WO2004088488A2

WO2004088488A2 - An electronic device with cursor control

Info

Publication number: WO2004088488A2
Application number: PCT/EP2004/050283
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jin-Tao Zhu
Original assignee: Motorola Ltd; Motorola Inc
Current assignee: Motorola Solutions UK Ltd; Motorola Solutions Inc
Priority date: 2003-03-31
Filing date: 2004-03-10
Publication date: 2004-10-14
Anticipated expiration: 2005-09-30
Also published as: WO2004088488A3; CN1535055A

Abstract

An electronic device comprising a housing with a display area and a base. The display area is on a different facing surface to the base and inside the housing there is a processor and there is a display screen operatively coupled to the processor. The display screen forms part of the display area and a pointer movement controller is also operatively coupled to the processor. The pointer movement controller the located at the base of the housing and the base and display area are on opposite facing surfaces of the housing.

Description

AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an electronic device with a cursor controller or pointer movement controller for controlling a cursor or pointer on a display screen of the device. The invention is particularly useful for, but not necessarily limited to hand-held portable electronic devices.

BACKGROUND ART

Cellular telephones, PDAs, other similar portable electronic devices and electronic devices in general, often have a display screen that requires a cursor controller or pointer for selecting text or icons

(associated with functions). For laptop or desktop computers a conventional mouse or touch-pad with adjacent selection keys is often used for cursor control and text or icon selection. However, for smaller hand-held portable electronic devices a mouse is inconvenient and a touch-pad with adjacent selection keys may occupy valuable limited space on the display area of the device. It would therefore be beneficial to provide an electronic device with cursor controller or pointer movement controller that does not necessarily occupy valuable space on the display area of the device. In the remainder of this specification the pointer movement controller and cursor controller can be used interchangeably and both have the general meaning of an indicator identifying a location on the display screen of an electronic device. In this specification, including the claims, the terms 'comprises',

'comprising' or similar terms are intended to mean a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a method or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include those elements solely, but may well include other elements not listed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an electronic device comprising: a housing with a display area and a base, the display area being on a different facing surface to the base; a processor; a display screen operatively coupled to the processor, the display screen being part of the display area; and a pointer movement controller operatively coupled to the processor, the pointer movement controller being located at the base of the housing.

Preferably, the pointer movement controller is aligned with a centre of the display.

Suitably, the display area is on an opposite facing surface to the base. Preferably, there is a keypad, the keypad being on an opposite facing surface of the housing to the base.

Suitably, the keypad is located on a surface of the housing that is on a user facing surface of the housing.

Preferably, the display area forms part of the user facing surface. Suitably, the pointer movement controller is device movement tracker, wherein when the movement tracker is in contact with a support surface, movement of the device causes the movement tracker to provide signals to the processor that are processed and used to control a position of the pointer displayed on the display screen.

Preferably, the movement tracker includes a rotatable ball with part thereof protruding from the base.

Suitably, the electronic device has at least one selector for selecting functions pointed to on the display screen by said pointer.

The selector is suitably a push button.

Preferably, the selector is located on the display area. In one alternative, the selector is located on the base.

Suitably, the electronic device is a clamshell type device with two housing portions pivotally mounted to each other, wherein when the clamshell type device is in an closed position the pointer movement controller is located on an outer surface of one of the housing portions and the display area is on an inner surface of one of the housing portions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to a preferred embodiment as illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an electronic device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one physical embodiment illustrating a housing of the electronic device of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the housing of FIG.2;

HG. 4 is a side elevation view of a second physical embodiment illustrating a housing of the electronic device of FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a third physical embodiment illustrating a housing of the electronic device of FIG. l;

FIG. 6 is a partial side elevation view of a fourth physical embodiment, illustrating a housing in a closed position, of the electronic device of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a partial side elevation view of a fourth physical embodiment, illustrating the housing in a open position, of the electronic device of FIG. 6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TFiE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF

THE INVENTION

In the drawings, like numerals on different Figs are used to indicate like elements throughout. With reference to Fig. 1, there is illustrated an electronic device 1 comprising a radio frequency communications unit 2 coupled to be in communication with a processor 3. A input interface in the form of a display screen 5 (typically a Liquid Crystal Display) and a keypad 6 are also coupled to be in communication with the processor 3.

The processor 3 includes an encoder/decoder 11 with an associated Read Only Memory (ROM) 12 storing data for encoding and decoding voice or other signals that may be transmitted or received by electronic device 1. The processor 3 also includes a micro-processor 13 coupled to both an encoder /decoder 11 and an associated character Read Only Memory (ROM) 14. Micro-processor 13 is also coupled to a Random Access Memory (RAM) 4, a pointer movement controller 17, a selector 18 and a static programmable memory 16.

Auxiliary outputs of micro-processor 13 are coupled to an alert module 15 that typically contains a speaker, vibrator motor and associated drivers. The character Read only memory 14 stores code for decoding or encoding text messages that may be received by the communication unit 2, input at the keypad 6. In this embodiment the character Read Only Memory 14 also stores operating code (OC) for micro-processor 13 and a template set of characters for character recognition. The operating code (OC) is used to run applications on the electronic device 1.

The radio frequency communications unit 2 is a combined receiver and transmitter having a common antenna 7. The communications unit 2 has a transceiver 8 coupled to antenna 7 via a radio frequency amplifier 9. The transceiver 8 is also coupled to a combined modulator/demodulator 10 that couples the communications unit 2 to the processor 3.

The electronic device 1 can be any electronic device including a cellular telephone, a conventional type telephone, a laptop computer or a PDA. The pointer movement controller 17 provides for controlling a position of a pointer (not shown) and movement of the pointer on the screen 5. Also, the selector 18 provides for selecting areas of text, icons and then like displayed on the screen 5 and pointed to by the screen pointer. As will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, typically if the selector 18 selects an icon on the screen 5, pointed to by the pointer, this will invoke a function controlled by processor 3.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 a housing 20 of the electronic device 1 is illustrated. The housing 20 has a display area 21 and a base 22, the display area 21 being on a different facing surface of the housing 20 to the base 22. As illustrated, the display area 21 and base 22 are on opposite facing surfaces of the housing 20. The display screen 5, that is operatively coupled to the processor 3, is part of the display area 21 and is therefore on an opposite surface to the base 22, wherein the display area 21 forms part of a user facing surface as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The selector 18, as shown, is in the form of a push button adjacent the keypad 5 on the display area 21.

The pointer movement controller 17, that is operatively coupled to the processor 3, is located at the base 22 of the housing 20. In this embodiment, the pointer movement controller 17 is a device movement tracker such as a rotatable ball with a part thereof protruding from the base 22. The rotatable ball is typically a mouse ball and as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, the movement tracker is therefore is configured and operates in a similar fashion to a mouse. The center of the pointer movement controller 17 is usually aligned with a center 24 of the display 5, more specifically the center of the pointer movement controller 17 and the centre 24 of display 5 are aligned along an axis AX that is normal to the surface of screen 5 (assuming screen 5 has a planar surface). As described above, the keypad 6 and selector 18 that is illustrated as a push button ands in this embodiment are both located on the display area 21 and in use the electronic device 1 can be placed on a table or other support surface 28. As shown, the base 22 is adjacent (or abutting surface 28) so that pointer movement controller 17 is in contact with the support surface 28. Movement of the device 1 in a direction illustrated, for example by the arrowed line D, causes the movement tracker to rotate thereby provide signals to the processor 3. However, device 1 can move in other directions in a similar fashion to a mouse to provide signals to the processor 3. These signals are processed and used to control a position of the pointer or cursor displayed on the display screen 5. When a desired position of the pointer on the screen 5 is reached, a user can actuate (press) the selector 18 to select an icon, text portion, scroll bar and the like. Hence, when an icon is selected by the selector 18, a function of the device 1 is selected.

Referring to FIG 4, there is illustrated a second embodiment of a housing of the electronic device 1. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3 and avoid repetition only the differences are described. The pointer movement controller 17 is again on the base 22, however, pointer movement controller 17 is four command push button pivotal about the central axis AX . This type of push button is well know in the art and typically performs functions of pointer UP, DOWN, LEFT and RIGHT.

Referring to FIG. 5, a third embodiment of a housing of the electronic device 1 is illustrated. This embodiment is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3 and again to avoid repetition only the differences

are described. The pointer movement controller 17 is again on the base 22, however, the selector 18 is also located on the base 22. The' selector 18 is a rotatable ball but does not operate as a mouse, its function is a switch that selects an icon pointed to on the screen 5 by a screen pointer or selects an area of text highlighted by a cursor controller that is the pointer movement controller 17.

Referring to Figs 6 and 7 there is illustrated an electronic device 1 that is a clamshell type device with two housing portions 31,32 pivotally mounted to each other about a pivotal axis 33. When the clamshell type device is in a closed position (shown in Fig. 6) the pointer movement controller 17 is located on the base 22 that is an outer surface of one of the housing portions 31, whereas in the closed position the screen 5, keypad 6 and display 5 are on an inner surface of one or more of the housing portions 31,32. When the housing portions

31,32 are moved to an open position about the pivotal axis 33 (as shown by arrowed line R in FIG. 7), the keypad 6 and screen 5 are on user facing surfaces of the housing. Also, the selector 18 can either be on the base 22 or one of the user facing surfaces.

Advantageously, the present invention provides for a electronic device with an alternative pointer movement controller. In use, in one form, the electronic device's base can be placed on a support surface and pointer movement controller functions in a similar fashion to a mouse as the device moves over the support surface. The pointer movement controller is aligned with a centre of the display to provide a user with a sense of improved feedback of a pointer or cursor on the screen. The detailed description provides a preferred exemplary embodiment only, and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention. Rather, the detailed description of the preferred exemplary embodiment provides those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. An electronic device comprising: a housing with a display area and a base, the display area being 5 on a different facing surface to the base; a processor; a display screen operatively coupled to the processor, the display screen being part of the display area; and a pointer movement controller operatively coupled to the 10 processor, the pointer movement controller being located at the base of the housing.

2. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer movement controller is aligned with a centre of the display.

15

3. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein^' the display area is on an opposite facing surface to the base.

4. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a 20 keypad, the keypad being on an opposite facing surface of the housing to the base.

5. The electronic device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the keypad is located on a surface of the housing that is on a user facing

25. surface of the housing.

6. The electronic device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the display area forms part of the user facing surface.

7. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pointer movement controller is device movement tracker, and wherein when the movement tracker is in contact with a support surface, movement of the device causes the movement tracker to provide signals to the processor that are processed and used to control a position of the pointer displayed on the display screen.

8. The electronic device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pointer movement controller is device movement tracker, and wherein when the movement tracker is in contact with a support surface, movement of the device causes the movement tracker to provide signals to the processor that are processed and used to control a position of the pointer displayed on the display screen.

9. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the movement tracker includes a rotatable ball with part thereof protruding from the base.

10. The electronic device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the movement tracker includes a rotatable ball with part thereof protruding from the base.

11. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device has at least one selector for selecting functions pointed to on the display screen by said pointer.

12. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein selector is suitably a push button.

13. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the selector is located on the display area.

14. The electronic device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the selector is located on the base.

15. The electronic device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a clamshell type device with two housing portions pivotally mounted to each other, wherein when the clamshell type device is in an closed position the pointer movement controller is located on an outer surface of one of the housing portions and the display area is on an inner surface of one of the housing portions.

16. The electronic device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the movement tracker includes a rotatable ball with part thereof protruding from the base.