SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

1 . A method of controlling an electronic device comprising:

detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gesture is contained within one or more specific areas of the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the location of the origin point of the gesture determines an application to receive the command.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the command is associated with only a set of gestures satisfying one or more predetermined criteria.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the back command corresponds to any one or more of: closing a current application of the electronic device, returning to a previous view displayed on the electronic device and cancelling an operation of the electronic device.

10 . A computer readable storage medium for controlling an electronic device, the computer readable storage medium comprising computer executable instructions for:

detecting a gesture on a touch-sensitive input mechanism of the electronic device, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

11 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

12 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

13 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

14 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.

15 . The computer readable storage medium of claim 10 , wherein the gesture is contained within one or more specific areas of the touch-sensitive input mechanism.

16 . An electronic device comprising a processor, a touch-sensitive input mechanism and memory, the memory storing computer executable instructions for:

detecting a gesture on the touch-sensitive input mechanism, the gesture comprising an origin point and an end point; and

executing a command associated with the gesture, the command comprising a back command if the end point is located left of the origin point with respect to an orientation of the electronic device or comprising a forward command if the end point is located right of the origin point with respect to the orientation of the electronic device;

wherein a dedicated non-gesture input mechanism to input the command is absent from the electronic device.

17 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein a program executing the command was developed for a different platform than a platform of the electronic device, the different platform comprising the input mechanism absent from the electronic device.

18 . The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the input mechanism absent from the electronic device comprises any one or more of a physical button and a virtual on screen button.

19 . The electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the gesture comprises a swipe in a substantially diagonal direction with respect to an orientation of the electronic device.

20 . The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the command is executed in association with the gesture if the gesture is within a predetermined range of angles with respect to an axis of the electronic device.