# US 2013/0154950 A1 · Apparatus and method pertaining to display orientation

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- Number: US 2013/0154950 A1
- Document ID: US20130154950A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/326,744
- Filed: 2011-12-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15
- Assignees: BlackBerry Limited
- Inventors: David Kvasnica
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154950A1

## CPC

- G06F 3/04845: for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
- G06F 3/04883: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
- 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
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

A control circuit detects a touch-based user interaction with a touch-responsive portion of a display and responsively alters a display modality of the display. This touch-responsive portion of the display may be visually non-specific as regards any corresponding touch-based functionality. This touch-responsive portion can comprise a touch-responsive periphery of the display. The touch-based user interaction can comprise a gesture that begins and/or concludes in the touch-responsive portion. The resultant alteration of the display modality can comprise rotating the display about a center point. This rotation can comprise, by one approach, switching from a landscape modality to a portrait modality or vice versa.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
a display;
a touch-based user interface including a touch-responsive portion that is visually non-specific as regards any corresponding touch-based functionality;
a control circuit operably coupled to the display and the touch-based user interface and that is configured to alter a display orientation for the display as a function of a user interaction that includes the touch-responsive portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the touch-responsive portion comprises a touch-responsive periphery of the display.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the touch-responsive portion is substantially uniform in appearance.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interaction at least begins with the touch-responsive portion.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interaction at least concludes with the touch-responsive portion.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the user interaction both begins and concludes with the touch-responsive portion.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user interaction further includes user interaction with a touch-responsive portion of the touch-based user interface that is visually specific as regards corresponding touch-based functionality.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
at a device:
detecting a touch-based user interaction with a touch-responsive portion of a display wherein the touch-responsive portion comprises a display frame;
in response to detecting the touch-based user interaction, altering a display modality of the display.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein the touch-based user interaction consists of a touch-based user interaction that at least one of:
begins in the touch-responsive portion;
concludes in the touch-responsive portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein altering the display modality of the display comprises at least one of:
switching from a landscape modality to a portrait modality;
switching from a portrait modality to a landscape modality.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 wherein altering the display modality of the display comprises rotating the display about a centerpoint.

### Claim 12

A portable hand-held apparatus comprising:
a touch-screen display;
a control circuit configured to:
use a portion of the touch-screen display as a frame for a remaining central portion of the touch-screen display; and
to switch a display of information via the touch-screen display between landscape modalities and portrait modalities as a function, at least in part, of touch gestures that specifically include, at least in part, the frame.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The portable hand-held apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:
a housing that includes the touch-screen display and the control circuit, wherein the housing has a tablet-based form factor.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The portable hand-held apparatus of claim 12 wherein the touch gesture specifically includes beginning the touch gesture within the frame.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The portable hand-held apparatus of claim 14 wherein the touch gesture specifically includes concluding the touch gesture within the frame.