Multipurpose Navigation Keys For An Electronic Device

Abstract

A method and apparatus for multipurpose navigation in a portable electronic device are described. According to an exemplary embodiment, a portable electronic imaging device is described including a display screen for displaying objects including at least one of digital still images, video clips, menu items, and icons. The device also includes a navigation controller comprising navigation keys for allowing a user to navigate between the displayed objects by pressing a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, wherein the device is configured to allow the user to select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from the portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, thereby implementing navigation and select functions on a single portion of the controller.

1 . A portable electronic imaging device, comprising: 
 a display screen for displaying objects including at least one of digital still images, video clips, menu items, and icons; and    a navigation controller comprising navigation keys for allowing a user to navigate between the displayed objects by pressing a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, wherein the device is configured to allow the user to select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from the portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, thereby implementing navigation and select functions on a single portion of the controller.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect a double-press on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key and is configured to interpret the double-press as a user selection event that invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect that a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a current key has been pressed, and is configured to interpret the current key press as a navigation event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is greater than a predetermined double-press time.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein the device is configured to interpret the current key press as a selection event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than the predetermined double-press time.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect that a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a current key has been pressed, and is configured to interpret the current key press as a fast-scrolling event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than a predetermined double-press time and a last predetermined plurality of presses of the navigation controller correspond to a same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 5  wherein the device is configured to interpret the current key press as a selection event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than a predetermined double-press time and the last predetermined plurality of presses of the navigation controller does not correspond to the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect a press-and-hold on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, and is configured to interpret the press-and hold as a user selection event that invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the device is configured to detect the press-and-hold when the current key is pressed, but not released, for a time greater than a release time.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect both double-presses and press-and-holds on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, and a detected double-press indicates a user selection of a current object, while a detected press-and-hold invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device is configured to detect both double-presses and press-and-holds on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, and a detected press-and-hold indicates a user selection of a current object, while the detected double-presses invokes the action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 1  wherein the device comprises at least one of a digital camera, camera-enabled cell phone, MP3 player, and a personal digital assistant.  
   
   
       12 . A portable electronic imaging device, comprising: 
 a display screen for displaying objects including at least one of digital still images, video clips, menu items, and icons; and    a navigation controller comprising navigation keys for allowing a user to navigate between the displayed objects by pressing a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, wherein the device is configured to detect at least one of a press-and-hold and a double-press of the portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the navigation key, thereby allowing the user to select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from the portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects.    
   
   
       13 . A method for providing a portable electronic imaging device with a multipurpose navigation controller, comprising: 
 displaying objects on a display screen, the objects including at least one of digital still images, video clips, menu items, and icons; and    providing the device with a navigation controller comprising navigation keys for allowing a user to navigate between the displayed objects by pressing a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, wherein the device is configured to allow the user to select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from the portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the navigation key last pressed to navigate between the displayed objects, thereby implementing navigation and select functions on a single portion of the controller.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect a double-press on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key and to interpret the double-press as a user selection event that invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect that a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a current key has been pressed, and to interpret the current key press as a navigation event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is greater than a predetermined double-press time.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15  comprising configuring the device to interpret the current key press as a selection event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than the predetermined double-press time.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect that a portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a current key has been pressed, and to interpret the current key press as a fast-scrolling event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than a predetermined double-press time and a last predetermined plurality of presses of the navigation controller correspond to a same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17  comprising configuring the device to interpret the current key press as a selection event if the time between previous presses of the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key and the current key press is less than a predetermined double-press time and the last predetermined plurality of presses of the navigation controller does not correspond to the same portion of the navigation controller corresponding to the current key.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect a press-and-hold on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, and to interpret the press-and hold as a user selection event that invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising configuring the device to detect the press-and-hold when the current key is pressed, but not released, for a time greater than a release time.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect both double-presses and press-and-holds on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, wherein a detected double-press indicates a user selection, while a detected press-and-hold invokes an action on the currently selected object.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 13  comprising configuring the device to detect both double-presses and press-and-holds on any portion of the navigation controller corresponding to a navigation key, wherein a detected press-and-hold indicates a user selection, while the detected double-presses invokes the action on the currently selected object.