Multi-functional hand-held device

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a multi-functional hand-held device capable of configuring user inputs based on how the device is to be used. Preferably, the multi-functional hand-held device has at most only a few physical buttons, keys, or switches so that its display size can be substantially increased. The multi-functional hand-held device also incorporates a variety of input mechanisms, including touch sensitive screens, touch sensitive housings, display actuators, audio input, etc. The device also incorporates a user-configurable GUI for each of the multiple functions of the devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld computing device, comprising:
 a display;   a plurality of touch sensors co-located with the display and configured for making at least a portion of the display touch-sensitive; and   a processor communicatively coupled to the display and the plurality of touch sensors, the processor configured for
 in response to receiving one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors, causing a control region to appear on a side of the display, and 
 in response to receiving one or more second touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located in the control region, initiating an operation in the handheld computing device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for causing the control region to selectively appear and disappear. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for overlaying the control region over a standard region of the display. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for:
 in response to detecting the one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at an edge of the display indicative of movement of an object originating at the edge of the display, causing the control region to appear on the side of the display.   
     
     
         5 . The handheld computing device of  claim 4 , the processor further configured for:
 in response to detecting a series of one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at the edge of the display indicative of repeated movement of the object originating at the edge of the display, causing a series of different control regions to appear on the side of the display.   
     
     
         6 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for:
 based on a user handedness determination, causing the control regions to appear on a particular side of the display.   
     
     
         7 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for:
 in response to receiving one or more second touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located in the control region indicative of movement of an object across the control region, navigating the control region.   
     
     
         8 . The handheld computing device of  claim 7 , wherein navigating the control region comprises scrolling through the control region. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld computing device of  claim 1 , the processor further configured for causing virtual user interface elements to appear in the control region. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld computing device of  claim 9 , the processor further configured for:
 in response to receiving one or more third touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located near a virtual user interface element, initiating an application associated with the virtual user interface element.   
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 at a handheld computing device in communication with a display and a plurality of touch sensors co-located with the display and configured for making at least a portion of the display touch-sensitive:
 in response to receiving one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors, causing a control region to appear on a side of the display, and 
 in response to receiving one or more second touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located in the control region, initiating an operation in the handheld computing device. 
   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising causing the control region to selectively appear and disappear. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising overlaying the control region over a standard region of the display. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting the one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at an edge of the display indicative of movement of an object originating at the edge of the display, causing the control region to appear on the side of the display.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 in response to detecting a series of one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at the edge of the display indicative of repeated movement of the object originating at the edge of the display, causing a series of different control regions to appear on the side of the display.   
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing program code for providing a touch-sensitive user interface on a handheld computing device in communication with a display co-located with a plurality of touch sensors, the program code for performing a method comprising:
 in response to receiving one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors, causing a control region to appear on a side of the display, and   in response to receiving one or more second touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located in the control region, initiating an operation in the handheld computing device.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the method further comprising causing the control region to selectively appear and disappear. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the method further comprising overlaying the control region over a standard region of the display. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 16 , the method further comprising:
 in response to detecting the one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at an edge of the display indicative of movement of an object originating at the edge of the display, causing the control region to appear on the side of the display.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 in response to detecting a series of one or more first touch signals from one or more of the plurality of touch sensors located at the edge of the display indicative of repeated movement of the object originating at the edge of the display, causing a series of different control regions to appear on the side of the display.