as) United States
`a2) Patent Application Publication (0) Pub. No.: US 2010/0107067 A1
` Vaisanen (43) Pub. Date: Apr. 29, 2010
`
`
`
`US 20100107067A1
`
`(54)
`
`INPUT ON TOUCH BASED USER
`INTERFACES
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Oct. 27, 2008
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(75)
`
`Inventor:
`
`Matti Vaisanen, Helsinki (FI)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`ALSTON & BIRD LLP
`BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA, 101 SOUTH
`TRYON STREET, SUITE 4000
`CHARLOTTE,NC 28280-4000 (US)
`
`(73) Assignee:
`
`NOKIA CORPORATION,Espoo
`(FD
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`12/258,930
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`GO6F 3/01
`(52) US. CD. ceccccceceesssesssesssesssescessessesssessseesesaneesees 715/702
`
`(57)
`ABSTRACT
`A user interface for use with a device having a display anda
`controller, the controller being configured to receive touch
`input representing a slide-in gesture and in response thereto
`switch input mode, wherein the input mode is one of
`DIRECT,in which mode touchinputis interpreted to be direct
`actions, or HOVER,in which touch inputis interpreted to be
`hoveractions.
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`800
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`810b
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`803
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`820a
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`815a
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`810a
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`820b
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`815b
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`1
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`APPLE 1101
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`APPLE 1101
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`1
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`204b (—) [Oo|(7 204c
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`Fig 6a
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`US 2010/0107067 Al
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`Apr. 29, 2010
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`INPUT ON TOUCH BASED USER
`INTERFACES
`
`BACKGROUND
`
`drawbacks indicated above by providing a user interface, a
`device, a computer readable medium and a methodaccording
`to the claims.
`[0013] A touch input gesture or interaction that starts out-
`side a display and is continued inside the display, hereafter
`referred to as a slide-in gesture, is a special technical feature
`that offers an enriched range of input options available for a
`designer when designing a user interface.
`[0014] Further aspects, features, advantages and properties
`of device, method and computer readable medium according
`to the present application will become apparent from the
`detailed description.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`1. Field
`[0001]
`[0002] The present application relatesto a user interface, a
`device and a method for improved input, and in particular to
`a user interface, a device and a methodfor offering a wider
`range of input options in touch userinterfaces.
`[0003]
`2. Brief Description of Related Developments
`[0004] Contemporary small display devices with touch
`user interfaces have feweruser input controls than traditional
`WindowsIcon Menu Pointer (WIMP)interfaces, but theystill
`need to offer a similar set of responses to user actions i.e.
`In the following detailed portion of the present
`[0015]
`commandand control possibilities.
`description, the teachings of the present application will be
`[0005] A traditional WIMP(windowsicons menuspointer)
`explained in more detail with reference to the example
`device may offer a mouse pointer, a left and right mouse
`embodiments shownin the drawings, in which:
`button, a scroll wheel, keyboard scroll keys, and keyboard
`[0016]
`FIG. 1 is an overview of a telecommunications sys-
`modifiers for mouse-clicks (e.g. control-left-mouse). A touch
`tem in which a device according to the present application is
`device relies entirely on touch on the screen with one or two
`used according to an embodiment,
`fingers to send commands to the system, even where the
`
`[0017] FIG.2isa plane front view of a device according to
`an embodiment,
`underlying touch system is similar to the WIMP system and
`requires similar control information.
`[0018]
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the general
`architecture of a device of FIG. 2 in accordance with the
`[0006] This problem becomesespecially apparent when the
`user is trying to find out information about an object being
`displayed. In Graphical UserInterfaces (GUI) using WIMPs
`this is commonly achieved by so called mouse-overevents.
`These are events that are triggered when the cursor is placed
`above an object. The most commonaction taken for the event
`is to display some information regarding the object oroffer a
`menu of options.
`[0007]
`Simply placing a fingeror a stylus over an object on
`a touch baseduser interface (UI) is ambiguousasit is unclear
`whetherthe user is tapping or hovering (as the corresponding
`action to mouse-over is sometimesreferred to as) over the
`object.
`[0008] One solution offered has been to allocate a hover
`function or mouse-over eventto a single tap andto allocate a
`select function (equivalent to a mouse downorclick event) to
`a double tap. This has the advantagein that the userhasto tap
`twice to take execute a commandor an action.
`
`present application,
`[0019]
`FIG. 4 isa plane front view of a device according to
`an embodiment,
`[0020]
`FIG. 5 isa plane front view of a device according to
`an embodiment,
`[0021]
`FIGS. 6a and bare flow charts describing a method
`according to an embodiment,
`[0022]
`FIGS. 7a, 6, c, d and e are screen shot views of an
`example according to an embodiment and
`[0023]
`FIG. 8 isa plane front view of a device according to
`an embodimentofthe application.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
`
`Inthe following detailed description, the device, the
`[0024]
`method and the software product according to the teachings
`for this applicationin the form of a cellular/mobile phone will
`be described by the embodiments. It should be noted that
`although only a mobile phone is described the teachings of
`this application can also be used in any electronic device such
`as in portable electronic devices such as laptops, PDAs,
`mobile communication terminals, electronic books and note-
`pads and other electronic devices offering access to informa-
`tion.
`
`FIG.1 illustrates an example ofa cellular telecom-
`[0025]
`munications system in which the teachings of the present
`application maybe applied. In the telecommunication system
`of FIG. 1, various telecommunications services such as cel-
`lular voice calls, www or Wireless Application Protocol
`(WAP) browsing, cellular video calls, data calls, facsimile
`transmissions, music transmissions, still
`image transmis-
`sions, video transmissions, electronic message transmissions
`and electronic commerce may be performed between a
`mobile terminal 100 accordingto the teachings ofthe present
`application and other devices, such as another mobile termi-
`nal 106 or a stationary telephone 132. It is to be noted that for
`different embodiments of the mobile terminal 100 and in
`different situations, different ones ofthe telecommunications
`services referred to above may or maynot be available; the
`
`[0009] Another solution is to use special hardware for the
`touch display capable of sensing a varying pressure and
`assign low pressure to mean hoverand high pressure to mean
`select. This has the obvious disadvantage in that it requires
`special hardware.
`[0010] Another solution requiring special hardware is to
`have a dedicated button indicating whether the touchis to be
`interpreted as a hovering action or a tapping action.If the key
`is pressed it is a hovering action and ifnotit is a tapping action
`or vice versa. This would require an additional key and most
`likely a two handoperation as it might otherwise be difficult
`to reach the special key.
`[0011]
`Thusthere is need for an improveduserinterface for
`touch input where a tapping and a hovering action can easily
`be differentiated.
`
`SUMMARY
`
`[0012] On this background, it would be advantageous to
`provide a user interface, a device, a computer readable
`medium and a method that overcomesorat least reduces the
`
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`teachings of the present application are not limited to any
`particular set of services in this respect.
`[0026] The mobile terminals 100, 106 are connected to a
`mobile telecommunications network 110 through Radio Fre-
`quency, RF links 102, 108 via base stations 104, 109. The
`mobile telecommunications network 110 may be in compli-
`ance with any commercially available mobile telecommuni-
`cations standard, such as Group Speciale Mobile, GSM, Uni-
`versal Mobile Telecommunications System, UMTS, Digital
`Advanced Mobile Phone system, D-AMPS, The code divi-
`sion multiple access standards CDMA and CDMA2000,
`Freedom Of Mobile Access, FOMA, and Time Division-
`Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access, TD-SCDMA.
`[0027] The mobile telecommunications network 110 is
`operatively connected to a wide area network 120, which may
`be Internetor a part thereof. An Internet server 122 has a data
`storage 124 and is connectedto the wide area network 120, as
`is an Internet client computer 126. The server 122 may host a
`www/wap server capable of serving www/wapcontentto the
`mobile terminal 100.
`
`[0028] A public switched telephone network (PSTN)130 is
`connected to the mobile telecommunications network 110 in
`
`a familiar manner. Various telephoneterminals, including the
`stationary telephone 132, are connected to the PSTN 130.
`[0029] The mobile terminal 100 is also capable of commu-
`nicating locally via a local link 101 to one or more local
`devices 103. The local link can be any type of link with a
`limited range, such as Bluetooth, a Universal Serial Bus
`(USB)link, a Wireless Universal Serial Bus (WUSB)link, an
`IEEE 802.11 wireless local area network link, a Radio Stan-
`dard link for example an RS-232 serial link, etc. The local
`devices 103 can for example be various sensors that can
`communicate measurementvalues to the mobile terminal 100
`over the local link 101.
`
`[0030] An embodiment 200 of the mobile terminal 100 is
`illustrated in more detail in FIG. 2. The mobile terminal 200
`
`comprises a speaker or earphone 202, a microphone 206, a
`main orfirst display 203 being a touch display. As is com-
`monly known a touch display may be arranged with virtual
`keys 204. The device is further arranged in this embodiment
`with a set of hardware keys such as soft keys 2046, 204c and
`a joystick 205 or other type of navigational input device.
`[0031] The internal component, software and protocol
`structure of the mobile terminal 200 will now be described
`with reference to FIG. 3. The mobile terminalhas a controller
`300 which is responsible for the overall operation of the
`mobile terminal and may be implemented by any commer-
`cially available CPU (“Central Processing Unit”), DSP
`(“Digital Signal Processor”) or any other electronic program-
`mable logic device. The controller 300 has associated elec-
`tronic memory 302 such as Random Access Memory (RAM)
`memory, Read Only memory (ROM) memory, Electrically
`Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)
`memory, flash memory, or any combination thereof. The
`memory 302 is used for various purposes by the controller
`300, one of them being for storing data used by and program
`instructions for various software in the mobile terminal. The
`software includes a real-time operating system 320, drivers
`for a man-machineinterface (MMI) 334, an application han-
`dler 332 as well as various applications. The applications can
`include a messagetext editor 350, a notepad application 360,
`as well as various other applications 370, such as applications
`for voice calling, video calling, sending and receiving Short
`Message Service (SMS) messages, Multimedia MessageSer-
`
`vice (MMS) messages or email, web browsing, an instant
`messaging application, a phone book application, a calendar
`application, a control panel application, a camera application,
`one or more video games, a notepad application, etc. Itshould
`benoted that two or moreofthe applications listed above may
`be executed as the same application
`[0032] The MMI334 also includes one or more hardware
`controllers, which together with the MMI drivers cooperate
`with the touch display 336/203, and the keys 338/204, 205 as
`well as various other Input/Output devices such as micro-
`phone, speaker, vibrator, ringtone generator, LED indicator,
`etc. As is commonly known,the user may operate the mobile
`terminal through the man-machineinterface thus formed.
`[0033] The software also includes various modules, proto-
`col stacks, drivers, etc., which are commonly designated as
`330 and which provide communication services (such as
`transport, network and connectivity) for an RF interface 306,
`and optionally a Bluetooth interface 308 and/or an IrDA
`interface 310 for local connectivity. The RF interface 306
`comprises an internal or external antenna as well as appro-
`priate radio circuitry for establishing and maintaining a wire-
`less link to a basestation (e.g. the link 102 and base station
`104 in FIG. 1). As is well known to a manskilled in the art, the
`radio circuitry comprises a series of analogue and digital
`electronic components, together forming a radio receiver and
`transmitter. These components include, band pass filters,
`amplifiers, mixers, local oscillators, low pass filters, Analog
`to Digital and Digital to Analog (AD/DA) converters, etc.
`[0034]
`FIG. 4 showsa device 400 according to an embodi-
`mentofthe teachings herein which device in this embodiment
`is a mobile telephone but it should be understoodthat this
`application is notlimited to mobile phones, but can find use in
`other devices having a touch based user interface such as
`personal digital assistants (PDA), laptops, media players,
`navigational devices, game consoles, personal organizers and
`digital cameras. The device 400 is equipped with a touch
`display 403.
`[0035]
`In this example a user has touched the display 403
`by puttinghis fingerorstylusin direct contact with the display
`403, indicated by thefilled dot 410. Then the userhasslid his
`finger to another point on the display 403 indicating a path
`415 to an end point indicated by an open dot 420 where the
`contact between the display 403 and the finger or stylus has
`been broken. As in contemporary device this action repre-
`sents a move operationifthefirst point of contact 410 is on an
`object, which is then moved to the second point 420.
`[0036]
`It should be notedthat the direct contactis not nec-
`essary for touch displays having proximity sensing capabili-
`ties.
`
`FIG. 5 shows a device 500 as in FIG. 4. In this
`[0037]
`example a user has madethe initial contactoutsidethe display
`503 ina first contact point 510 andslid his finger in over the
`display 503 along a path 515 to an end point 520. A controller
`of the device is configured to determinethat such an action is
`to be representing a hovering action and a mouse-overevent
`is initiated for any objectfalling on the path 515. Alternatively
`only objects which the user stops over will receive a mouse-
`over event.
`
`[0038] According to the teachings herein a controller is
`thus configured to determine whether an action is a direct
`action or a hovering action depending on an input mode. The
`input mode may be DIRECT or HOVER.The controller is
`further configured to determine that an input mode changeis
`
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`origin in step 625. Ifit is outside an active area and the current
`position of the gesture is inside the active areait is a slide-in
`gesture.In step 630 the controller checks which input modeis
`active and switches accordingly.Ifit is determinedin step 635
`that the input mode is DIRECTthe input modeis switched to
`HOVER.
`
`to be executed if a touch input gesture is started outside the
`display 403, 503 and continuedinside,i.e. a slide-in gesture.
`[0039]
`Inone embodimentthecriteria for determining such
`an action is if the first portion of the display to be touchedis
`one at a very small distance form the edge of the display 503.
`In one embodimentthe distance is set to be zero demanding
`[0051] A further problem of the prior art is how a user
`that the first portion to be touchedis a portion directly on the
`interface should offer a user the possibilities of actions being
`edge of the display 503. Such a gesture will from now on be
`equivalent to right and left click actions. In a traditional
`referred to as a slide-in gesture.
`WIMPsystem an object usually has an action associated with
`[0040]
`In one embodimenta slide-in gesture can be deter-
`it that is performed whenitis left-clicked upon. This action
`minedas being a gesture that originatesat or in the immediate
`maybeto select it or open it. An object usually also has a
`vicinity of an edge ofa display and immediately hasa certain
`menu of other options associated with it that is displayed by
`speed or a speed aboveacertain level. This allows a controller
`right-clicking on it. For touch based systemsit is difficult for
`to differentiate between a gesture starting outside the display
`a controller to differentiate between a left-click and a right-
`and continuing in over it from a gesture deliberately starting
`click.
`close to an edge of the display and continuing inside the
`display, such as a gesture for selecting an object located close
`to the edge and dragging it inside the display area. Thelater
`gesture would havean initial speed close or equal to zero.
`[0041]
`Inone embodiment the determination ofthe slide-in
`gesture depends on whether an object is covered by the path
`within a very short time interval. In this embodiment a user
`should perform the slide-in gesture so that it does not travel
`across any objectsas it enters the display.
`[0042]
`In one embodimentthe controller is configured to
`determinethat an input mode changeis to be executed when-
`ever a slide-in gesture is detected or received.
`[0043]
`In one embodimentthe controller is configured to
`execute an input mode switch to DIRECT whena touch input
`seizes, that is when contact between the touch display 503 and
`the finger/stylus is broken.
`[0044] Thus two main alternatives exist. Thefirst is that a
`user always switches to HOVER modebysliding in over the
`display 503 andas he releases any further touch input on the
`touch display is in DIRECT mode. To perform further ges-
`tures in HOVER mode a further slide-in gesture has to be
`performed. This has the benefit that a user always knows
`which mode the terminal or device is currently operating in
`and how the controller will interpret any touch input.
`[0045] The secondalternative is that a user switches mode
`each time a slide-in gesture is performed and this mode is
`maintained until a user performsa newslide-in gesture upon
`which the mode is changed again. This has the benefit of
`allowing a user to make repetitive mouse-overactions with-
`out having to perform slide-in gestures.
`[0046]
`In one embodimentthe slide-in gesture is assumed
`to have been performedif a user initiates it outside an active
`area or an application areaof said display. In this embodiment
`a user maythis initiate a hover action for an object, such as a
`window,by sliding in over the window.
`[0047]
`In one embodiment the application area is idle or
`passiveat first and becomesactivated uponreceiptofa slide-
`in gesture ending up in that activearea.
`[0048]
`In this embodimentthe slide-in gesture should be
`initiated in an area void of other objects so that no target
`collisions may occur.
`[0049]
`FIG. 6a showsa flowchart according to an embodi-
`ment. In an initial step 610 touch inputis received. A control-
`ler determines whethera slide-in gesture has been performed
`in step 620 and in response thereto switches input mode 630.
`[0050]
`FIG. 66 shows a more detailed flowchart of a
`method according to an embodiment. In an initial step 610 a
`controller receives touch input. In step 620 it is determined
`whether the touch inputis a slide-in gesture by checkingits
`
`[0052] By realizing that a left-click can be replaced by a
`mouse-over event the teachings herein can be usedto differ-
`entiate between the two actions.
`
`FIG. 7 shows an example of howthis can be imple-
`[0053]
`mented according to the teachings herein.
`[0054]
`FIG. 7ashowsa device according to an embodiment
`ofthe teachings herein which device in this embodimentis a
`mobile telephone 700. It should be understoodthat this appli-
`cation is not limited to mobile phones, but can find use in
`other devices having a touch based. user interface such as
`personal digital assistants (PDA), laptops, media players,
`navigational devices, game consoles, personal organizers and
`digital cameras.
`[0055] The device 700 has a touch display 703 on which a
`list of options or objects 730 are displayed.
`[0056]
`In FIG. 7/a finger ora stylus has made contact with
`the device by touching right nextto the display 703 indicated
`bythefilled dot 710 and movedhisfingeror stylus in over the
`display 703 indicated by path 715. In other wordsthe user has
`performeda slide-in gesture. The open-ended path 715 indi-
`cates that contactis still maintained betweenthe finger/stylus
`and the display 703.
`[0057]
`In one embodiment a cursor 725is displayed at the
`furthest point of the path 715.
`[0058]
`In FIG. 7c the user has movedhis finger to the first
`object 731 in the list 730. A controller of the device 700 is
`configured to execute an action equivalent to a mouse over
`event, which in this example is to display a list 740 of asso-
`ciated objects or options.
`[0059]
`In one embodimentthe list 730 is a menu andthelist
`740 is a submenu.
`
`In one embodimentthe userinterface is configured
`[0060]
`to receive a commandbytheusersliding his finger/stylus in
`over an option in the option list 740 and releasing touch
`contact wherein the commandis associated with the location
`
`where the touch input is terminated.
`[0061]
`In one embodimentthe controller is configured to
`maintain the displayed option list 740 being displayed as a
`user releases the touch contact until further input is received.
`Orin other words, the screen view is maintained between
`touch inputs.
`[0062]
`In FIG. 7d a user has released the touch contact
`indicated by the open circle 720 and the controller maintains
`the list 740 on the display 703. This provides a user with a
`good overview ofthe available options which are no longer
`obscured by the stylus/finger.
`[0063]
`In one embodiment a cursor 725 is displayedat the
`point where the touch input wasreleased.
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`In FIG. 7e the user makesa selection of an item 741
`[0064]
`indicated by the open circle 8205 the controller is configured
`from the optionslist 740 by tapping on it indicated by the full
`to execute a second function in responseto the slide-in ges-
`circle with a ring aroundit 750.
`ture. The second gesture can for example be to display the
`[0065]
`In one embodimenttheinitial direction of the slide-
`message inbox for messages received from a contact being
`in gesture is decisive for which input mode is going to be
`displayed in a currently running phonebookapplication on
`the device 800.
`used. For exampleaslide-in gesture from the right side would
`initiate a switch to HOVER mode.A slide-in gesture from the
`[0075]
`In one embodimentthe controller is configured to
`left would initiate a switch to DIRECT mode.
`execute the associated function as son as a slide-in gesture is
`detected and not wait until the release 820 is detected.
`
`In one embodimentthe display 703 is arranged so
`[0066]
`that the display is in the samelevelas with the front face ofthe
`device 700. In one embodimentthe display is flush with the
`front face of said device 700. This will enable a user to more
`
`easily touch the very side or edge of the display 703.
`[0067]
`Inone embodimentthe display 703 is slightly raised
`in relation to said front face of said device 700.
`
`[0068] User interfaces with touch displays and few or no
`hardware keysare usually restricted in the input optionsavail-
`able. The most commonsolution has been to provide virtual
`keys, but these occupy a lot of the available display area and
`thuslimit the user interface. It is therefore an additional object
`of this application to provide a user interface, a method, a
`computer-readable medium and a device according to the
`claims that provide an improveduserinterface offering addi-
`tional input options.
`[0069]
`In one embodimentthe slide-in gesture is used to
`input specific functions or commandsother than input mode
`switches. A first function would be assigned to a slide-in
`gesture from the left, a second function would be assigned to
`a slide-in gesture from the top, a third function would be
`assigned to a slide-in gesture from the right and a fourth
`function would be assigned to a slide-in gesture from the
`bottom. It is to be understood that further divisions of the
`
`directions can be used. For example the diagonal movements
`or dividing the screens edges (upperleft for example). It is
`also to be understood that it is not necessary to associate all
`edges with a function.
`[0070]
`In one embodiment the function activated by the
`slide-in gesture is related to a currently running application.
`[0071] Examples of such commands are to display the
`bookmarksfor a web browseras a slide-in gesture is detected
`from the right or to display an inbox for a contact as a slide-in
`gesture is detected from the left.
`[0072]
`FIG. 8 showsa device according to an embodiment
`of the teachings herein which device in this embodimentis a
`mobile telephone 800 but it should be understood that this
`application is not limited to mobile phones, but can find use in
`other devices having a touch based user interface such as
`personal digital assistants (PDA),
`laptops, media players,
`navigational devices, game consoles, personal organizers and
`digital cameras.
`[0073] The device 800 has a touch display 803 and a con-
`troller (not shown). As a user performsa slide-in gesture
`starting on the left side ofthe display 803 indicated bythe full
`circle 810a and continues the sliding gesture in over the
`display 803, indicated by path 815a) and releases over the
`display 803 indicated by the open circle 820a the controller is
`configured to execute a first function in responsetothe slide-
`in gesture. The first function can for example be to display the
`call history for a contact being displayed in a currently run-
`ning phonebookapplication on the device 800.
`[0074]
`Ifa user performsa slide-in gesture starting on the
`right side of the display 803 indicated by the full circle 8105
`and continues the sliding gesture in over the display 803,
`indicated by path 8154, and releases over the display 803
`
`In one embodimentthe function associated with the
`[0076]
`slide-in gesture is also associated with an object on which the
`slide-in gesture terminates. For example, if the device is cur-
`rently displaying a list of contacts in a currently running
`phonebook application and the user performsa slide-in ges-
`ture from the left side ending on a specific contact: “John
`Smith”the controller would be configured to display the call
`history for John Smith.
`[0077]
`In one embodimentthe function associated with the
`slide-in gesture is associated with an application area in
`whichthe slide-in gesture terminates. For example if'a device
`800 is currently displaying a phonebook application and a
`browserand a user performsa slide-in gesture that terminates
`in the phonebook application a function associated with the
`phonebook application would be executed, for example dis-
`playing the call history for a contact. And if the slide-in
`gesture terminates in the browserapplication a function asso-
`ciated with the browser application would be executed, for
`example to display the bookmarks.
`[0078] The various aspects of what is described above can
`be used aloneor in various combinations. The teachingofthis
`application may be implemented by a combination of hard-
`ware and software, but can also be implemented in hardware
`or software. The teaching of this application can also be
`embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable
`medium. It should be noted that the teaching of this applica-
`tion is not limited to the use in mobile communication termi-
`
`nals such as mobile phones, but can be equally well applied in
`Personal digital Assistants (PDAs), game consoles, MP3
`players, personal organizers or any other device designed for
`providing a touch baseduserinterface.
`[0079] The teaching of the present application has numer-
`ous advantages. Different embodiments or implementations
`mayyield one or moreof the following advantages. It should
`be noted that this is not an exhaustive list and there may be
`other advantages which are not described herein. For
`example, one advantageof the teaching ofthis application is
`that a device will provide a user with a user interface capable
`of differentiating between two types of input modes in a
`mannerthat is highly intuitive and easy to learn and use fora
`user and which does not require any special hardware.
`[0080] Althoughthe teaching ofthe present application has
`been described in detail for purposeofillustration,it is under-
`stood that such detail is solely for that purpose, and variations
`can be madetherein by those skilled in the art without depart-
`ing from the scope ofthe teaching of this application.
`[0081]
`For example, although the teaching of the present
`application has been described in terms of a mobile phone,it
`should be appreciated that the teachings of the present appli-
`cation may also be applied to other types of electronic
`devices, such as music players, palmtop computers and the
`like. It should also be noted that there are many alternative
`ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the
`teachings of the present application.
`
`9
`
`

`

`US 2010/0107067 Al
`
`Apr. 29, 2010
`
`Features described in the preceding description may
`[0082]
`be used in combinations other than the combinations explic-
`itly described.
`[0083] Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification
`to draw attention to those features of the disclosed embodi-
`
`ments believed to be of particular importance it should be
`understood that the Applicant claimsprotection in respect of
`any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbe-
`fore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not
`particular emphasis has been placed thereon.
`[0084] The term “comprising” as used in the claims does
`not exclude other elements or steps. The term “a”or “an”as
`used in the claims does not exclude a plurality. A unit or other
`means may fulfill the functions of several units or means
`recited in the claims.
`
`14. A user interface according to claim 10 wherein said
`controller is configured to display a cursor at a location cor-
`responding to a current position or a release position of said
`touch input.
`15. A user interface according to claim 10 wherein said
`controller is configured to maintain a displayed screen view
`upon detection of release of said received touch input.
`16. A user interface according to claim 10 wherein said
`controller is configured to execute a commandupondetection
`of release of said received touch input, which commandis
`associated with a location in which said touch input
`is
`released.
`
`17. A device incorporating and implementing or config-
`ured to implementa user interface according to claim 1.
`18. A method for executing a function, said method com-
`prising:
`receiving touch input representing a slide-in gesture, and
`executing a function associated with said slide-in gesture.
`19. A method according to claim 18, said method further
`comprising determining that said function is to be executed
`upon receipt of touch input representing a slide-in gesture
`whichoriginate on or adjacent to an edgeofthe display.
`20. A method according to claim 18, said method further
`comprising determining that said function is to be executed
`uponreceipt oftouch input which originates outside an appli-
`calion area.
`
`1. A userinterface for use with a device having a controller
`and a touch display, wherein said controller is configuredto:
`receive touch input representing a slide-in gesture, and
`execute a function associated with said slide-in gesture.
`2. A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said con-
`troller is configured to determine that function is to be
`executed upon receipt of touch input representing a slide-in
`gesture which originate on or adjacent to an edge of the
`display.
`3. A user interface according to claim 1 wherein said con-
`21.A method according to claim 18, wherein said function
`troller is configured to determine that said function is to be
`is associated with an application.
`executed uponreceipt oftouch input whichoriginates outside
`an application area.
`22. A method according to claim 18, wherein method fur-
`ther comprises determining which function to execute
`4. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said
`depending on a direction of the slide-in gesture.
`function is associated with an application.
`23. A methodaccording to claim 18, wherein method fur-
`5. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein said
`controller is configured to determine which function to
`ther comprises determining which fun