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US 9,791,928 B2Granted
Apparatus, method, computer program and user interface
AssigneeNokia Technologies Oy
InventorAshley Colley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus, method, computer program and apparatus provide a user input device which is intended to be easier for a user to use. A tactile feedback which differentiates a user selectable part from other user selectable parts is provided. The tactile feedback may only be provided when a specific function is available and the tactile feedback may be indicative of a characteristic of the function. For example, the tactile feedback may indicate that the function cannot be reversed and so the user knows to take extra care and avoid unintentionally actuating the selectable part.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory including computer program code;
- wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, enable the apparatus to:
- control two or more user input elements comprising a user selectable part of a user input device;
- determine the apparatus is in a first state or a second state based on the user input elements comprising the user selectable part, wherein in the first state the user selectable part is associated with a first function so that the first function is performed in response to actuation of the user selectable part, and wherein in the second state the user selectable part is associated with a second function, different from the first function, so that the second function is performed in response to the actuation of the user selectable part;
- and
- control a tactile quality of the user selectable part with respect to the rest of the user input elements so that the user selectable part is provided with a first tactile quality when the apparatus is in the first state and a second different tactile quality when the apparatus is in the second state, wherein the tactile qualities are configured so that a user can distinguish between the first tactile quality and the second tactile quality via a sense of touch, wherein the user selectable part is selectable with the first tactile quality to perform the first function in the first state and the user selectable part is selectable with the second tactile quality to perform the second function in the second state such that the user can distinguish between the user selectable part in the first state and the same user selectable part in the second state via a sense of touch.
5 more elements
A method comprising:
- controlling two or more user input elements comprising a user selectable part of a user input device;
- determining that an apparatus is in either a first state or a second state based on user input elements comprising the user selectable part, wherein in the first state the user selectable part is associated with a first function so that the first function is performed in response to actuation of the user selectable part, and wherein in the second state the user selectable part is associated with a second function, different from the first function, so that the second function is performed in response to the actuation of the user selectable part;
- and
- controlling a tactile quality of the user selectable part with respect to the rest of the user input device so that the user selectable part is provided with a first tactile quality when the apparatus is in the first state and a second tactile quality when the apparatus is in the second state, wherein the tactile qualities are configured so that a user can distinguish between the first tactile quality and the second tactile quality via a sense of touch, wherein the user selectable part is selectable with the first tactile quality to perform the first function in the first state and the user selectable part is selectable with the second tactile quality to perform the second function in the second state such that the user can distinguish between the user selectable part in the first state and the same user selectable part in the second state via a sense of touch.
1 more element
A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions comprising program code instructions to:
- control two or more user input elements comprising a user selectable part of a user input device;
- determine that an apparatus is in either a first state or a second state based on user input elements comprising the user selectable part wherein, in the first state the user selectable part is associated with a first function so that the first function is performed in response to actuation of the user selectable part, and where in the second state the user selectable part is associated with a second function, different from the first function, so that the second function is performed in response to the actuation of the user selectable part;
- and
- control the tactile quality of the user selectable part with respect to the rest of the user input device so that the user selectable part is provided with a first tactile quality when the apparatus is in the first state and a second tactile quality when the apparatus is in the second state, wherein the tactile qualities are configured so that a user can distinguish between the first tactile quality and the second tactile quality via a sense of touch, with the user selectable part is selectable to perform the first function with the first tactile quality in the first state and the user selectable part is selectable with the second tactile quality to perform the second function in the second state such that the user can distinguish between the user selectable part in the first state and the same user selectable part in the second state via a sense of touch.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.