Virtual hard keys on a wireless device
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the claimed invention provide systems and methods whereby the functionality of soft keys on a mobile electronic device may be shifted depending on the orientation of the device. The device detects its orientation and then maps a different function to the appropriate soft keys to ensure that the soft keys retain their functionalities from the end-user's perspective.
1. A mobile electronic device comprising:
a sensor for detecting an orientation of the device;
a display screen defining a fixed plane;
a plurality of keys located around a perimeter of the fixed plane; and
a processor programmed to:
perform a first function responsive to a user selection of a first soft key when the device is in a first orientation, the first soft key in a first position relative to the fixed plane,
receive a communication from the sensor indicating a change in the orientation of the device to a second orientation,
responsive to the change in orientation from the first orientation to the second orientation, rotate the fixed plane in a direction and amount opposite the detected change in orientation and assign the first function to a second soft key in the first position relative to the rotated fixed plane, and
perform the first function responsive to a user selection of the second soft key when the device is in the second orientation.
2. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a gravimetric sensor.
3. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a mercury switch.
4. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a pendulum.
5. The device of claim 2 wherein the gravimetric sensor comprises a ball bearing switch.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further programmed to change the display on the display screen to indicate the change of the first function from the first soft key when the device is in a first orientation to the second soft key when the device is in the second orientation responsive to a detected change in orientation from the first orientation to the second orientation.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first soft key and the second soft key are touch screen keys displayed on the display screen.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first soft key and the second soft key are located adjacent to the display screen in fixed physical positions such that a change in orientation of the mobile device does not affect the fixed physical positions of the first and second soft keys.
10. A mobile electronic device comprising:
a sensor for detecting an orientation of the device;
a display screen defining a fixed plane;
a plurality of keys located around a perimeter of the fixed plane;
means for performing a first functionality in connection with a first soft key when the device is in the first orientation detected by the sensor, the first soft key in a first position relative to the fixed plane;
means for detecting a change in the orientation of the device from the first orientation to the second orientation;
means for rotating the fixed plane in a direction and amount opposite the detected change in orientation and assigning the first functionality to a second soft key in the first position relative to the rotated fixed plane responsive to the change in the orientation of the device from the first orientation to the second orientation; and
means for performing the first functionality in connection with the second soft key when the device is in the second orientation.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises a gravimetric sensor.
12. The device of claim 10 wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope.
13. A method for executing a function of a soft key on a device comprising the steps of:
detecting a first orientation of the device at a first time, the device including a plurality of soft keys located around a perimeter of a fixed plane defined by a display screen of the device;
performing a first function responsive to a user selection of a first soft key when the device is in the first orientation, the first soft key in a first position relative to the fixed plane;
sensing a change in the orientation of the device to a second orientation;
responsive to sensing the change in the orientation from the first orientation to the second orientation, rotating the fixed plane in a direction and amount opposite the detected change in orientation and assigning the first function to a second soft key in the first position relative to the rotated fixed plane; and
performing the first function responsive to a user selection of the second soft key when the device is in the second orientation.
14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of polling sensors in the device to determine the device's orientation after the first orientation is detected.
15. The method of claim 13 further comprising sending an interrupt to a processor within the device immediately after a change in the orientation of the device is sensed.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the device's orientation is detected using a gravimetric sensor.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein the device's orientation is detected using a gyroscope.
18. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
responsive to sensing a change in the orientation of the device to a second orientation, changing the display screen to indicate the change of the first function from the first soft key when the device is in a first orientation to the second soft key when the device is in the second orientation.
19. A method for providing soft key functionality for a device, the method comprising:
associating a functionality to each of a plurality of soft keys, the soft keys located around a perimeter of a fixed plane defined by a display screen of the device, wherein each functionality is associated with a position around the fixed plane;
responsive to user selections of one or more of the plurality of soft keys, performing the functionalities assigned to the selected soft keys;
detecting a change in orientation of the device with respect to the fixed plane from a first orientation to a second orientation;
responsive to the detected change in orientation, rotating the fixed plane in a direction and amount opposite the detected change in orientation and reassigning the functionalities of the soft keys so that the functionality assigned to a soft key located at a particular position relative to the fixed plane when the device is in the first orientation is reassigned to a soft key located at a similar position relative to the rotated fixed plane after the change in orientation from the first orientation to the second orientation; and
responsive to user selections of one or more of the plurality of soft keys after the reassigning, performing the functionalities reassigned to the selected soft keys.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the orientation is detected using a gravimetric sensor.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein the orientation is detected using a gyroscope.
22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
before detecting the change in the orientation of the device, displaying on the display screen an indication of the functionalities associated with the soft keys; and
after reassigning the functionalities of the soft keys, displaying on the display screen an indication of the functionalities reassigned to the soft keys.