Apparatus, method, computer program and user interface for enabling a touch sensitive display
View Patent ↗An apparatus including a touch sensitive display including a first portion and a second portion; and a processor configured to detect user inputs on the touch sensitive display and control the touch sensitive display, wherein; the processor is configured to control the touch sensitive display, to enable a first state, in which the first portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a first set of functions and the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a second set of functions, and to enable, in response to the detection of a first user input when the touch sensitive display is in the first state, a second state in which the second portion of the touch sensitive display is not operable to enable access to any one of the second set of functions and the first portion is operable to enable access to a set of functions.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a processor connected with a memory that stores computer program instructions; and
a touch sensitive display comprising a first portion and a second portion;
the processor configured with the memory to execute the computer program instructions to detect user inputs on the touch sensitive display and control the touch sensitive display, the processor controlling the touch sensitive display in part by displaying in the first portion indications corresponding to individual functions of a first set of user-selectable functions and displaying in the second portion indications corresponding to individual functions of a second set of user-selectable functions, wherein
the processor is configured to control the touch sensitive display, to enable a first state, in which the first portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to the first set of user selectable functions and the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to the second set of user-selectable functions, and to enable, in response to the detection of a first user input when the touch sensitive display is in the first state, a second state in which a sub-portion of the second portion of the touch sensitive display is not operable to enable access to any one of the second set of user-selectable functions located within the sub-portion and the first portion is operable to enable access to the first set of user-selectable functions, where
the processor is further configured, when enabling the second state of the touch sensitive display, to continue to display in the second portion of the touch sensitive display the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions, where the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are displayed in a predetermined manner that informs a user that the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are locked from use by the user, wherein
the first user input comprises a trace from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display and
a size of the sub-portion is based on the first position and the second position.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state the processor is configured to control the touch sensitive display, in response to a second user input, to enter a state in which the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to the second set of user-selectable functions.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the trace of the first user input from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display is in a first direction and the second user input comprises a trace in a second direction different to the first direction.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second user input comprises one of a fingerprint input or a pin number.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 where the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions are displayed in the predetermined manner by dimming a backlight of the second portion of the touch sensitive display.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state the second portion is operable to enable a user to make a second user input.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state the second portion is not operable to enable any user inputs.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein if the size of the sub-portion of the second portion is such that user-selectable functions of the first set of user selectable functions are located within the sub-portion, said processor automatically re-locates the user-selectable functions of the first set of user selectable functions so as to be located outside of the sub-portion.
9. A method comprising:
enabling a touch sensitive display in a first state in which a first portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a first set of user-selectable functions and a second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a second set of user selectable functions, where enabling the touch sensitive display comprises controlling the touch sensitive display in part by displaying in the first portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the first set of user-selectable functions and displaying in the second portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions;
detecting a first user input;
enabling the touch sensitive display, in response to the detection of the first user input, in a second state in which in a sub-portion of the second portion of the touch sensitive display is not operable to enable access to any one of the second set of user-selectable functions located within the sub-portion and the first portion is operable to enable access to the first set of user-selectable functions, where
enabling the touch sensitive display in the second state comprises continuing to display in the second portion of the touch sensitive display the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions, where the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are displayed in a predetermined manner that informs a user that the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are locked from use by the user, wherein
the first user input comprises a trace from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display and
a size of the sub-portion is based on the first position and the second position.
10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state further comprising controlling, in response to a second user input, the touch sensitive display to enter a state in which the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to the second set of user-selectable functions.
11. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the trace of the user input from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display is in a first direction and a second user input comprises a trace in a second direction different to the first direction.
12. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein the second user input comprises one of a fingerprint input or a pin number.
13. A method as claimed in claim 9 where the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions are displayed in the predetermined manner by dimming a backlight of the second portion of the touch sensitive display.
14. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state the second portion is operable to enable a user to make a second user input.
15. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the second state the second portion is not operable to enable any user inputs.
16. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein if the size of the sub-portion of the second portion is such that user-selectable functions of the first set of user selectable functions are located within the sub-portion, said processor automatically re-locates the user-selectable functions of the first set of user selectable functions so as to be located outside of the sub-portion.
17. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores a computer program comprising program instructions for controlling an apparatus, the apparatus comprising, a touch sensitive display comprising a first portion and a second portion, the program instructions providing, when loaded into a processor:
first instructions to operate a touch sensitive display in a first state in which the first portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a first set of user-selectable functions and the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a second set of user-selectable functions, where operating the touch sensitive display in the first state comprises controlling the touch sensitive display in part by displaying in the first portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the first set of user-selectable functions and displaying in the second portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions;
second instructions to detect a first user input; and
third instructions to operate the touch sensitive display, in response to the detection of the first user input, in a second state in which a sub-portion of the second portion of the touch sensitive display is not operable to enable access to any one of the second set of user-selectable functions located within the sub-portion and the first portion is operable to enable access to the first set of user-selectable functions, where
operating the touch sensitive display in the second state comprises continuing to display in the second portion of the touch sensitive display the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions, where the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are displayed in a predetermined manner that informs a user that the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are locked from use by the user, wherein
the first user input comprises a trace from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display and
a size of the sub-portion is based on the first position and the second position.
18. A method as claimed in claim 9 , where the steps of the method are performed in response to execution of computer program instructions by a data processor, where the computer program instructions are stored in a non-transitory storage medium that is readable by the data processor, and where the data processor and the non-transitory storage medium comprise a part of an electronic apparatus that also comprises the touch sensitive display.
19. A user interface comprising:
a touch sensitive display comprising a first portion and a second portion, the touch sensitive display having a first state, in which the first portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a first set of user-selectable functions and the second portion of the touch sensitive display is operable to enable access to a second set of user-selectable functions, and a second state in which a sub-portion of the second portion of the touch sensitive display is not operable to enable access to any one of the second set of user-selectable functions located within the sub-portion and the first portion is operable to enable access to the first set of user-selectable functions, where when in the first state the touch sensitive display displays in the first portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the first set of user-selectable functions and displays in the second portion indications corresponding to individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions;
wherein when the touch sensitive display is in the first state the touch sensitive display is operable to receive a first user input such that in response to the detection of the first user input the touch sensitive display enters the second state, where
when in the second state the touch sensitive display continues to display in the second portion of the touch sensitive display the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions, where the indications corresponding to the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are displayed in a predetermined manner that informs a user that the individual functions of the second set of user-selectable functions that are located within the sub-portion are locked from use by the user, where
the first user input comprises a trace from a first position on the touch sensitive display to a second position on the touch sensitive display and
a size of the sub-portion is based on the first position and the second position.