating a second sound responsive to the pressing movement on the shown left or right key section.