Electronic display with a virtual bezel

1. A virtual bezel display screen suitable for use as part of an electronic device, said display screen comprising:

a virtual bezel area, said virtual bezel area having a touchscreen layer with a first mode of response to a first set of touch-based inputs from a user of said virtual bezel display screen, said virtual bezel area functioning to display a first portion of content on said virtual bezel display screen;

an active touchscreen region substantially disposed within said virtual bezel area, said active touchscreen region having a touchscreen layer with a second mode of response to said first set of touch-based inputs from the user of said virtual bezel display screen, said active touchscreen region functioning to display a second portion of said content on said virtual bezel display screen; and

a gestural software application in communication with said virtual bezel display screen, said gestural software application functioning to produce said first mode of response in said virtual bezel area, wherein said first mode of response is configured to selectively interpret touch-based inputs as intentional user input intended to affect the display of the second portion of the content on the active touchscreen region.

2. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 1 , wherein said gestural software application functions to produce said second mode of response in said active touchscreen region.

3. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 1 , wherein said virtual bezel area functions to process a second set of touch-based inputs from a user of the electronic device.

4. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 1 , wherein a touch-based input from a second set of touch-based inputs originating in said active touchscreen region and terminating in said virtual bezel area is processed as a touch-based input from said second set of touch-based inputs.

5. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 1 , wherein a touch-based input from a second set of touch-based inputs originating in said virtual bezel area and terminating in said active touchscreen region is processed as a touch-based input from said second set of touch-based inputs.

6. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 5 , wherein said first set of touch-based inputs comprises a first set of multi-touch inputs and said second set of touch-based inputs comprises as second set of multi-touch inputs, wherein a multi-touch input from said first set of multi-touch inputs originating simultaneously in said active touchscreen region and said virtual bezel area is processed as a multi-touch input from said first set of multi-touch based inputs.

7. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 1 , wherein a pre-defined set of touch-based soft buttons reside in said virtual bezel area, and wherein the user can reposition at least said one touch-based soft button from said pre-defined set of touch-based soft buttons within the virtual bezel area.

8. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 7 , wherein the user can toggle at least one touch-based soft button from said pre-defined set of touch-based soft buttons between a visible mode and a hidden mode.

9. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 7 , wherein the user can add one or more said touch-based soft buttons within said virtual bezel area.

10. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 7 , wherein said touchscreen display comprises an electronic device status display panel displaying at least one information item from a set of information items corresponding to a status of the electronic device, and wherein the user can toggle the electronic device status display panel between a visible mode and a hidden mode.

11. The virtual bezel display screen according to claim 10 , wherein said active touchscreen region and said virtual bezel area function to process a third set of touch-based inputs from a user of the electronic device, said third set of touch-based inputs allowing the user to navigate the electronic device when said electronic device status display panel and said pre-defined set of touch-based soft buttons are in a hidden mode.

12. An electronic device comprising:

a handheld interactive electronic device having a virtual bezel display screen, said virtual bezel display screen including:

a virtual bezel area, said virtual bezel area having a touchscreen layer with a first mode of response to touch-based inputs from a user of said virtual bezel display screen, said virtual bezel area functioning to display a first portion of content on said virtual bezel display screen; and

an active touchscreen region substantially disposed within said virtual bezel area, said active touchscreen region having a touchscreen layer with a second mode of response to touch-based inputs from the user of said virtual bezel display screen, said active touchscreen region functioning to display a second portion of said content on said virtual bezel display screen,

wherein said first mode of response is configured to selectively interpret touch-based inputs as intentional user input intended to affect the display of the second portion of the content on the active touchscreen region.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12 further comprising a gestural software application in communication with said virtual bezel display screen, said gestural software application functioning to produce said first mode of response in said virtual bezel area.

14. The electronic device according to claim 12 , wherein said virtual bezel area comprises a designated opening for a speaker; a user-facing camera; or a plurality of sensors.

15. The electronic device according to claim 12 further comprising a secondary display area disposed on a back side of said electronic device.

16. An electronic device according to claim 15 , wherein said active touchscreen region and said virtual bezel area function to process a third set of touch-based inputs from the user of the electronic device, said third set of touch-based inputs allowing the user to navigate the electronic device when the electronic device status display panel and the pre-defined set of touch-based soft buttons are in a hidden mode.

17. A method to define a virtual bezel area of an electronic device with a touchscreen display, said touchscreen display comprising an active touchscreen region, the active touchscreen region functioning to process a first set of touch-based inputs from a user of said electronic device, said virtual bezel area functioning to display a portion of content displayed on active touchscreen region, said method comprising the steps of

detecting an area of the touchscreen display in contact with fingers of the user holding said electronic device;

registering said detected area as said virtual bezel area in a memory of the electronic device,

receiving touch-based user input in said virtual bezel area; and

interpreting the received touch-based user input as intentional user input intended to affect the display of the second potion of the content on the active touchscreen region.