US20080096612A1 - Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A mobile electronic device has a thumbwheel subassembly having measurable rotatable and depressible input movements, for example, rolling the thumbwheel up, rolling the thumbwheel down and pushing the thumbwheel inwards. Pushing the thumbwheel with a measurable component of downward force may result in inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down. Software or hardware may be used to cancel the inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down when the timing of the push and the roll are too close. The thumbwheel assembly may be oriented in the device so that the direction of depressible input movement of the thumbwheel is substantially aligned with the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger that includes a measurable component of downward force.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/790,202 filed Mar. 2, 2004 entitled THUMBWHEEL AND SWITCH FOR A MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND METHODS THEREOF. The contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/790,202 are herein incorporated by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates generally to mobile electronic devices having a thumbwheel for input.
BACKGROUND
• A thumbwheel subassembly includes a thumbwheel and a switch. The thumbwheel may have measurable rotation and depressible input movements, for example, rolling the thumbwheel up, rolling the thumbwheel down and pushing the thumbwheel inwards. A user may inadvertently roll the thumbwheel down while pushing the thumbwheel inwards.
SUMMARY
• In some embodiments of the invention, a method includes canceling detection of a rotation downward of a thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of the thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of detection of the rotation downward. The predetermined time threshold may be approximately 100 milliseconds. The method may be implemented by executing software instructions on a computing platform. The instructions may be stored on an article.
• In some embodiments of the invention, a mobile electronic device includes a thumbwheel subassembly, a housing and a microprocessor inside the housing. The thumbwheel subassembly includes a thumbwheel and a switch. The housing has an opening through which the thumbwheel protrudes. The microprocessor is to compensate for inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down by a user while the user pushes the thumbwheel inwards. The microprocessor is to cancel detection of a rotation downward of the thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of the thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of the detection of the rotation downward.
• In some embodiments, a mobile electronic device includes a flat display screen, a thumbwheel subassembly and a housing. The thumbwheel subassembly includes a thumbwheel and a switch. The housing has an opening through which the thumbwheel protrudes. The thumbwheel subassembly is oriented so that a direction of depressible input movement of the thumbwheel, when projected onto a plane substantially parallel to a plane of the flat display screen, is substantially aligned with a direction of a push by a user's thumb or finger that includes a measurable component of downward force. In some embodiments of the invention, the thumbwheel subassembly is oriented so that a direction of depressible input movement of the thumbwheel, when projected onto a plane substantially parallel to a plane of the flat display screen, is at an angle in a range of approximately 2 degrees to approximately 10 degrees with respect to a direction from a first point on a side of the housing having the opening to a second point directly across from the first point on an opposite side of the housing. The angle may be in a range of approximately 3 degrees to approximately 8 degrees, or approximately 4 degrees to approximately 6 degrees. The angle may be approximately 5 degrees.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• Embodiments of the invention may be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in which:
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary mobile electronic device, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention;
• FIG. 2 is a front view of an exemplary mobile electronic device, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a side view of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 2;
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustration of an exemplary method to compensate for inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down while pushing the thumbwheel, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention;
• FIG. 5 is a front view of another exemplary mobile electronic device, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention;
• FIG. 6 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 2;
• FIG. 7 is a side view of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 6; and
• FIG. 8 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 5.
• It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, elements shown in the figures have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements may be exaggerated relative to other elements for clarity. Further, where considered appropriate, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the invention. However it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary mobileelectronic device100, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.Device100 may be a personal data assistant (PDA), a personal information manager (PIM), a two-way pager, a cellphone, a handheld terminal, and the like. In some embodiments,device100 may be a two-way communication device with data communication capabilities having the capability to communicate with other computer systems. In some embodiments,device100 may also include the capability for voice communications.
• Device100 includes amicroprocessor104 that controls the overall operation ofdevice100, apersistent store106, avolatile store108, thumbwheelcontrol logic circuitry110, a power supply andmanagement subsystem112, adisplay screen114, and athumbwheel subassembly116 coupled to thumbwheelcontrol logic circuitry110.Device100 may optionally comprise akeyboard120.Device100 may comprise additional components (such as for example, a communications subsystem, a speaker, a microphone, etc.) that are not shown inFIG. 1 so as not to obscure the description of embodiments of the invention.
• A non-exhaustive list of examples fordisplay screen114 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and a thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCD screen.
• Operating system software used bymicroprocessor104 is typically stored inpersistent store106, such as, for example, flash memory or read-only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), mask ROM, electrically programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable and programmable read only memory (EEPROM), non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), a magnetic or optical card, CD-ROM, and the like.Microprocessor104, in addition to its operating system functions, enables execution of software applications ondevice100. The operating system, specific device applications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded intovolatile store108, such as for example, random access memory (RAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM), RAMBUS dynamic random access memory (RDRAM), double data rate (DDR) memory, and the like.
• Thumbwheelsubassembly116 may include athumbwheel118 and aswitch119.Thumbwheel subassembly116 may have measurable rotation and depressible input movements, for example, rolling the thumbwheel up, rolling the thumbwheel down and pushing the thumbwheel inwards. A non-exhaustive list of examples for thumbwheel subassembly includes the Edge Drive Jog Encoder Type EVQWK manufactured by Panasonic and the Composite Control Switch Type SLLB from ALPS electronics.
• FIG. 2 is a front view of an exemplarymobile device100, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. In the example shown inFIG. 2,display screen114 is flat.Device100 is shown inFIG. 2 in the ordinary operating/viewing position in which it would be held by and between the user's hands at the left andright side edges202 and204 ofdevice100.FIG. 3 is a side view ofdevice100.
• Thehousing206 ofdevice100 has an opening208 on theright side edge204. Thumbwheel118 protrudes through opening208, which may be, for example, slot-shaped.Thumbwheel118 may be in a “horizontal orientation”, i.e. the circular opposite sides ofthumbwheel118 are in planes that are substantially parallel to the plane of aflat display screen114. Alternatively, the thumbwheel may be inclined at an angle from the horizontal orientation, as shown inFIGS. 9-13 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,950.
• Whendevice100 is held as shown inFIG. 2, a user may interface withthumbwheel118 using a thumb or index finger, for example.Thumbwheel118 has an axis ofrotation215. The direction of a rotation upward (towards atop edge209 of device100) is shown inFIG. 2 as a dottedcurved arrow210. The direction of a rotation downward (towards abottom edge211 of device100) is shown inFIG. 2 as a dottedcurved arrow212.
• The direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118 is shown inFIG. 2 as adotted arrow214. (Ifthumbwheel118 is inclined at an angle from the horizontal orientation, then dottedarrow214 is the projection of the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118 onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane offlat display screen114.)
• Dottedarrow214 is directed from a first point onright side edge204 to a second point onleft side edge202 directly across from the first point.
• Since pushingthumbwheel118 is accomplished with the thumb or index finger, which pivots from below, the push may include a measurable component of downward force. For example, the push may be in the direction shown inFIG. 2 asarrow216. In such cases, both rotation ofthumbwheel118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to pushthumbwheel118 to select a particular item from a list, the next item down in the list may be selected instead inadvertently.
• FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustration of an exemplary method to compensate for inadvertent rolling of the thumbwheel down while pushing the thumbwheel, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. The method is to be implemented by the software that handles detected input fromthumbwheel subassembly116. If rolling the thumbwheel down is detected (-402-), and subsequently pushing the thumbwheel in is detected (-404-), then it is checked whether the timing of the detection of rolling the thumbwheel down and the detection of pushing the thumbwheel in is too close (-406-). The time threshold may be, for example, approximately 100 milliseconds. If the timing is too close, then rolling the thumbwheel down is deemed inadvertent, and the detection of rolling the thumbwheel down is cancelled (-408-). The detected (and not cancelled) input movement of the thumbwheel is then processed (-410-).
• It will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art that the exemplary method ofFIG. 4, or any equivalent method, may be implemented in hardware rather than in software, or in a combination of hardware and software.
• FIG. 5 is a front view of adevice500, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.Device500 is similar todevice100 and therefore the same reference numerals are used for components and features that are the same or similar. In particular, dottedarrow214, showing the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118 indevice100, andarrow216, showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger onthumbwheel118, are repeated inFIG. 5.Thumbwheel subassembly116 is oriented indevice500 so that the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118, shown as adotted arrow514, is at an angle B fromdotted arrow214. Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel118 (arrow514) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow216). Angle B may be in the range of approximately 2 degrees to approximately 10 degrees, or in the range of approximately 3 degrees to approximately 8 degrees, or in the range of approximately 4 degrees to approximately 6 degrees, or approximately 5 degrees.
• FIG. 6 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 2, generally referenced600.FIG. 7 is a side view of the exemplary mobileelectronic device600 ofFIG. 6. Indevice600,housing206 may have anopening608 on the left side through which thumbwheel118 protrudes. The direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118, or its projection onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane offlat display screen114, is fromleft side edge202 toright side edge204. It is shown inFIG. 6 as adotted arrow614.
• Since pushingthumbwheel118 is accomplished with the thumb or index finger, which pivots from below, the push may include a measurable component of downward force. For example, the push may be in the direction shown inFIG. 6 asarrow616. In such cases, both rotation ofthumbwheel118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to pushthumbwheel118 to select a particular item from a list, the next item down in the list may be selected instead inadvertently.
• The method described hereinabove with respect toFIG. 4 is equally applicable todevice100 and todevice600.
• FIG. 8 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 5, generally referenced800. Dottedarrow614, showing the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118 indevice600, andarrow616, showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger onthumbwheel118, are repeated inFIG. 8.Thumbwheel subassembly116 is oriented indevice800 so that the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel118, shown as adotted arrow814, is at an angle B fromdotted arrow614. Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel118 (arrow814) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow616). Angle B may be in the range of approximately 2 degrees to approximately 10 degrees, or in the range of approximately 3 degrees to approximately 8 degrees, or in the range of approximately 4 degrees to approximately 6 degrees, or approximately 5 degrees.
• While certain features of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes, and equivalents will now occur to those of ordinary skill in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the spirit of the invention.

Claims (7)

1. A method comprising:

cancelling detection of a rotation downward of a thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of said thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of detection of said rotation downward.

2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein said predetermined time threshold is approximately 100 milliseconds.

3. An article having stored thereon instructions, which when executed by a computing platform, result in:

cancelling detection of a rotation downward of a thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of said thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of detection of said rotation downward.

4. A mobile electronic device comprising:

a thumbwheel subassembly including a thumbwheel and a switch;

a housing having an opening through which said thumbwheel protrudes; and

a microprocessor inside said housing to compensate for inadvertent rolling of said thumbwheel down while said thumbwheel is pushed inwards.

5. The mobile electronic device ofclaim 4, wherein said microprocessor is to cancel detection of a rotation downward of said thumbwheel if detection of a depressible input movement of said thumbwheel occurs within a predetermined time threshold of detection of said rotation downward.

6. The mobile electronic device ofclaim 5, wherein said predetermined time threshold is approximately 100 milliseconds.

7. A mobile electronic device, comprising: a flat display screen; a thumbwheel subassembly including a thumbwheel and a switch; and

a housing having an opening through which said thumbwheel protrudes, wherein said thumbwheel subassembly is oriented so that a direction of depressible input movement of said thumbwheel, when projected onto a plane substantially parallel to a plane of said flat display screen, is substantially aligned with a direction of a push by a thumb or finger that includes a measurable component of downward force.

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