Screen object placement optimized for blind selection

Abstract

An improved handheld electronic device includes an input apparatus, an output apparatus, and a processor apparatus. The input apparatus includes a multi-axis input device such as a rollerball, trackball, joystick or touchpad, allowing the focus of a user interface program to be moved about a display from one screen object presented on that display to another. Up to four screen objects are presented on the display, each of those screen objects being positioned towards a corner of the display to enable a user to blindly operate the multi-axis input device, making use of a capture effect in which the focus of a user interface program is resisted from moving beyond an edge of the display, to guide movement of the focus to a given one of the up to four screen objects.

1 . A handheld electronic device comprising:
 a processor apparatus;   an input apparatus; cooperable with the processor apparatus; and   a display cooperable with the processor apparatus;   the processor apparatus being adapted to, in response to directional input from the input apparatus which moves a focus of the display towards and potentially beyond the corner of the display, resist movement of the focus beyond either of two edges defining a corner of the display and move the focus of the display screen to a first screen object positioned towards the corner of the display.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the input apparatus is comprised of a movable portion that is translatable with respect to a housing of the handheld electronic device to provide an input. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 2  wherein the movable portion is substantially spherical. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the input apparatus is a multi-axis input device. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 2  wherein the input is a selection input to select an object to which the focus has been moved. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the processor apparatus is adapted to provide a visual indication of the focus having been moved to the first screen object. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 6  wherein the visual indication is a highlight applied to the first screen object. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the first screen object corresponds to an application, and wherein a movement of the focus to the first screen object and a selection input with respect to the first screen object causes the application to be executed by the processor. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld electronic device of  claim 1  wherein the first screen object corresponds to a piece of data, and wherein the movement of the focus to the first screen object and a selection input with respect to the first screen object causes the piece of data to be accessed with an application corresponding to a data type of the piece of data. 
     
     
         10 . A method of enabling a selection of a first screen object presented on a display of a handheld electronic device the method comprising:
 presenting the first screen object on a display at a position towards a corner formed by a first edge of the display and a second edge of the display;   detecting an input from an input apparatus;   responsive to said input, moving a focus of the display from a position on said display towards said corner, guiding movement of the focus to the first screen object by resisting movement of the focus beyond said corner; and   awaiting a selection input to select the first screen object.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising detecting a selection input from the input apparatus and selecting the first screen object in response to the selection input. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising associating the first screen object with an application to enable the application to be executed by a processor in response to the first screen object being selected. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising associating the first screen object with a piece of data, to enable access to the piece of data with an application corresponding to a data type of the piece of data. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein detecting an input from an input apparatus comprises detecting an input from a multi-axis input device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising providing a visual indication of the focus having been moved to the first screen object. 
     
     
         16 . One of more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor implement a method of enabling a selection of a first screen object presented on a display of a handheld electronic device the method comprising:
 presenting the first screen object on a display at a position towards a corner formed by a first edge of the display and a second edge of the display;   detecting an input from an input apparatus;   responsive to said input, moving a focus of the display from a position on said display towards said corner, guiding movement of the focus to the first screen object by resisting movement of the focus beyond said corner; and   awaiting a selection input to select the first screen object.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable media of  claim 16 , further comprising detecting a selection input from the input apparatus and selecting the first screen object in response to the selection input. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable media of  claim 16 , further comprising associating the first screen object with an application to enable the application to be executed by a processor in response to the first screen object being selected. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable media of  claim 16 , further comprising associating the first screen object with a piece of data, to enable access to the piece of data with an application corresponding to a data type of the piece of data. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable media of  claim 16  wherein detecting an input from an input apparatus comprises detecting an input from a multi-axis input device.