US20080096612A1 - Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof - Google Patents
Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20080096612A1 US20080096612A1 US11/963,281 US96328107A US2008096612A1 US 20080096612 A1 US20080096612 A1 US 20080096612A1 US 96328107 A US96328107 A US 96328107A US 2008096612 A1 US2008096612 A1 US 2008096612A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- thumbwheel
- detection
- mobile electronic
- electronic device
- depressible input
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
- G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
- G06F3/0362—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
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- G—PHYSICS
- G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
- G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
- G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
- G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
- G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
- G06F3/033—Pointing devices displaced or positioned by the user, e.g. mice, trackballs, pens or joysticks; Accessories therefor
- G06F3/038—Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01H—ELECTRIC SWITCHES; RELAYS; SELECTORS; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES
- H01H19/00—Switches operated by an operating part which is rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof and which is acted upon directly by a solid body external to the switch, e.g. by a hand
- H01H19/001—Thumb wheel switches
- H01H19/003—Thumb wheel switches having a pushbutton actuator
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to mobile electronic devices having a thumbwheel for input.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 of FIG. 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 of FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 7 is a side view of the exemplary mobile electronic device of FIG. 6 ;
- FIG. 8 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device of FIG. 5 .
- FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary mobile electronic device 100 , in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
- Device 100 may be a personal data assistant (PDA), a personal information manager (PIM), a two-way pager, a cellphone, a handheld terminal, and the like.
- PDA personal data assistant
- PIM personal information manager
- device 100 may be a two-way communication device with data communication capabilities having the capability to communicate with other computer systems.
- device 100 may also include the capability for voice communications.
- Device 100 includes a microprocessor 104 that controls the overall operation of device 100 , a persistent store 106 , a volatile store 108 , thumbwheel control logic circuitry 110 , a power supply and management subsystem 112 , a display screen 114 , and a thumbwheel subassembly 116 coupled to thumbwheel control logic circuitry 110 .
- Device 100 may optionally comprise a keyboard 120 .
- Device 100 may comprise additional components (such as for example, a communications subsystem, a speaker, a microphone, etc.) that are not shown in FIG. 1 so as not to obscure the description of embodiments of the invention.
- a non-exhaustive list of examples for display screen 114 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and a thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCD screen.
- LCD liquid crystal display
- TFT thin-film-transistor
- Operating system software used by microprocessor 104 is typically stored in persistent store 106 , 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.
- ROM read-only memory
- PROM programmable ROM
- EPROM electrically programmable read-only memory
- EEPROM electrically erasable and programmable read only memory
- NVRAM non-volatile random access memory
- Microprocessor 104 in addition to its operating system functions, enables execution of software applications on device 100 .
- RAM random access memory
- SRAM static random access memory
- DRAM dynamic random access memory
- SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
- RDRAM RAMBUS dynamic random access memory
- DDR double data rate memory
- Thumbwheel subassembly 116 may include a thumbwheel 118 and a switch 119 . Thumbwheel subassembly 116 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 exemplary mobile device 100 , in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
- display screen 114 is flat.
- Device 100 is shown in FIG. 2 in the ordinary operating/viewing position in which it would be held by and between the user's hands at the left and right side edges 202 and 204 of device 100 .
- FIG. 3 is a side view of device 100 .
- the housing 206 of device 100 has an opening 208 on the right side edge 204 .
- Thumbwheel 118 protrudes through opening 208 , which may be, for example, slot-shaped.
- Thumbwheel 118 may be in a “horizontal orientation”, i.e. the circular opposite sides of thumbwheel 118 are in planes that are substantially parallel to the plane of a flat display screen 114 .
- the thumbwheel may be inclined at an angle from the horizontal orientation, as shown in FIGS. 9-13 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,489,950.
- thumbwheel 118 When device 100 is held as shown in FIG. 2 , a user may interface with thumbwheel 118 using a thumb or index finger, for example. Thumbwheel 118 has an axis of rotation 215 .
- the direction of a rotation upward (towards a top edge 209 of device 100 ) is shown in FIG. 2 as a dotted curved arrow 210 .
- the direction of a rotation downward (towards a bottom edge 211 of device 100 ) is shown in FIG. 2 as a dotted curved arrow 212 .
- thumbwheel 118 The direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 is shown in FIG. 2 as a dotted arrow 214 . (If thumbwheel 118 is inclined at an angle from the horizontal orientation, then dotted arrow 214 is the projection of the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane of flat display screen 114 .)
- Dotted arrow 214 is directed from a first point on right side edge 204 to a second point on left side edge 202 directly across from the first point.
- thumbwheel 118 Since pushing thumbwheel 118 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 in FIG. 2 as arrow 216 . In such cases, both rotation of thumbwheel 118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to push thumbwheel 118 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 from thumbwheel subassembly 116 . 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 -).
- FIG. 5 is a front view of a device 500 , in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
- Device 500 is similar to device 100 and therefore the same reference numerals are used for components and features that are the same or similar.
- dotted arrow 214 showing the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 in device 100
- arrow 216 showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger on thumbwheel 118
- Thumbwheel subassembly 116 is oriented in device 500 so that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 , shown as a dotted arrow 514 , is at an angle B from dotted arrow 214 .
- Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 (arrow 514 ) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow 216 ).
- 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 of FIG. 2 , generally referenced 600 .
- FIG. 7 is a side view of the exemplary mobile electronic device 600 of FIG. 6 .
- housing 206 may have an opening 608 on the left side through which thumbwheel 118 protrudes.
- the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 , or its projection onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane of flat display screen 114 is from left side edge 202 to right side edge 204 . It is shown in FIG. 6 as a dotted arrow 614 .
- thumbwheel 118 Since pushing thumbwheel 118 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 in FIG. 6 as arrow 616 . In such cases, both rotation of thumbwheel 118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to push thumbwheel 118 to select a particular item from a list, the next item down in the list may be selected instead inadvertently.
- FIG. 8 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device of FIG. 5 , generally referenced 800 .
- Dotted arrow 614 showing the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 in device 600
- arrow 616 showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger on thumbwheel 118
- Thumbwheel subassembly 116 is oriented in device 800 so that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 , shown as a dotted arrow 814 , is at an angle B from dotted arrow 614 .
- Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 (arrow 814 ) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow 616 ).
- 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.
Abstract
Description
- 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.
- The present invention relates generally to mobile electronic devices having a thumbwheel for input.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 device 100, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.Device 100 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,device 100 may be a two-way communication device with data communication capabilities having the capability to communicate with other computer systems. In some embodiments,device 100 may also include the capability for voice communications. -
Device 100 includes amicroprocessor 104 that controls the overall operation ofdevice 100, apersistent store 106, avolatile store 108, thumbwheelcontrol logic circuitry 110, a power supply andmanagement subsystem 112, adisplay screen 114, and athumbwheel subassembly 116 coupled to thumbwheelcontrol logic circuitry 110.Device 100 may optionally comprise akeyboard 120.Device 100 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 for
display screen 114 includes a liquid crystal display (LCD) screen and a thin-film-transistor (TFT) LCD screen. - Operating system software used by
microprocessor 104 is typically stored inpersistent store 106, 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.Microprocessor 104, in addition to its operating system functions, enables execution of software applications ondevice 100. The operating system, specific device applications, or parts thereof, may be temporarily loaded intovolatile store 108, 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. - Thumbwheel
subassembly 116 may include athumbwheel 118 and aswitch 119.Thumbwheel subassembly 116 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 device 100, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. In the example shown inFIG. 2 ,display screen 114 is flat.Device 100 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 edges device 100.FIG. 3 is a side view ofdevice 100. - The
housing 206 ofdevice 100 has an opening 208 on theright side edge 204. Thumbwheel 118 protrudes through opening 208, which may be, for example, slot-shaped.Thumbwheel 118 may be in a “horizontal orientation”, i.e. the circular opposite sides ofthumbwheel 118 are in planes that are substantially parallel to the plane of aflat display screen 114. 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. - When
device 100 is held as shown inFIG. 2 , a user may interface withthumbwheel 118 using a thumb or index finger, for example.Thumbwheel 118 has an axis ofrotation 215. The direction of a rotation upward (towards atop edge 209 of device 100) is shown inFIG. 2 as a dottedcurved arrow 210. The direction of a rotation downward (towards abottom edge 211 of device 100) is shown inFIG. 2 as a dottedcurved arrow 212. - The direction of depressible input movement of
thumbwheel 118 is shown inFIG. 2 as adotted arrow 214. (Ifthumbwheel 118 is inclined at an angle from the horizontal orientation, then dottedarrow 214 is the projection of the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118 onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane offlat display screen 114.) - Dotted
arrow 214 is directed from a first point onright side edge 204 to a second point onleft side edge 202 directly across from the first point. - Since pushing
thumbwheel 118 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 asarrow 216. In such cases, both rotation ofthumbwheel 118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to pushthumbwheel 118 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 subassembly 116. 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 of
FIG. 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 adevice 500, in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.Device 500 is similar todevice 100 and therefore the same reference numerals are used for components and features that are the same or similar. In particular, dottedarrow 214, showing the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118 indevice 100, andarrow 216, showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger onthumbwheel 118, are repeated inFIG. 5 .Thumbwheel subassembly 116 is oriented indevice 500 so that the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118, shown as adotted arrow 514, is at an angle B fromdotted arrow 214. Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 (arrow 514) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow 216). 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 referenced 600.FIG. 7 is a side view of the exemplary mobileelectronic device 600 ofFIG. 6 . Indevice 600,housing 206 may have anopening 608 on the left side through which thumbwheel 118 protrudes. The direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118, or its projection onto a plane substantially parallel to the plane offlat display screen 114, is fromleft side edge 202 toright side edge 204. It is shown inFIG. 6 as adotted arrow 614. - Since pushing
thumbwheel 118 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 asarrow 616. In such cases, both rotation ofthumbwheel 118 downwards and the depressible input movement may be detected. Consequently, if the user intended to pushthumbwheel 118 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 to
FIG. 4 is equally applicable todevice 100 and todevice 600. -
FIG. 8 is a front view of a left-handed version of the exemplary mobile electronic device ofFIG. 5 , generally referenced 800. Dottedarrow 614, showing the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118 indevice 600, andarrow 616, showing the direction of the push by a user's thumb or finger onthumbwheel 118, are repeated inFIG. 8 .Thumbwheel subassembly 116 is oriented indevice 800 so that the direction of depressible input movement ofthumbwheel 118, shown as adotted arrow 814, is at an angle B fromdotted arrow 614. Angle B is such that the direction of depressible input movement of thumbwheel 118 (arrow 814) is substantially aligned with the direction of the push (arrow 616). 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)
Priority Applications (1)
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US11/963,281 US20080096612A1 (en) | 2004-03-02 | 2007-12-21 | Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof |
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US10/790,202 US7333084B2 (en) | 2004-03-02 | 2004-03-02 | Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof |
US11/963,281 US20080096612A1 (en) | 2004-03-02 | 2007-12-21 | Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof |
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US10/790,202 Continuation US7333084B2 (en) | 2004-03-02 | 2004-03-02 | Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof |
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US20080096612A1 true US20080096612A1 (en) | 2008-04-24 |
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US11/963,281 Abandoned US20080096612A1 (en) | 2004-03-02 | 2007-12-21 | Thumbwheel and switch for a mobile electronic device and methods thereof |
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
US7333084B2 (en) | 2008-02-19 |
US20050195153A1 (en) | 2005-09-08 |
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