Apparatus and method for proximity based input
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorPekka Pihlaja
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for controlling display operations in an electronic device. The electronic device provides an input mode, in which a first function is associated with a hovering input and a second function is associated with a touch input to an input surface. A three-dimensional virtual user interface item is displayed, and in response to detecting an input object within a guard range in relation to the input surface, the virtual user interface item is adapted to alert the user to avoid unintentionally touching the input surface.
Claims15
An apparatus, comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory including computer program code,
- the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
- provide an input mode, in which a first function is associated with a hovering input and a second function is associated with a touch input to an input surface,
- cause displaying of a three-dimensional virtual user interface item, and
- in response to detecting an input object within a guard range in relation to the input surface, adapt the three-dimensional virtual user interface item to alert a user to avoid unintentionally touching the input surface, wherein
- the apparatus is configured to determine distance of the input object to the input surface, and
- select between at least two available appearances of the three-dimensional virtual user interface item on the basis of the distance of the input object to the input surface.
A method, comprising:
- providing an input mode, in which a first function is associated with a hovering input and a second function is associated with a touch input to an input surface,
- displaying a three-dimensional virtual user interface item, and
- in response to detecting an input object within a guard range in relation to the input surface, adapting the three-dimensional virtual user interface item to alert the user to avoid unintentionally touching the input surface, wherein there are at least two available appearances of the three-dimensional virtual user interface item, each of the appearances being associated with a specific range of distance to the input surface.
A user interface for an electronic device comprising a proximity detection system for detecting presence of an input object in close proximity to an input surface and a stereoscopic display, wherein the user interface is configured to provide an input mode in which a hovering input is associated with a first function and a touch input is associated with a second function,
- display a three-dimensional virtual user interface item, and
- adapt the appearance of the three-dimensional virtual user interface item to alert the user to avoid unintentionally touching the input surface in response to the input object being positioned within a guard range in relation to the input surface.
A computer readable storage medium comprising one or more sequences of one or more instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of an apparatus, cause the apparatus to at least perform:
- provide an input mode in which a first function is associated with a hovering input and a second function is associated with a touch input to an input surface,
- cause displaying of a three-dimensional virtual user interface item,
- determine distance of the input object to the input surface,
- adapt the appearance of the three-dimensional virtual user interface item to alert the user to avoid unintentionally touching the input surface in response to the input object being positioned within a guard range in relation to the input surface by selecting between at least two available appearances of the three-dimensional virtual user interface item on the basis of the distance of the input object to the input surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.