Controlling responsiveness to user inputs on a touch-sensitive display

Abstract

A communications terminal comprises a and a touch-sensitive display for displaying content generated by a software application associated with the processor and for receiving touch-based interactions for use with said software application. A display controller is operable to selectively accept and reject touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-region(s) of the touch-sensitive display. Interactions in said sub-region(s) are rejected in response to said software application being woken from an idle state by an event triggered independent of user interaction and subsequently accepted in response to a predetermined event, for example by user action in an active zone outside of the sub-region(s).

1 . Apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory having computer-readable code stored thereon which when executed controls the at least one processor:
 to cause display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   to receive signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display;   to respond to detection of the software application being woken from an idle state by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions of the touch-sensitive display are rejected, and   whilst in the first mode, to respond to detection of a touch-based interaction without the one or more predetermined sub-regions by exiting the first mode and thereafter to respond to touch-based interactions in said one or more predetermined sub-region of the touch-sensitive display.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to subsequently accept user interactions in the or each predetermined sub-region in response to receiving user interactions outside of said sub-region(s). 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to subsequently accept user interactions in the or each predetermined sub-region(s) in response to receiving user interactions made through the touch-sensitive display outside of said sub-region(s). 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a communications device, the computer code when executed controls the processor to be unresponsive to interactions in said sub-region(s) in response to said software application being woken from an idle state by a received telephone call. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a communications device, the computer code when executed controls the processor to be unresponsive to interactions in said sub-region(s) in response to said software application being woken from an idle state by means of a received data message. 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to be unresponsive to interactions in said sub-region(s) in response to said software application being woken from an idle state by means of an internal timer function. 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the or each said sub-region is at the perimeter of the touch-sensitive display. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the sub-regions comprise first and second separate sub-regions located on opposite perimeters of the touch-sensitive display. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile communications terminal. 
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 causing display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   receiving signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display;   responding to detection of the software application being woken from an idle state by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions of the touch-sensitive display are rejected, and   whilst in the first mode, responding to detection of a touch-based interaction without the one or more predetermined sub-regions by exiting the first mode and thereafter to respond to touch-based interactions in said one or more predetermined sub-region of the touch-sensitive display.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable code, which, when executed by computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to perform a method comprising:
 causing display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   receiving signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display;   responding to detection of the software application being woken from an idle state by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions of the touch-sensitive display are rejected, and   whilst in the first mode, responding to detection of a touch-based interaction without the one or more predetermined sub-regions by exiting the first mode and thereafter to respond to touch-based interactions in said one or more predetermined sub-region of the touch-sensitive display.   
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory having computer-readable code stored thereon which when executed controls the at least one processor:
 to cause display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   to receive signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display; and   to respond to detection of a content window provided by the software application being enlarged by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions at a perimeter of the touch-sensitive display are rejected.   
     
     
         15 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to reject interactions in said one or more perimeter sub-regions in response to a user interface window associated with the application being enlarged in accordance with a maximise command. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the software application is configured to control the processor to enlarge the window in response to one or more received touch inputs. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to be responsive to interactions in said one or more perimeter sub-regions in response to a predetermined event. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to be responsive to interactions in said perimeter sub-region(s) in response to user interactions made outside of said one or more perimeter sub-regions, and optionally wherein the computer code when executed controls the processor to be responsive to interactions are subsequently accepted in response to user interactions made through the touch-sensitive display outside of said one or more perimeter sub-regions. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the display is elongate having opposed lengthwise edges and widthways edges, and the one or more perimeter sub-regions comprise first and second separate sub-regions located on lengthwise, opposite perimeters of the touch-sensitive display. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is a mobile communications terminal. 
     
     
         22 . A method comprising:
 causing display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   receiving signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display; and   responding to detection of a content window provided by the software application being enlarged by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions at a perimeter of the touch-sensitive display are rejected.   
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon computer-readable code, which, when executed by computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to perform a method comprising:
 causing display of content generated by a software application associated with the processor;   receiving signals indicative of touch inputs on a touch-sensitive display; and   responding to detection of a content window provided by the software application being enlarged by entering a first mode in which touch-based interactions in one or more predetermined sub-regions at a perimeter of the touch-sensitive display are rejected.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled)