Electronic device and method for providing extended user interface

• US 9,250,785 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2013
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HMD Global Oy
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tokkonen, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): PHANTANA ANGKOOL, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US13/752,763
• Publication Number:
  US 20140068482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 715/769
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop
• 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

An electronic device and a method for providing an extended user interface in an electronic device are provided. The electronic device comprises a user interface and a display configured to display data objects. The device is configured to detect selection of a data object on the display, detect dragging of the selected data object to a border of the display and to detect an effort to drag the object over the border in a given direction outside the display. A predetermined action is performed in the device on the basis of the detected effort and the detected direction.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting a selection of a data object on a display;

detecting the dragging of the selected data object;

detecting an effort to drag the object over a border of a plurality of borders of the display,

wherein during the effort to drag the object over the border when the object reaches the border the object remains displayed at a location relative to the border of the display while the effort to drag the object over the border is detected;

determining at which border of the plurality of borders the effort to drag the object over the border is detected; and

performing a predetermined action selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort and the determined border.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is performed on the data object.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is one of the following:

saving the data object on a data storage;

printing the data object;

copying the data object on a data storage;

deleting the data object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is one of the following:

turning off the device;

activating a screen saver;

locking the user interface of the device.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined action is printing the data object, and the detected effort and detected direction determine a format used in printing the data object.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined action is saving the data object, and the detected effort and detected direction determine the storage where the object is saved.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the selection and the dragging of a data object comprise:

detecting the pressing and holding of a pointer device button and

detecting the movement of the pointer device while the pointer device button is being pressed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting an effort comprises:

detecting an effort to move a pointer device cursor outside the display area while the pointer device button is being pressed.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting an effort further comprises:

starting and running a timer when detecting an effort to move a pointer device cursor outside the display area and also the pressing of the pointer device button

and making a decision that an effort to drag the object over the border has been detected if the timer exceeds a given time limit.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein detecting an effort comprises:

determining the effort on the basis of sensor input of the device.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a section of the border at which the effort to drag the object over the border is detected; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border and the determined section.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining a direction towards which the object is being dragged; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border, the determined section, and the detected direction.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing a movement of the selected data object towards the determined border prior to reaching the determined border; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border and the analysis of the movement of the selected data object towards the determined border.

11. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform;

detecting selection of a data object on a display,

detecting dragging of the selected data object to a border of a plurality of borders of the display,

detecting an effort to drag the object over the border, wherein during the effort to drag the object over the border when the object reaches the border the object remains displayed at a location relative to the border of the display while the effort to drag the object over the border is detected,

determining at which border of the plurality of borders the effort to drag the object over the border is detected; and

performing a predetermined action selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort and the determined border.

12. An apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

a pointer device, and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform

displaying a pointer device cursor on the display,

detecting the pressing and holding of a pointer device button,

detecting the movement of the pointer device, and

detecting an effort to move a pointer device cursor outside the display area while the pointer device button is being pressed.

13. An apparatus of claim 11, further comprising

a timer;

and wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform

starting and running the timer when detecting an effort to move a pointer device cursor outside the display area and also the pressing of the pointer device button,

making a decision that an effort to drag the object over the border has been detected if the timer exceeds a given time limit.

14. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform detecting an effort to move a pointer device cursor outside the display area using one or more sensors in the pointer device or in the electronic device.

19. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform:

determining a section of the border at which the effort to drag the object over the border is detected; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border and the determined section.

20. An apparatus of claim 19, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform:

determining a direction towards which the object is being dragged; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border, the determined section, and the detected direction.

21. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform:

determining a direction towards which the object is being dragged; and

where the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border, and the detected direction.

22. An apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, further cause the apparatus to perform:

analyzing a movement of the selected data object towards the determined border prior to reaching the determined border; and

wherein the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border and the analysis of the movement of the selected data object towards the determined border.

17. The method of claim l, further comprising:

determining a direction towards which the object is being dragged; and

where the predetermined action is selected from a plurality of predetermined actions on the basis of the detected effort, the determined border, and the detected direction.