Apparatus, method, computer program and user interface

• US 9,715,275 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2010
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Colley, Ashley
• Primary Examiner(s): Leiby, Christopher E
• Application Number:
  US12/767,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20110260985A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,647 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345173-178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/014 Force feedback applied to GUI
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• 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 apparatus, method, computer program and apparatus wherein the apparatus comprises: a user input device; at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to: control a display to display a user interface item; and associate, in response to actuation of the user input device, a user interface item with a tactile indication so that the tactile indication is provided whenever the user interface item is displayed.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code;

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

receive input from a user selecting a user interface item and selecting a tactile indication wherein the apparatus is configured to enable the user interface item to be selected before or after the tactile indication; and

store information indicating that the user interface item is associated with the user selected tactile indication in a database so that the user selected tactile indication is provided whenever the user interface item is displayed.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to determine that a user interface item is displayed on the display and, in response to the determination, access the database to find the user selected tactile indication associated with the user interface item and control the apparatus to provide the associated user selected tactile indication.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tactile indication comprises an output which may be perceived by the user through the sense of touch.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tactile indication comprises a raised portion of a user input device.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tactile indication comprises an indented portion of a user input device.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tactile indication is provided by an electroactive polymer.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user interface item comprises a user selectable item which enables a function to be performed in response to actuation of the item.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of user interface items are provided and a user may select different user interface items to be associated with different tactile indications.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a tactile indication is used to link a plurality of user interface items together.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the user input device comprises a touch sensitive display.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the tactile indication is provided by changing the topology of the touch sensitive display.

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tactile indication is provided in the portion of the display in which the user interface item is displayed.

13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the tactile indication is provided in a portion of the display close to the portion of the display in which the user interface item is displayed.

14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to cause the user interface item to be selected without causing a function associated with the user interface item to be performed.

15. A method comprising:

receiving input from a user selecting a user interface item and selecting a tactile indication wherein the method enables the user interface item to be selected before or after the tactile indication; and

storing information indicating that the user interface item is associated with the user selected tactile indication in a database so that the user selected tactile indication is provided whenever the user interface item is displayed.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the tactile indication comprises an output which may be perceived by the user through the sense of touch.

17. A non-transitory computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable medium having program instructions stored therein for causing a computer to perform the method of claim 15.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the user interface item comprises a user selectable item which enables a function to be performed in response to actuation of the item and wherein the user interface item is selected without causing a function associated with the user interface item to be performed.

19. A non-transitory computer program product comprising at least one computer-readable medium having computer program instructions stored therein that, when executed by at least one processor, enable an apparatus at least to perform:

receiving input from a user selecting the user interface item and selecting a tactile indication wherein the apparatus is configured to enable the user interface item to be selected before or after the tactile indication; and

storing information indicating that the user interface item is associated with a selected tactile indication in a database so that the tactile indication is provided whenever the user interface item is displayed.

20. A non-transitory computer program product as claimed in claim 19 wherein the user interface item comprises a user selectable item which enables a function to be performed in response to actuation of the item and wherein the user interface item is selected without causing a function associated with the user interface item to be performed.