Radiotelephones having contact-sensitive user interfaces and methods of operating same

Abstract

A radiotelephone includes a housing, and a radiotelephone communications transceiver and display are attached to the housing. A contact-sensitive transducer such as a resistive transducer, a capacitive transducer or a semiconductive transducer, is attached to the housing and produces an output signal that characterizes contact with a contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer. A controller is responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver, and controls at least one of the display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. The controller, responsive to the contact-sensitive transducer, may determine a position of contact along an axis of the contact-sensitive transducer. A graphical object is selectively displayed based on the determined position of contact to thereby identify the graphical object, e.g., by highlighting one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects or by displaying a cursor that indicates one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects. In yet another embodiment, the controller is configured to cause the display or the radio-telephone communications transceiver to perform a plurality of actions. An action of the plurality of actions may be associated with an identified graphical object, and the controller may initiate the action associated with the identified graphical object in response to, for example, detection of a momentary contact of an object with the contact-sensitive transducer.

1. A radiotelephone, comprising:
 a housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite edges of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite edges of the front surface to respective opposite edges of the rear surface, the housing configured to be held in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm; 
 a radiotelephone communications transceiver, supported by the housing; 
 a display, supported by the housing, that displays an image at the front surface of the housing; 
 a contact-sensitive transducer, supported by the housing and having a contact-sensitive surface disposed at at least one of the first and second side surfaces said front surface, which produces an output signal that characterizes in response to moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and 
 a controller, responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver, which controls at least one of the display and the radiotelephone communications transceiver according to and which scrolls displayed rows along an axis of the display based upon the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user. 
 
     
     
       2. A radiotelephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact-sensitive surface, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, confronts a finger or a thumb of the holding hand. 
     
     
       3. A radiotelephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display an image on the display according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       4. A radiotelephone according to  claim 3 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display a graphical object on the display according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       5. A radiotelephone according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display a row on the display according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       6. A radiotelephone according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is operative to display a plurality of graphical objects on the display and to identify one of the displayed plurality of graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       7. A radiotelephone according to  claim 4 , wherein the controller is operative to determine a position of contact of an object along an axis of the contact-sensitive transducer responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer, and to selectively display a graphical object based on the determined position of contact to thereby identify the graphical object. 
     
     
       8. A radiotelephone according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is operative to highlight one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       9. A radiotelephone according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is operative to display a cursor that indicates one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       10. A radiotelephone according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller is operative to cause at least one of the display or the radiotelephone communications transceiver to perform a plurality of actions, wherein an action of the plurality of actions is associated with the identified graphical object and wherein the controller is further operative, responsive to the contact-sensitive transducer, to initiate the action associated with the identified graphical object. 
     
     
       11. A radiotelephone according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller is operative, responsive to the contact-sensitive transducer to detect a momentary contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and to initiate the action associated with the identified graphical object responsive to detection of the momentary contact. 
     
     
       12. A radiotelephone according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller is operative to initiate the action in response to detection of a plurality of momentary contacts occurring within a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
       13. A radiotelephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer further comprises an elongate contact-sensitive strip disposed at at least one of the first and second side surfaces of the housing. 
     
     
       14. A radiotelephone according to  claim 13 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer further comprises a first contact-sensitive strip mounted at the first side surface and a second contact-sensitive strip mounted at the second side surface. 
     
     
       15. A radiotelephone according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises one of a resistive transducer, a capacitive transducer and a semiconductive transducer. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite edges of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite edges of the front surface to respective opposite edges of the rear surface, the housing configured to be held in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm; 
 a display, supported by the housing, that displays an image at the front surface of the housing; 
 a contact-sensitive transducer, supported by the housing and having a contact-sensitive surface disposed at at least one of the first and second side surfaces on said front surface, which produces an output signal that characterizes moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and 
 a controller, selectively responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display, which is configured to control scroll displayed rows along an axis of the display according to based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user. 
 
     
     
       17. An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the contact-sensitive surface, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, confronts a finger or a thumb of the holding hand. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display an image on the display responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       19. An apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display a graphical object on the display responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       20. An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller is operative to selectively display a row on the display responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       21. An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller is operative to display a plurality of graphical objects on the display, and to identify one of the displayed plurality of graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       22. An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the controller is operative, responsive to the contact-sensitive transducer, to determine a position of contact along the axis of the contact-sensitive transducer, and to selectively display a graphical object based on the determined position of contact to thereby identify the graphical object. 
     
     
       23. An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the controller is operative to highlight one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       24. An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the controller is operative to display a cursor that indicates one of a plurality of displayed graphical objects responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       25. An apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the controller is operative, responsive to the contact-sensitive transducer, to scroll displayed rows along an axis of the display responsive to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       26. An apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the controller is operative, responsive to the output signal of contact-sensitive transducer, to detect moving contact with the contact-sensitive transducer along the axis of the contact-sensitive transducer, and to scroll displayed rows along the axis of the display based on the detected moving contact. 
     
     
       27. An apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer further comprises an elongate contact-sensitive strip disposed at at least one of the first and second side surfaces of the housing. 
     
     
       28. An apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises a first contact-sensitive surface mounted at the first side surface and a second contact-sensitive strip mounted at the second side surface. 
     
     
       29. An apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises one of a resistive transducer, a capacitive transducer and a semiconductive transducer. 
     
     
       30. An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite sides of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite sides of the front surface to respective opposite sides of the rear surface, the housing configured to be held in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm; 
 a display, supported by the housing, that displays an image at a front surface of the housing; 
 a contact-sensitive transducer, supported by the housing, which produces an output signal that characterizes in response to moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and 
 a controller, responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display, which scrolls displayed rows along an axis of the display based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user. 
 
     
     
       31. An apparatus according to  claim 30 , further comprising a radiotelephone communications transceiver supported by the housing, and wherein the controller is operative to control the radiotelephone communications transceiver according to the output signal. 
     
     
       32. An apparatus according to  claim 30 , wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises a contact-sensitive strip disposed at side surface of the housing, the side surface disposed adjacent the front surface and inclined away from the front surface. 
     
     
       33. In an apparatus including a housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite edges of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite edges of the front surface to respective opposite edges of the rear surface, a display that displays an image at the front surface, and a controller that controls the display, a method of providing user input comprising the steps of:
 holding the housing in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm and the display projects away from the user's palm; and 
 providing user input to the controller using a contact-sensitive transducer having a contact-sensitive surface disposed at at least one of the first and second side surfaces said front surface of the housing, the transducer being operable to produce an output signal that characterizes contact with the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and 
 providing user input to the controller to select a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to a user input. 
 
     
     
       34. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the step of providing comprises the step of contacting the contact-sensitive transducer with a thumb or finger of the holding hand while holding the housing in the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm and the display projects away from the user's palm. 
     
     
       35. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the apparatus is a radiotelephone that further includes a radiotelephone communications transceiver, wherein the controller is operative to control the radiotelephone communications transceiver, and wherein the step of providing user input comprises the step of controlling at least one of the radiotelephone communications transceiver and the display according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       36. A method according to  claim 33 , wherein the step of controlling comprises the step of selectively displaying an image or the display according to the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       37. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the surface of the contact-sensitive transducer, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, can be engaged by the thumb of the holding hand. 
     
     
       38. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the surface of the contact-sensitive transducer, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, can be engaged by a finger of or other object held in the other hand of the user than the holding hand. 
     
     
       39. An apparatus according to claim 38, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer is disposed on the front surface of the housing. 
     
     
       40. An apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer is an elongate strip. 
     
     
       41. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises one of a resistive transducer a capacitive transducer and a semiconductive transducer. 
     
     
       42. An apparatus according to claim 30, which also includes additional user input interface devices for the apparatus on the front surface of the housing. 
     
     
       43. An apparatus according to claim 42 wherein the additional interface devices are contact-sensitive. 
     
     
       44. An apparatus according to claim 43, wherein an output signal is produced in response to moving contact with the additional contact-sensitive transducer along the axis of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       45. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the output signal is produced in response to moving contact with the contact-sensitive transducer along the axis of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       46. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the output signal is produced in response to moving contact with the contact-sensitive transducer along the surface of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       47. An apparatus according to claim 30 further comprising:
 a second contact-sensitive transducer, supported by the housing, which produces a second output signal that characterizes contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the second contact-sensitive transducer, and   a controller, responsive to the second output signal for controlling a function of the apparatus.   
     
     
       48. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the second output signal is produced in response to detection of momentary contact with said second contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       49. An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the second output signal is produced in response to detection of a predetermined number of momentary contacts with said second contact-sensitive transducer within a predetermined time interval. 
     
     
       50. An apparatus according to claim 30, wherein said controller scrolls the displayed rows by identifying successive ones of the rows displayed along the axis of said display based on the output signal from said transducer. 
     
     
       51. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein the direction of scroll is transverse to the direction that said rows extend across the display. 
     
     
       52. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said rows consist of alphanumeric characters comprising menu selections. 
     
     
       53. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said controller identifies successive ones of the rows displayed along the axis of said display by highlighting successive said rows. 
     
     
       54. An apparatus according to claim 30 further comprising a power supply disposed inside said housing. 
     
     
       55. An apparatus according to claim 54, wherein said power supply comprises a battery. 
     
     
       56. An apparatus according to claim 55 further comprising a circuit which controls power transfer from the power supply too another circuit based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       57. An apparatus according to claim 30 further comprising a mode of operation wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       58. An apparatus for providing user input to a hand-held electronic device, comprising:
 a housing for containing the electronics for performing the intended user functions of the device, said housing having a front surface, a rear surface and first and second side surfaces adjoining respective opposite sides of the front surface and extending from the respective opposite sides of the front surface to respective opposite sides of the rear surface, the housing configured to be held in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm;   a display located on the front surface of the housing for displaying user-interface information for the electronic device, said information including an image of rows of menu selectable items;   a contact-sensitive transducer, supported by the front surface of the housing, which produces an output signal that characterizes moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and   a controller, responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display, which scrolls displayed rows of said menu selectable items along an axis of the display based upon the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer to enable selection of a particular item by the user to provide input to the electronic device, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to an input from a user.   
     
     
       59. An apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the displayed rows of menu selectable items comprise a plurality of items in a list. 
     
     
       60. An apparatus according to claim 58 further comprising a power supply disposed inside said housing. 
     
     
       61. An apparatus according to claim 60, wherein said power supply comprises a battery. 
     
     
       62. An apparatus according to claim 61 further comprising a circuit which controls power transfer from the power supply to another circuit based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       63. An apparatus according to claim 58 further comprising a mode of operation wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer. 
     
     
       64. An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing having a front surface and a rear surface, the housing configured to be held in a user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm;   a display, supported by the housing, that displays an image at a front surface of the housing;   a contact-sensitive transducer, supported by a front surface of the housing, which produces an output signal that characterizes moving contact of an object along the contact-sensitive surface of the contact-sensitive transducer; and   a controller, responsive to the output signal and operatively associated with the display which scrolls displayed rows along an axis of the display based on the output signal of the contact-sensitive transducer, the controller having a first mode wherein the controller is responsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer and a second mode wherein the controller is unresponsive to contact with the contact-sensitive transducer, the second mode being entered in response to user input.   
     
     
       65. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein the surface of the contact-sensitive transducer, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, can be engaged by the thumb of the holding hand. 
     
     
       66. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein the surface of the contact-sensitive transducer, when the housing is held within the user's hand such that the rear surface confronts the user's palm, can be engaged by a finger of or other object held in the other hand of the user than the holding hand. 
     
     
       67. An apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer is disposed on the front surface of the housing. 
     
     
       68. An apparatus according to claim 67, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer is an elongate strip. 
     
     
       69. An apparatus according to claim 64, wherein the contact-sensitive transducer comprises one of a resistive transducer, a capacitive transducer and a semiconductive transducer.