Moving buttons

• US 8,988,359 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Issued: 03/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Nurmi, Mikko
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, AFROZA Y
• Application Number:
  US11/765,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316181A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,835 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/173
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A device is provided with a housing that has a substantial portion covered by a touch sensitive surface. The touch sensitive service is capable of detecting multiple simultaneous points of touch. The handheld device determines to which finger or fingertip of the user the points of touch correspond and the handheld device associates an input or control function with of the fingers of the user.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a housing with an outer surface, at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing is touch sensitive, the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface is able to detect multiple simultaneous points of touch created by the touch of fingers or fingertips of a user,

a processor coupled to said touch sensitive portion of said outer surface, said processor is configured to determine which finger of the user corresponds to each of the points of touch, and said processor is configured to associate a function to at least one of the fingers of the user,

wherein said processor associates an interruption of the contact of a specific finger with the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor associates a control or input function to at least one of the fingers of the user.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor associates a short contact of a specific finger with the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor associates a sliding movement of a finger over the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

5. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to recognize a number of different common ways in which a user can hold the device.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adapt the function associated with a particular finger to the way in which the device is held by the user.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adapt the function associated with a particular finger to the state of the device and/or to an application that is active on the device.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to adapt the function associate with a finger to the position at which the finger concerned touches the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the outer surface of the housing is pressure sensitive, and the processor is configured to associate a control function to the detection of a pressure change caused by a finger or fingertip.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein said processor is configured to determine whether a user is holding the device.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to lock the device when it has determined that there is no user holding the device and configured to unlock the device when it has determined that a user holds the device.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive portion of said outer surface is formed by a touch sensitive cover.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said touch sensitive portion of said outer surface covers curved portions of said outer surface.

14. A method for generating user input in a device comprising a housing with an outer surface, at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing is touch sensitive and able to detect multiple simultaneous points of touch created by the touch of fingers or fingertips of a user, said method comprising:

determining which finger of the user corresponds to each of the points of touch,

associating a function to at least one of the fingers of the user, and

accepting an interruption of the contact of a specific finger with the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising associating a control or input function to at least one of the fingers of the user.

16. A method according to claim 14, further comprising accepting a short contact of a specific finger with the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

17. A method according to claim 14, further comprising accepting a sliding movement of a finger over the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface as a user input.

18. A method according to claim 14, further comprising recognizing a number of different common ways in which a user can hold the device.

19. A method according to claim 14, further comprising adapting the function associated with a particular finger to the way in which the device is held by the user.

20. A method according to claim 14, further comprising adapting the function associate with a finger to the position at which the finger concerned touches the touch sensitive portion of the outer surface.

21. A method according to claim 14, further comprising determining whether a user is holding the device.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising locking the device when it has determined that there is no user holding the device and unlocking the device when it has determined that a user holds the device.

23. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising software for use in a device that is provided with a touch sensitive outer surface, the touch sensitive outer surface being able to detect multiple simultaneous points of touch created by the touch of fingers or fingertips of a user, said software comprising:

software code for determining which finger of the user corresponds to each of the points of touch,

software code associating a function to at least one of the fingers of the user, and

software code for accepting an interruption of contact of a specific finger with the touch sensitive outer surface as a user input.