# US 9,436,348 B2 · Method and system for controlling movement of cursor in an electronic device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,436,348 B2 - Document ID: US9436348B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/217,845 - Filed: 2014-03-18 - Published: 2015-09-24 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-03-18 - Assignees: BlackBerry Limited - Applicants: BlackBerry Limited - Inventors: Jeffrey Charles Bos - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9436348B2 ## CPC - G06F 3/04812: Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects - G06F 3/0235: {using chord techniques (G06F3/0234 takes precedence)} - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - 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 3/04892: Arrangements for controlling cursor position based on codes indicative of cursor displacements from one discrete location to another, e.g. using cursor control keys associated to different directions or using the tab key (arrangements for controlling cursor position based on coordinate signals G06F3/038) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A portable electronic device is provided. The portable electronic device includes a memory storing instructions. The portable electronic device also includes a processor executing the instructions to perform a plurality of operations. The operations may include detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held. The operations may also include detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held. The first and second keys of the portable electronic device may be located at a first and a second location of the portable electronic device respectively. The operations may further include determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location, and moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable electronic device, comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor executing the instructions to perform operations comprising: detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device; detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device; determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location, wherein the cursor direction is a relative direction of the second location with reference to the first location; and moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises: detecting a trill gesture associated with the first and second keys. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising: a touch screen coupled to the processor, wherein the first and second keys each is a virtual key on a virtual keyboard of the portable electronic device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first and second keys of the portable electronic device are each associated with a capacitive touch sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises: determining that the portable electronic device is configured to be in a fine cursor control (FCC) mode prior to moving the position of the cursor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprises: detecting a plurality of the key tapping actions associated with the second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held; and moving the position of the cursor in the cursor direction for a plurality of spaces. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The portable electronic device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of the key tapping action includes a number of the key tapping actions, and the plurality of spaces includes a number of spaces identical to the number of the key tapping actions. ### Claim 9 A computer-implemented method for activating a portable electronic device, the method comprising the following operations executed by a processor: detecting that a first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device; detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device; determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location, wherein the cursor direction is a relative direction of the second location with reference to the first location; and moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting a trill gesture associated with the first and second keys. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second keys each is a virtual key on a virtual keyboard of the portable electronic device. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein the first and second keys of the portable electronic device are each associated with a capacitive touch sensor. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: determining that the portable electronic device is configured to be in a fine cursor control (FCC) mode prior to moving the position of the cursor. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further comprising: detecting a plurality of the key tapping actions associated with the second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held; and moving the position of the cursor in the cursor direction for a plurality of spaces. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of the key tapping action includes a number of the key tapping actions, and the plurality of spaces includes a number of spaces identical to the number of the key tapping actions. ### Claim 17 A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising: detecting that a first key of a portable electronic device is being touched and held, the first key of the portable electronic device located at a first location of the portable electronic device; detecting a key tapping action associated with a second key of the portable electronic device while the first key of the portable electronic device is being touched and held, the second key of the portable electronic device located at a second location of the portable electronic device; determining a cursor direction based on the first location and the second location, wherein the cursor direction is a relative direction of the second location with reference to the first location; and moving a position of a cursor in the cursor direction for one or more spaces. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the first and second keys each is a physical key on a physical keyboard of the portable electronic device.