Buttons designed for versatile use
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorMikko Nurmi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for providing an electronic device with a plurality of buttons thereon that can be actuated by a user using either the user's fingers or a stylus, for example. The buttons include a first portion and a second portion with the first portion of the buttons being separately actuable from the second portion of the buttons. This permits different functions to be performed by the button depending upon whether the first portion or the second portion of the button is actuated.
Claims29
A device for inputting and processing information, comprising:
- a plurality of input buttons operatively connected to a processor, and
- at least one of the plurality of input buttons including:
- an input button first portion;
- and
- an input button second portion,
- wherein actuation of the input button first portion causes a first signal to be transmitted to the processor, wherein actuation of the input button second portion causes a second signal to be transmitted to the processor, wherein the input button first portion is configured so as not to be actuable by a user's finger without also actuating the input button second portion, and wherein the input button first portion is configured to be actuable by a stylus without also actuating the input button second portion.
A system for completing actions into a device using a single input button, comprising:
- a processor;
- an input button first portion operatively connected to a processor;
- and
- an input button second portion operatively connected to the processor,
- wherein actuation of the input button first portion causes a first signal to be transmitted to the processor, wherein actuation of the input button second portion causes a second signal to be transmitted to the processor, wherein the input button first portion is configured so as not to be actuable by a user's finger without also actuating the input button second portion, and wherein the input button first portion is configured to be actuable by a stylus without also actuating the input button second portion.
A method of completing actions with a device using a single input button, comprising:
- providing an input button operatively connected to a processor, the input button including:
- an input button first portion operatively connected to a processor;
- and
- an input button second portion operatively connected to the processor,
- actuating the input button first portion to transmit a first signal to the processor;
- and
- actuating the input button second portion to transmit a second signal to the processor,
- wherein the input button first portion is configured so as not to be actuable by a user's finger without also actuating the input button second portion, and wherein the input button first portion is configured to be actuable by a stylus without also actuating the input button second portion.
A device, comprising:
- an input button;
- and
- a computer program product, embodied in a computer-readable medium, including:
- software code for processing a first signal from a first portion of the input button;
- software code for processing a second signal from a second portion of the input button;
- software code for executing a first instruction based upon the first signal;
- and
- software code for executing a second instruction based upon the second signal,
- wherein the first portion of the input button is configured so as not to be actuable by a user's finger without also actuating the second portion of the input button, and wherein the first portion of the input button is configured to be actuable by a stylus without also actuating second portion of the input button.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.