PATENT ABSTRACT
Apparatus for touch scrolling, the apparatus comprising a scrolling activator for scrolling activation by a finger of a user, the scrolling activator comprising a first end zone adjacent a first end of the scrolling activator for fast scrolling in a first scrolling direction, a second end zone adjacent a second end of the scrolling activator for fast scrolling in a second scrolling direction, and a normal zone for normal scrolling.

PATENT DESCRIPTION
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a method and apparatus for touch scrolling and refers particularly, though not exclusively, to such a method and apparatus for use in a portable device.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Portable devices such as, for example, mobile/cellular telephones, personal digital assistants, media players, audio players, MP3 players, multi-media players, video players, DVD players, CD players and VCD players, often have a scrolling function for a track and/or menu control and selection. The scrolling function is normally activated by us of one of: two buttons, one for scroll up and one for scroll down; a circular scroller by either mechanical or captive operation; a top-mounted hand-roller; a side-mounted roller; or a side-mounted circular roller.  
         [0003]     These all provide the basic requirements to a user for the scroll functions, and may include a select/enter function. Some are counter-intuitive as the user needs to move the scrolling activator clockwise or anti-clockwise for up or down rather than an up movement for scrolling up, and or down movement for scrolling down. An example of such an activator is the circular scroller.  
         [0004]     A naturally intuitive scrolling activator would be of advantage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with a first preferred aspect there is provided apparatus for touch scrolling. The apparatus comprises a scrolling activator for scrolling activation by a finger of a user. The scrolling activator comprises a first end zone adjacent a first end of the scrolling activator for fast scrolling in a first scrolling direction, a second end zone adjacent a second end of the scrolling activator for fast scrolling in a second scrolling direction, and a normal zone for normal scrolling.  
         [0006]     According to a second aspect there is provided a portable device comprising a casing having at least one wall; a display for displaying a plurality of items for selection; and a scrolling activator for scrolling the plurality of items and being for selection of at least one of the plurality of items. The scrolling activator comprises a first end zone adjacent a first end of the scrolling activator for fast scrolling in a first direction, a second end zone adjacent a second end of the scrolling activator for scrolling in a second direction, and a normal zone for normal scrolling.  
         [0007]     The normal zone may be between the first zone and the second zone. The scrolling activator may be elongate and may be for linear scrolling activation.  
         [0008]     According to a third aspect there is provided a portable device comprising a casing having at least one wall, a display for displaying a plurality of items for selection; and a scrolling activator for scrolling the plurality of items and selection of at least one of the plurality of items. The scrolling activator comprises a normal zone for normal scrolling, the scrolling activator being elongate and being for linear scrolling activation.  
         [0009]     There may be a perimeter side wall extending around a periphery of the scrolling activator for providing a defined boundary able to be felt by the finger. The scrolling activator may comprise a portion of reduced thickness in a wall of the apparatus. Alternatively, the wall may be of uniform thickness and has re-enforcing except at the scrolling activator.  
         [0010]     There may be sensors mounted beneath the scrolling activator, and an enter button mounted within the scrolling activator.  
         [0011]     The apparatus may be a portion of a portable device. The portable device may be at least one of: mobile telephone, cellular telephone, personal digital assistant, media player, multi-media player, audio player, MP3 player, video player, DVD player, CD player and VCD player.  
         [0012]     The normal zone may include at least one of: motion accelerated scrolling, a press and hold function, and a tap function. The press and hold function may be activated after a predetermined minimum time of at least 0.5 seconds. Activation of the fast scrolling in the first and second directions may be after a predetermined time delay. The time delay may be in the range 0.1 to 1.5 seconds, preferably 0.3 to 0.8 seconds.  
         [0013]     According to a fourth aspect there is provided a method for activating scrolling a plurality of items displayed on a display. The method comprises determining if a finger of a user has contacted a scrolling activator in at least one of three zones. If the finger is in a fast up scroll zone of the three zones, fast up scroll is activated after a first predetermined time delay during which the finger remains in contact with the fast up scroll zone. If the finger is in a fast down scroll zone of the three zones a fast down scroll is activated after a second predetermined time delay during which the finger remains in contact with the fast down control zone. If the finger is in a normal zone of the three zones, a direction of movement of the finger is determined and scrolling takes place in that direction.  
         [0014]     A speed of movement of the finger may also be determined, and scrolling may be a scrolling speed proportional to the finger speed. The scrolling activator may be elongate and finger movement in the normal zone may be linear. The first time delay and the second time delay may be the same. The first and second time delays may be in the range 0.1 to 1.5 seconds, preferably 0.3 to 0.8 seconds. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     In order that the present invention may be fully understood and readily put into practical effect, there shall now be described by way of non-limitative example only preferred embodiments of the present invention, the description being with reference to the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a portable device in accordance with a first embodiment;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a second embodiment of the scroll activator shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3 ( a ) is a vertical cross-sectional view along the lines and in the direction of arrows  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3 ( b ) is an alternative vertical cross-sectional view along the lines and in the direction of arrows  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4 ( a ) is a block diagram of part of the electronic structure of the device of FIGS.  1  to  3 ;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4 ( b ) is a block diagram of part of an alternative electronic structure of the device of FIGS.  1  to  3 ;  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart for a fast scrolling function;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart for a normal scrolling function.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]     To refer to  FIG. 1  there is shown a mobile device  10 . The mobile device  10  may be one or more of: mobile telephone, a cellular telephone, a personal digital assistant, media player, audio player, MP3 player, multi-media player, video player, DVD player, CD player, and VCD player. The device  10  therefore contains all the necessary functionality and apparatus for such players. All players may also have a recording function.  
         [0025]     The mobile device  10  as illustrated is an audio and MP3 player and has a casing  12  with a main wall  14 , a display  16  mounted in the main wall  14 , and control buttons  18  each of pre-set functionality also in the main wall  14 , but at outer-edges  20  thereof.  
         [0026]     Forming part of main wall  14  intermediate the two sets of control buttons  18  is a scrolling activator  22 . The scrolling activator  22  is elongate and extends longitudinally of wall  14 . It is located below display  16  so that when a user is operating scrolling activator  22  such use should not interrupt a view of display  16 .  
         [0027]     Although scrolling activator  22  is illustrated as being parallel to the longitudinal axis of device  10 , it may be at any angle relative to the longitudinal axis of device  10 .  
         [0028]     A select or enter button  24  may be located within the boundaries of scrolling activator  22 , if required or desired, but may not form part of the scrolling activator  22 . The select button  24  may be located at any desired position along and across activator  22  such as, for example, at a top end  32 , as illustrated. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the button  24  may be deleted. The select button  24  may also be located elsewhere in wall  14 . The select or enter button  24  is to select a highlighted item in a list of items on display  16 .  
         [0029]     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the scrolling activator  22  may have a number of zones. The upper zone  26  is at or adjacent the top of the scrolling activator  22 . If button  24  is provided at the top of scrolling activator  22 , zone  26  is below button  24 . Upper zone  26  is a fast “up” scroll area so that contact of a user&#39;s finger, other digit or other part of a human body (“finger”) on or within zone  26  will cause a fast “up” scrolling. Similarly, lower zone  28  is at or adjacent the button of the scrolling activator. If button  24  is provided at the bottom of scrolling activator  22 , zone  28  is above the button  24 . Lower zone  28  is a fast “down” scroll area so that contact of a user&#39;s finger on or within zone  28  will cause a fast “down” scrolling. The fast up and down scrolling speeds are pre-set and are the normal maximum, reliable scrolling speed of display  16 . They are preferably such that an operator can view the scrolling list on display  16 , and the normal maximum scrolling speed provides rapid movement through a list of items while allowing the operator some perception of the present location within the list of the items to permit the operator to stop at or in the vicinity of a desired location. However, the scrolling speeds may be user selected from a number of predetermined fast scrolling speeds.  
         [0030]     Between zones  26 ,  28  is the normal zone  30 . Within normal zone  30 , contact of a finger with a linear movement of the finger up or down along and relative to the normal zone  30  will activate the scrolling function up or down in accordance with the direction of finger movement. The movement of the finger is generally along the longitudinal axis of scrolling activator  22 . Linear motion of the finger is also generally in a straight line and does not include a clearly curved motion, nor accurate or circular.  
         [0031]     As is shown in  FIG. 3 ( a ), the scrolling activator  22  is recessed into main wall  14  to provide perimeter walls  32  around the periphery of scrolling activator  22 . Perimeter walls  32  provide a user with a defined boundary to the scrolling activator  22  that can easily be felt with a finger. In this way a user has a clearly defined area in which to operate, the area being able to be determined even in total darkness, or to the visually disabled. The recessed portion  34  is preferably of reduced wall thickness to enable sensors  36  located beneath portion  34  to be able to operate. The sensors  36  may be any appropriate sensors such as, for example, SYNPATICS® SCROLLSTRIP® sensors available from Synpatics Incorporated of San Jose, Calif., USA.  
         [0032]      FIG. 3 ( b ) shows an alternative. Here, the wall  14  is of constant thickness even at recessed portion  34  of scrolling activator  22 , but for the portions of wall  14  other than at scrolling activator  22 , re-enforcing such as by ribs  38  may be provided to give wall  14  the necessary strength. Alternatively, integral re-enforcing may be used.  
         [0033]     The end zones  26 ,  28  may be delineated from normal zone  30  by graphic indicators such as, for example, a line, different colours, or the like; and/or a physical delineation such as, for example, an indentation, raised edge, being physically separate, and so forth.  
         [0034]      FIG. 4 ( a ) shows a part of the electronic structure of device  10 . The sensors  36  output to a microprocessor or digital signal processor  40 . Microprocessor or digital signal processor  40  coordinates the operation of the scroll strip on display  16 , and display  16 . The microprocessor or digital processor  40  also determines the speed of scrolling required in response to the speed of finger movement in normal zone  30 . The microprocessor or digital signal processor  40  also controls many other functional elements of device  10  in a known manner such as, for example, memory (e.g. RAM and/or disk drive and/or flash memory)  42 , controls  44 , CODEC  46 , digital-to-analog converter, and so forth.  
         [0035]      FIG. 4 ( b ) shows a variation where there is a microprocessor  39  and a digital processor. The DSP  41  controls display  16 . Microprocessor  39  may be used to control power management, lighting, and others.  
         [0036]     The process flow for the end zones  26 ,  28  is shown in  FIG. 5 . Upon the device  10  being switched on ( 401 ), the sensors  34  awaits the detection of a finger ( 402 ). If a finger is not detected ( 403 ) the sensors  34  cycle until a finger is detected ( 404 ). The next step is to determine ( 405 ) if it is the upper zone  26  or lower zone  28 . If lower zone ( 406 ), after a time delay ( 407 ) a query is raised to determine if the finger is still present ( 408 ). If yes ( 409 ) the fast down scroll is activated ( 410 ). A query is then raised to determine if the end is reached ( 411 ) and if not ( 412 ), a further query is raised to determine if a finger is still present ( 430 ). If yes ( 431 ) scrolling continues ( 413 ). If not ( 432 ) scrolling ceases ( 415 ). If the end is reached ( 414 ), fast down scrolling stops ( 415 ). If at  408  the result is no ( 416 ), the process reverts back to before ( 402 ).  
         [0037]     If at query  405  the result is that the finger is at the upper zone ( 417 ), after the same time delay ( 418 ) the same query is raised to determine the finger is still present ( 419 ). If yes ( 420 ) the fast up scroll is activated ( 421 ). A query is raised ( 422 ), to determine if the end is reached. If not ( 423 ), a further query is raised to determine if a finger is still present ( 427 ). If yes ( 428 ) scrolling continues ( 424 ). If not ( 429 ) scrolling ceases ( 426 ). If the end is reached ( 425 ), scrolling stops ( 426 ). If at  419  the result is no ( 427 ), the process reverts back to before  402 .  
         [0038]     The time delays ( 407 ,  415 ) may be introduced for the fast scrolling functions ( 410 ,  421 ) so that if a user accidentally and briefly contacts either zone  26 ,  28 , the fast scrolling function ( 410 ,  421 ) will not be accidentally activated. The time  407 ,  418  delay may be preset, may be user set, or may be user selected from a pre-set list of possible delay times. Preferably, the time delay is in the range of 0.1 to 1.5 seconds, more preferably 0.3 to 0.8 seconds.  
         [0039]     The process flow in the normal zone  30  is shown in  FIG. 6 . After the device  10  is switched on ( 501 ) the sensors  34  await the detection of a finger ( 502 ). If a finger is not detected ( 503 ) the sensors  34  cycle until a finger is detected at ( 505 ). The sensors  34  determine if the motion of the finger is up or down ( 505 ). If down ( 506 ) the sensors  34  determine the speed of motion ( 507 ) and activate ( 508 ) the down scroll function at a speed proportional to the speed of movement of the finger.  
         [0040]     If there is a speed change ( 509 ,  510 ), the scroll speed will change in proportion to the changed speed ( 511 ). If not ( 512 ), scrolling continues at the original speed. A query is raised to determine if the end has been reached ( 513 ). If not ( 514 ) a query is raised to determine if the finger is still moving ( 530 ). If yes ( 531 ), the process reverts back to before  509 . If the finger is no longer moving ( 532 ) the process stops. If yes ( 515 ) at ( 513 ), the scrolling stops ( 516 ).  
         [0041]     If at  505  it is up ( 517 ), the sensors  34  determine the speed of motion ( 518 ) and activate ( 519 ) the up scroll function at a speed proportional to the speed of movement of the finger.  
         [0042]     If there is a speed change ( 520 ,  521 ), the scroll speed will change in proportion to the changed speed ( 522 ). If not ( 523 ), scrolling continues at the original speed. A query is raised to determine if the end has been reached ( 524 ). If not ( 525 ) a query is raised to determine if the finger is still moving ( 533 ). If it is ( 534 ), the process reverts back to before  520 . If not ( 535 ), the process stop ( 527 ). If yes ( 526 ) at ( 524 ), the scrolling stops ( 527 ).  
         [0043]     The sampling by sensors  34  may be at a predetermined rate such or, for example, in the range of every 0.5 to 12.5 ms.  
         [0044]     Preferably, there is a motion accelerated scrolling so that the faster the finger is moved along the normal zone  30  of scrolling activator  22  the faster will be the scrolling. The maximum scrolling speed achievable with motion accelerated scrolling is that of the fast scrolling zones  26 ,  28 . Motion accelerated scrolling will not apply to the fast scrolling zones  26 ,  28 .  
         [0045]     A tap, or double tap, function may also be incorporated within the normal zone  30  but not the fast scrolling zones  26 , 28  so that upon the normal zone  30  being tapped, or double tapped, it will active the selected menu item or track displayed or display  16 . The tap or double tap is therefore treated as an enter or select function.  
         [0046]     Furthermore, a press and hold function may be incorporated within the normal zone  30  but not the fast scrolling zones  26 , 28  so that if a user presses and holds on the normal zone  30 , a selected menu function of display  16  will move to a different state of that function. A prescribed minimum time delay for the press and hold may be preset and may be at least 0.5 seconds.  
         [0047]     Whilst there has been described in the foregoing description preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the technology concerned that may variations or modifications in details of design or construction may be made without departing from the present invention as defined in the claims.