Changing keys drawn on a display and actuating them using a sensor-screen
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsSeveri Uusitalo, Antti Aaltonen, Jaakko Lehikoinen, Jussi Impio
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Abstract
This invention describes a method for changing a keypad layout with keys (e.g., graphics and text) drawn on a display of an electronic device (e.g., wireless portable device, a mobile communication device or a mobile phone) and actuating said keys by a user of the electronic device using a transparent or translucent sensor-screen placed over said keys which are visible by the user. The transparent or translucent sensor-screen can be positioned partially or completely over the display. This invention enables different application/feature specific keypad configurations (shape, size, orientation, number of keys) for mobile devices.
Claims21
A method for changing a keypad layout of an electronic device with keys of a keypad drawn on a display of said electronic device and actuating said keys using a transparent or translucent sensor-screen placed over said keys in said electronic device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a key change command to said electronic device;
- and
- drawing new keys on said display by said electronic device in response to said key change command such that said new keys are located under said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, thus changing said keypad layout, and all drawn keys, visible by a user of said electronic device through said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, can be actuated by said user using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen,
- wherein said transparent or translucent sensor-screen is movable relative to said display.
An electronic device capable of changing a keypad layout in response to a key change command, comprising:
- a display, for displaying keys of a keypad drawn on said display and for displaying new keys of said keypad drawn on said display in response to a key change command, thus changing said keypad layout;
- and
- a transparent or translucent sensor-screen placed over all drawn keys, visible by a user of said electronic device through said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, said all drawn keys can be actuated by said user using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen,
- wherein said transparent or translucent sensor-screen is movable relative to said display.
The electronic device of claim 17, wherein said electronic device provides a permanent key layout visible through said transparent or translucent sensor-screen before or after said transparent or translucent sensor-screen is moved away completely or partially from said display and any key of said permanent key layout can be actuated in a similar way as all said drawn keys using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen.
An electronic device capable of changing a keypad layout in response to a key change command, comprising:
- a display, for displaying keys of a keypad drawn on said display and for displaying new keys of said keypad drawn on said display in response to said key change command, thus changing said keypad layout;
- and
- a transparent or translucent sensor-screen,
- placed in a first position, over said display in said electronic device so that all drawn keys, located under said transparent or translucent sensor-screen and visible by a user of said electronic device, can be actuated by said user using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, or
- placed in a second position, away from said display, thus increasing a working area of said display,
- wherein said user can actuate permanent keys not in an area of said display using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen.
A computer program product comprising:
- a computer readable storage structure embodying computer program code thereon for execution by a computer processor with said computer program code characterized in that it includes instructions, as being performed by any component of an electronic device, for changing a keypad layout of said electronic device with keys of a keypad drawn on a display of said electronic device and actuating said keys using a transparent or translucent sensor-screen placed over said keys in said electronic device,
- wherein drawing new keys on said display under said transparent or translucent sensor-screen by said electronic device is provided in response to a key change command, such that said new keys are located under said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, thus changing said keypad layout, and all drawn keys visible by a user of said electronic device through said transparent or translucent sensor-screen, can be actuated by said user using said transparent or translucent sensor-screen,
- wherein said transparent or translucent sensor-screen is movable relative to said display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.