Electronic device having display and surrounding touch sensitive bezel for user interface and control

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display positioned on the electronic device and having a perimeter;
• a touch sensitive bezel positioned outside a display surface on the electronic device around at least a portion of the perimeter of the display;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively connected to the touch sensitive bezel, the processing circuitry configured to:
• designate at least one area of variable size and position of the touch sensitive bezel for at least one control, the position and size of the at least one designated area is dependent on the context or content of what is on the display,
• obtain touch data from the touch sensitive bezel, and
• determine if the at least one control is invoked by the obtained touch data.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display positioned on the electronic device and having a perimeter;
• a multi-touch input bezel positioned outside a display surface on the electronic device substantially around the perimeter of the display;
• and
• processing circuitry operatively connected to the display and the multi-touch input bezel, the processing circuitry designating one or more areas of variable size and position on the multi-touch input bezel for one or more controls used to operate the electronic device, the position and size of the one or more areas is dependent on the context or content of what is on the display, the processing circuitry generating one or more visual guides corresponding to the one or more controls and sending visual data to the display for displaying the one or more visual guides on the display adjacent the one or more areas on the multi-touch input bezel designated for the one or more controls, the processing circuitry obtaining touch data from the multi-touch input bezel and determining if at least one of the one or more controls that corresponds to the designated areas is invoked by the obtained touch data.

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display positioned on the electronic device and having a perimeter;
• means positioned outside a display surface on the electronic device for obtaining touch data from adjacent the perimeter of the display;
• means for designating one or more areas of variable size and position adjacent the perimeter of the display for one or more controls, the position and size of the one more designated areas is dependent on the context or content of what is on the display;
• means for generating one or more visual guides for the one or more controls;
• means for presenting the one or more visual guides for display at one or more locations on the display adjacent the one or more designated areas;
• means for determining if at least one of the one or more controls is invoked by obtained touch data;
• and
• means for operating the electronic device with the at least one invoked control.

A user interface method for operating an electronic device having a display and a touch sensitive bezel outside a display surface substantially surrounding the display, the method comprising:

• presenting content on the display;
• designating one or more areas of variable size and position of the touch sensitive bezel for one or more controls of the electronic device, the position and size of the at least one designated area is dependent on the context or content of what is on the display;
• presenting one or more visual guides at a perimeter of the display adjacent to the one or more designated areas;
• detecting touch data on the touch sensitive bezel;
• determining which of the controls is invoked by the touch data;
• and
• operating the electronic device with the invoked control.