Abstract:
A method and apparatus for a portable electronic imaging device, comprising a display screen for displaying objects including any combination 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, wherein the user may select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from a navigation key last pressed, thereby implementing navigation and select functions on a single controller.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to portable electronic imaging devices, including digital cameras and cell phones, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for implementing navigation and select functions using a multipurpose navigation key.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Portable electronic imaging devices capable of displaying digital images and video are commonplace today. Examples of such devices include digital cameras, camera-enabled cell phones, MP3 players, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), for instance.  FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating example portions of the hardware interface included on conventional imaging devices.  
         [0003]     Referring to  FIG. 1A , a conventional imaging device  10  is equipped with a liquid-crystal display (LCD) or other type of display screen  12  for displaying objects  14 . Objects that may be displayed on the display screen may include digital still images, video clips, menu items, and icons. In play mode, the display screen  12  is used as a playback screen for allowing the user to view objects individually or multiple objects at a time. Besides the display screen  12 , the hardware user interface also includes a number of keys, buttons or switches for operating the device  10  and for navigating between displayed objects  14 . Examples keys include zoom keys (not shown) for zooming a displayed image, a navigation controller  18 , and a select key  20 . A four-way navigation controller  18  is shown in  FIG. 1A , which includes four keys; left/right keys  18   a  and  18   b,  having a horizontal orientation, and up/down keys  18   c  and  18   d,  having a vertical orientation.  FIG. 1B  is a diagram similar to  FIG. 1A , where like components have like reference numerals, but shows the conventional imaging device  10  with a two-way navigation controller that only includes two keys  18   a  and  18   b,  rather than four.  
         [0004]     In both embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a user navigates to a desired object  14  by pressing the navigation controller  18 . In the case where a single object  14  is displayed on the screen  12 , the displayed object  14  is considered the current selection. In the case where multiple objects  14  are displayed, a highlight or other indication is moved from object  14  to object  14  as the user navigates to indicate the currently selected object  14 . Once the user navigates to a desired object  14 , the user may initiate the default action associated with the current selection by pressing the select key  20 . Examples of actions that can be performed by pressing the select key  20  include edit, open/execute, and delete. The select key  20  is shown in the center of the navigation controller  18  in  FIG. 1A , but the select key  20  may also be located outside of the navigation controller, as shown in  FIG. 1B . In yet other embodiments, the 2-way/4-way navigation controller  18  may be implemented as an integrated 2-way/4-way key.  
         [0005]     Although the current solution for allowing a user to navigate among objects and to initiate an action associated with the object  14  using a combination of the navigation controller  18  and the select key  20  works for its intended purposes, this implementation has several disadvantages. First, space for keys is limited on portable imaging devices. Having separate navigation and selection keys  18  and  20  occupies valuable space on the device  10 . The user must find and press the right key in the correct sequence, which given the small keys on many portable devices due to miniaturization, is not always an easy task.  
         [0006]     In addition, the user must find the right portion of the navigation controller  18  for the direction of navigation desired. Users of devices with navigation controller keys often get unexpected results from pressing an undesired portion of the navigation controller key  18 . The most typical error is when the user presses a navigation key when intending to press the selection key  20  to initiate the selection function.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, what is needed is an improved method and apparatus for implementing the navigation and select functions on the portable electronic imaging device. The present invention addresses such a need.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention provides a portable electronic imaging device that includes a display screen for displaying objects including any combination 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, wherein the user may select a currently displayed object without moving a finger from a navigation key last pressed, thereby implementing navigation and select functions on a single controller. In the preferred embodiment, the portable imaging device is configured to detect double-presses and press-and-holds on any navigation key, and either or both of these events may be interpreted as a user selection event that invokes the default operation on the currently selected object(s).  
         [0009]     According to the method and apparatus disclosed herein, the present invention eliminates the need for a user to use a select key, thus reducing user error. In addition, the select key may be eliminated from the device altogether, thereby saving space on navigation controller-equipped devices. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are diagrams illustrating example portions of the hardware interface included on conventional imaging devices.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams illustrating hardware user interface embodiments for a portable electronic imaging device having a multipurpose navigation controller in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method for implementing navigation and select functions on a portable electronic imaging device by providing a multipurpose navigation controller in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     The present invention relates to implementing of navigation and select functions on a portable electronic device. The following description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and is provided in the context of a patent application and its requirements. Various modifications to the preferred embodiments and the generic principles and features described herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features described herein.  
         [0014]     The present inventions provides an improved method and apparatus for implementing navigation and select functions on a portable electronic imaging device by providing a multipurpose navigation controller that performs both navigation and select functions. In a preferred embodiment, the portable electronic device is any device capable of displaying images, such as a digital camera, camera-cell phone, music player, or a PDA. However, in an alternative embodiment, the portable electronic device encompasses devices that control imaging devices, such as a remote control, for example.  
         [0015]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams illustrating hardware user interface embodiments for a portable electronic imaging device having a multipurpose navigation controller in accordance with the present invention, where like components have like reference numerals. The imaging device  50  equipped with the multipurpose navigation controller  56  of the present invention allows a user to select an object  54  displayed on screen  52  without moving his/her finger from the last navigation key  56  pressed. In the preferred embodiment, the portable imaging device  50  is configured to detect double-presses and press-and-holds on any navigation key  56 . Either or both of these events may be interpreted as a user selection event, which when detected invokes the default operation on the currently selected object(s). Thus, when a user navigates to a displayed object  54 , he/she can simply double-click the last navigation key  56  pressed (or any navigation key) or press-and-hold the last navigation key  56  pressed to select the current object(s)  54 . In a further embodiment, the device  50  may be configured to detect double-presses and press-and-holds on any navigation key  56 , such that a detected double-press indicates a user selection, while a detected press-and-hold invokes an action on the currently selected object, and vice versa. With the multipurpose navigation controller  56  of the present invention, no separate selection key is required to indicate a selection event, thus eliminating the need for a separate select key, which potentially saves space on the device and reduces user error.  
         [0016]     In a preferred embodiment, the multi-purpose navigation controller  56  may be implemented as either a 4-way or 2-way navigation controller, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , respectively, and the navigation controller  56  may be implemented with separate navigation keys or as an integrated 4-way/2-way key. Also, in the preferred embodiment, a separate select key is eliminated from the device  50  in order to save space. However, an alternative embodiment, the device  50  may include a separate select key (not shown) for user convenience, whether located in the center of the navigation control or apart therefrom.  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram illustrating a method for implementing navigation and select functions on a portable electronic imaging device by providing a multipurpose navigation controller  56  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The process begins when the device  50  detects that one of the navigation keys  56  has been pressed and released in step  100 . If so, the device  50  determines if the time between the previous press of the same key and the current presses is less than a stored double-press time in step  102 .  
         [0018]     Referring again to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the double-press time  58  is preferably stored in a non-volatile memory  60  in the device  50  along with a release time  60 . In a preferred embodiment, both are configurable. Referring to  FIGS. 2A, 2B , and  3 , if the time between presses is greater than the double-press time  58 , in step  102 , then the device  50  interprets the key press as a navigation event and displays the next object in step  104  (or moves a highlight to the next object, depending on the current operating mode).  
         [0019]     According to one aspect of the present invention, the device  50  is further configured to distinguish between fast scrolling during navigation and a double-press as follows. If the time between the previous press of the same key and the current press is less than the stored double-press time  58  in step  102 , then the device  50  examines whether the last couple of presses (e.g., three) were performed on the same navigation key  56  in step  106 . If the last couple for presses were performed on the same key in step  106 , then the device  50  determines that the user is fast-scrolling through displayed objects during navigation in step  108 . Accordingly, the current key press is interpreted as a navigation event and the next object is displayed, as described in step  104 .  
         [0020]     If the time between the previous press of the same key and the current press is less than the stored double-press time  58  in step  102 , but the last couple of presses were not performed on the same navigation key in step  106 , then the current key press is interpreted as a selection event in step  110 . In step  112 , the device  50  executes the action associated with the currently selected object.  
         [0021]     Also, according to the present invention, if the device  50  detects that one of the navigation keys is pressed, but not released for a time greater than the release time  62  in step  14 , then this “press-and-hold” is interpreted as a selection event in step  110 , and the device  50  executes the action as described in step  112 .  
         [0022]     A method and apparatus for implementing the navigation and select functions on the portable electronic imaging device using a multipurpose navigation key has been disclosed. The present invention has been described in accordance with the embodiments shown, and one of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that there could be variations to the embodiments, and any variations would be within the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.