Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080231601 | INPUT DEVICE FOR CONTINUOUS GESTURING WITHIN A USER INTERFACE - An input device for a graphical user interface in a handheld mobile communications device. The navigation system comprises a trackball for generating trackball input when the trackball is actuated, a detector, proximate to and cooperating with the trackball, for generating detector input when the detector is actuated, and a processor to convert the trackball input and the detection input into a composite input signal for controlling a function in the graphical user interface. | 09-25-2008 |
20090040180 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING A VARIABLE SPEED INPUT APPARATUS AND ASSOCIATED METHOD - An improved handheld electronic device and method provide an input apparatus having a number of input members, at least a portion of the input members being movable among an unactuated position, a first actuated position, and a second actuated position in order to provide input. The improved method of enabling input into the handheld electronic device includes detecting a first input from a first input member, responsive to the first input, performing a first navigational function, such as a scrolling operation, at a first speed, detecting a second input form the first input member and, responsive to the second input, performing the first navigational function at a second speed, the second speed being different (e.g., greater) than the first speed. The input apparatus may include a substantially sealable, resilient membrane with the input members being disposed on the resilient membrane in order to provide an improved, ruggedized input apparatus. | 02-12-2009 |
20090075697 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERFACING BETWEEN A MOBILE DEVICE AND A PERSONAL COMPUTER - A system and method are provided for interfacing between a mobile device and a PC. The mobile device utilizes a connection with the PC for taking advantage of the larger display and input devices such as the keyboard on the PC to improve the user interface (UI). This also enables the user to take advantage of the mobile device's wireless connectivity at the same time, e.g. where the PC does not have the same connectivity. | 03-19-2009 |
20090102799 | HANDHELD MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE WITH FLEXIBLE KEYS - Keypad keys for handheld mobile communication devices feature flexible key bodies and actuators extending from the key bodies. Switches below the actuators are connected in series circuits. All actuators beneath an intended key must be depressed in order for the circuit to be closed and the key to be recognized as actuated. The flexible nature of the key bodies allows one actuator on a given key to be depressed while other actuators remain non-depressed. This prevents the key from being recognized as actuated when a only a portion of the key is depressed as occurs, for example, due to finger overlap. | 04-23-2009 |
20090160761 | METHOD AND HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING FIRST INPUT COMPONENT AND SECOND TOUCH SENSITIVE INPUT COMPONENT - A handheld electronic device includes a housing having a surface; a first input component having input members disposed external to the surface; a second touch sensitive input component disposed about the input members, the touch sensitive input component being separate and distinct from the input members and the first input component and being structured to provide one of: a contact point with respect to the surface responsive to actuation of a first number of the input members, and a number of responses responsive to actuation of a second number of the input members. A processor cooperates with the first input component and the touch sensitive input component to determine if a plurality of the input members are actuated contemporaneously and to output a representation of a single one of the input members based upon one of: the contact point, and the number of responses. | 06-25-2009 |
20090182501 | USING A SHAPE-CHANGING DISPLAY AS AN ADAPTIVE LENS FOR SELECTIVELY MAGNIFYING INFORMATION DISPLAYED ONSCREEN - A method of displaying information on a display of a handheld electronic device includes steps of determining a target area onscreen to be visually magnified and causing a shape-changing zone of the display to change shape in the target area to visually magnify information displayed in the target area. The array of shape-changing zones on the touch-sensitive display can be independently actuated to form a magnifying lens over any onscreen object of interest. For example, this lens can be used to magnify a selected portion of a map, a portion of text or a specific point of interest. The lens can be used to magnify a route displayed on a map, or simply to zoom in on the current location of the device as displayed onscreen. | 07-16-2009 |
20090195959 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SAME - A portable electronic device includes a housing, a display device exposed by the housing, an input device for receiving user-input, a plurality of sensors on the housing for detecting touches on the portable electronic device, and functional components housed in the housing. The functional components include a memory device and a processor operably connected to the sensors, the display device the input device, and the memory device. | 08-06-2009 |
20100164866 | HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE, CURSOR POSITIONING SUB-SYSTEM AND METHOD EMPLOYING CURSOR SCALING CONTROL - A track ball cursor positioning sub-system is employed by a handheld electronic device including an operating system and a plurality of applications having a plurality of predetermined scaling values. The cursor positioning sub-system includes a track ball cursor positioning device adapted to output a plurality of device pulses, and a track ball cursor resolution controller adapted to repetitively input the device pulses and to responsively output to the operating system a plurality of cursor movement events. The cursor resolution controller is further adapted to be controlled by the operating system or by the applications to learn which one of the applications is active and to automatically scale a number of the cursor movement events for a corresponding number of the device pulses based upon a corresponding one of the predetermined scaling values of the active one of the applications. | 07-01-2010 |
20100197370 | SLIDER MECHANISM AND CONFIGURATION FOR A MOBILE COMMUNICATION DEVICE - A mobile device comprising a base and a cover operatively coupled with a hinge-less slider mechanism and configured to move on an angle between a closed position and an open position. The base includes a keypad which is accessible when the cover is in the open position and the cover includes a display module for facilitating telephony and data functions such as email, text messaging, web browsing and voice calling. According to an embodiment, the mobile device is configured to provide a thinner profile in the open position which provides the ergonomic feel of a thinner mobile device. | 08-05-2010 |
20100309129 | DIRECTIONAL CLICKABLE TRACKBALL - A multi-function navigation device in the form of a trackball that is both rotationally actuable and multi-directionally clickable. The multi-function navigation device can receive user commands by rotational movement and various directional clicking of the trackball. Directional depression of the multi-function navigation device activates switches corresponding to predetermined directions to effectuate directional selections or directional movements of a cursor for navigating the display of an electronic device. | 12-09-2010 |
20110070825 | COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTABLISHING WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES - A device, method, and system are disclosed for establishing wireless communications between communications devices comprising respective magnets and magnetic sensors each located on first and second communications device and aligned such that a magnet on the first communications device is aligned with a magnetic sensor on the second communications device and a magnet on the second communications device is aligned with a magnetic sensor on the first communications device. In response, a Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit contained in each of the first and second communications devices is activated and data exchanged between the first and second communications devices using a NFC communications protocol. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070826 | MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE, METHOD AND SYSTEM USING MAGNETIC SENSOR AND ACTIVATED NFC CIRCUIT FOR ESTABLISHING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN MOBILE WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES - A mobile wireless communications device includes a housing and a circuit board carried by the housing. Radio frequency (RF) circuitry and a processor are carried by the housing and operative with each other. A Near Field Communications (NFC) circuit is connected to the processor for communicating using an NFC communications protocol. A magnetic sensor is supported by the housing and connected to the processor for sensing a magnetic field and generating a signal to the processor and in response, the processor activating the NFC circuit for transmitting or receiving data using the NFC communications protocol. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070827 | COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE AND METHOD FOR INITIATING COMMUNICATIONS AT A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - A communications device and method initiates communications at a communications device and includes magnetically coupling the communications device to a Near Field Communications (NFC) tag. In response to the magnetic coupling with the NFC tag, an NFC circuit contained in the communications device is activated for subsequent communications using the NFC communications protocol. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070828 | SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED NFC TAG USING PLURALITY OF NFC TAGS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCATION OR DEVICES TO COMMUNICATE WITH COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - A Near Field Communications (NFC) tag includes a housing and a magnet carried by the housing and configured to be magnetically sensed by a magnetic sensor carried by a communications device to activate an NFC circuit within the communications device to communicate using an NFC communications protocol. A data store stores data regarding a function of the communications device to be magnetically coupled by the magnet. The data store is configured to be read by the communications device using an NFC communications protocol after the NFC circuit had been activated. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070834 | SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED NFC TAG USING PLURALITY OF NFC TAGS ASSOCIATED WITH LOCATION OR DEVICES TO COMMUNICATE WITH COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE - A Near Field Communications (NFC) tag includes a housing and a magnet carried by the housing and configured to be magnetically sensed by a magnetic sensor carried by a communications device to activate an NFC circuit within the communications device to communicate using an NFC communications protocol. A data store stores data regarding a function of the communications device to be magnetically coupled by the magnet. The data store is configured to be read by the communications device using an NFC communications protocol after the NFC circuit had been activated. | 03-24-2011 |
20110070837 | COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE USING ELECTROMAGNET AND ACTIVATED COMMUNICATIONS CIRCUIT - A communications device includes a processor and Radio Frequency (RF) circuitry that includes a communications module. An electromagnet is connected to the communications module and the processor. The electromagnet is configured to couple magnetically to a second communications device having a magnetic sensor and to transmit from the electromagnet to the magnetic sensor electromagnet pulses containing data regarding a wireless communications protocol. The processor and communications module are configured to establish a wireless communications connection with the second communications device. | 03-24-2011 |
20120032890 | METHOD AND HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING FIRST INPUT COMPONENT AND SECOND TOUCH SENSITIVE INPUT COMPONENT - A handheld electronic device includes a housing having a surface; a first input component having input members disposed external to the surface; a second touch sensitive input component disposed about the input members, the touch sensitive input component being separate and distinct from the input members and the first input component and being structured to provide one of: a contact point with respect to the surface responsive to actuation of a first number of the input members, and a number of responses responsive to actuation of a second number of the input members. A processor cooperates with the first input component and the touch sensitive input component to determine if a plurality of the input members are actuated contemporaneously and to output a representation of a single one of the input members based upon one of: the contact point, and the number of responses. | 02-09-2012 |
20130002564 | METHOD AND HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE INCLUDING FIRST INPUT COMPONENT AND SECOND TOUCH SENSITIVE INPUT COMPONENT - A handheld electronic device includes a housing having a surface; a first input component having input members disposed external to the surface; a second touch sensitive input component disposed about the input members, the touch sensitive input component being separate and distinct from the input members and the first input component and being structured to provide one of: a contact point with respect to the surface responsive to actuation of a first number of the input members, and a number of responses responsive to actuation of a second number of the input members. A processor cooperates with the first input component and the touch sensitive input component to determine if a plurality of the input members are actuated contemporaneously and to output a representation of a single one of the input members based upon one of: the contact point, and the number of responses. | 01-03-2013 |