Patent Publication Number: US-2012038557-A1

Title: Method and Electronic Device With Motion Compensation

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and in particular to a method and electronic device with motion compensation. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices are designed for use in a generally stable (e.g., stationary) environment. As a result, the operation of electronic devices may become difficult when the electronic device is not stationary, for example, when the electronic device is being carried by a device user who is walking, jogging or traveling in a motor vehicle. Body movements while walking or jogging and bumps in the road often make it difficult to accurately input data on the electronic device. If the electronic device moves relative to the user&#39;s finger because of a relatively unstable environment, the wrong key of a keyboard or the wrong soft key of a touch-sensitive display may be .actuated in error. This erroneous input requires additional operations to undue the erroneous input and frustrates the device user. Accordingly, there is a need for methods and electronic devices for operating a electronic device in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified block diagram of components including internal components of an electronic device suitable for carrying out example embodiments of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of an electronic device having a full QWERTY keypad; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an electronic device in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment in accordance with one example embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4A  is a flowchart illustrating a method of selecting an alternate input in accordance with one example embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4B  is a flowchart illustrating a method of selecting an alternate input in accordance with another example embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 5  is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an electronic device in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment in accordance with a further example embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 6  is a. flowchart illustrating a method of operating an electronic device in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment in accordance with a further example embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
     For simplicity and clarity of illustration, reference numerals may be repeated among the figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. Numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of the embodiments described herein. The embodiments may be practiced without these details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail to avoid obscuring the embodiments described. The description is not to be considered as limited to the scope of the embodiments described herein. 
     The present disclosure describes provides a method and electronic device for operating the electronic device in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment. Movement of the electronic device is detected, and the velocity and/or acceleration experienced by the electronic device are used to adapt the user interface of the electronic device to the environment for improved interaction. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating an electronic device, comprising: detecting motion of the electronic device; receiving an input signal from an input device of the electronic device; selectively ignoring the input signal received from the input device in response to the detecting. 
     In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating an electronic device, comprising: detecting motion of the electronic device; receiving input signals from a keyboard of the electronic device; selecting an alternate key in the keyboard of the electronic device in accordance with a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion when motion above the threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the input device; generating an alternate input in accordance with the selected alternate key; and processing the alternate input. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating an electronic device, comprising: detecting motion of the electronic device; receiving input signals from a touch-sensitive display of the electronic device, each input signal including data describing a touch location; determining an adjusted touch location in accordance with a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion when motion above the threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the touch-sensitive display; determining an onscreen item in accordance with the adjusted touch location; determining an input corresponding to the onscreen item; and processing the input corresponding to the onscreen item. 
     In accordance with a further embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating an electronic device, comprising: determining a velocity of the electronic device; and changing a duration of actuation for registering an input for an input device of the electronic device in response to the determining. 
     In accordance with further embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a method for operating an electronic device, comprising: determining a velocity of the electronic device; changing a distance of directional inputs detected by a navigation device of the electronic device in response to the determining. 
     The disclosure generally relates to an electronic device, which is a handheld electronic device in the embodiments described herein. Examples of handheld electronic devices include mobile wireless communication devices such as pagers, cellular phones, cellular smart-phones, wireless organizers, personal digital assistants, wirelessly enabled notebook computers, and so forth. In some embodiments the electronic device may be a handheld electronic device without wireless communication capabilities, such as a handheld electronic game device, digital photograph album, digital camera, or other device. 
     A block diagram of an example of an electronic device  100  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The electronic device  100  includes multiple components, such as a processor  102  that controls the overall operation of the electronic device  100 . Communication functions, including data and voice communications, are performed through a communication subsystem  104 . Data received by the electronic device  100  is decompressed and decrypted by a decoder  106 . The communication subsystem  104  receives messages from and sends messages to a wireless network  150 . The wireless network  150  may be any type of wireless network, including, but not limited to, data wireless networks, voice wireless networks, and networks that support both voice and data communications. A power source  142 , such as one or more rechargeable batteries or a port to an external power supply, powers the electronic device  100 . 
     The processor  102  interacts with other components, such as Random Access Memory (RAM)  108 , memory  110 , a display screen  112  (such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a keyboard  114  comprising a plurality of keys  115 , a GPS (Global Positioning System) subsystem  116  including a GPS receiver (not shown), one or more motion sensors  118 , one or more auxiliary input/output (I/O) subsystems  124 , a data port  126 , a speaker  128 , a microphone  129 , one or more keys or buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D, a navigation device  131 , a short-range communications subsystem  132 , and other device subsystems  134 . The keyboard  114  may use any suitable switch construction including, but not limited to, a membrane keyboard, dome-switch keyboard, scissor-switch keyboard, capacitive keyboard, mechanical-switch keyboard, buckling-spring keyboard, Hall-effect keyboard, laser keyboard, roll-up keyboard, or transparent keyboard. A keypad may be provided instead of a keyboard in other embodiments. 
     In some embodiments, the display screen  112  may be provided with a touch-sensitive overlay (not shown) operably connected to an electronic controller (not shown) to form a touch-sensitive display. The touch-sensitive display may have any number of user-selectable features rendered thereon, for example, in the form of virtual buttons for user-selection of, for example, applications, options, or onscreen keys of an onscreen (or virtual) keyboard for user entry of data during operation of the electronic device  100 . 
     The touch-sensitive display may be any suitable touch-sensitive display, such as a capacitive, resistive, infrared, surface acoustic wave (SAW) touch-sensitive display, strain gauge, optical imaging, dispersive signal technology, acoustic pulse recognition, and so forth, as known in the art. A capacitive touch-sensitive display includes a capacitive touch-sensitive overlay. The overlay may be an assembly of multiple layers in a stack including, for example, a substrate, a ground shield layer, a barrier layer, one or more capacitive touch sensor layers separated by a substrate or other barrier, and a cover. The capacitive touch sensor layers may be any suitable material, such as patterned indium tin oxide (ITO). 
     One or more touches, also known as touch contacts or touch events, may be detected by the touch-sensitive display. The processor  102  may determine attributes of the touch, including a location of a touch. Touch location data may include an area of contact or a single point of contact, such as a point at or near a centre of the area of contact. The location of a detected touch may include x and y components, e.g., horizontal and vertical components, respectively, with respect to one&#39;s view of the touch-sensitive display. For example, the x location component may be determined by a signal generated from one touch sensor, and the y location component may be determined by a signal generated from another touch sensor. A signal is provided to the controller in response to detection of a touch. A touch may be detected from any suitable object, such as a finger, thumb, appendage, or other items, for example, a stylus, pen, or other pointer, depending on the nature of the touch-sensitive display. Multiple simultaneous touches may be detected. The centre of the area of contact of each touch is commonly referred to as the touch point or centroid. It will be appreciated that during a touch event the touch point moves as the object detected by the touch-sensitive display moves. 
     User-interaction with a graphical user interface (GUI) is performed through the keyboard  114  and/or touch-sensitive display. The processor  102  interacts with the touch-sensitive display via its electronic controller. Information, such as text, characters, symbols, images, icons, and other items that may be displayed or rendered on an electronic device, is displayed on the display screen  112  via the processor  102 . 
     The motion sensors  118  include an accelerometer which detects changes in the acceleration of the electronic device  100  or other motion sensor. The motion sensors  118  may also comprise a proximity sensor, gyroscope, or both, which detect changes in the proximity and orientation of electronic device  100 . The changes in acceleration, proximity and/or orientation detected by the accelerometer, proximity sensor, gyroscope, or combination thereof is be interpreted by the electronic device  100  as motion of the electronic device  100 . When the changes in acceleration, proximity and/or orientation are within threshold tolerance(s) of regularity or predictability, or when the changes in acceleration, proximity and/or orientation match predetermined criteria (e.g., stored in the memory  110 ), the changes are interpreted by the electronic device  100  as a pattern of motion. Multiple patterns of motion may be recognized by the electronic device  100 . 
     The GPS subsystem  116  is integrated in the electronic device  100 , or in other example embodiments, provided as a separate device (which, for example, may be connected to the electronic device  100  through an interface such as the data port  126 ) so as to provide access to location-based services. The GPS subsystem  116  may be supplemented or replaced with other location or positioning systems, such as triangulation via base stations in a cellular network. 
     The buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D, are located below the display screen  112  and above the keypad  118  on a front face of the electronic device  100 . The buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D generate corresponding input signals when activated. The buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D may be constructed using any suitable button (or key) construction such as, for example, a dome-switch construction. The actions performed by the device  100  in response to activation of respective buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D are context-sensitive. The action performed depends on a context that the button was activated. The context may be, but is not limited to, a device state, application, screen context, selected item or function, or any combination thereof. 
     The buttons  130 A,  130 B,  130 C and  130 D, in the shown embodiment, are an answer (or send) button  130 A, menu button  130 B, escape (or back) button  130 C, and a hang up (or end) button  130 D. The send/answer button  130 A may be used for answering an incoming voice call, invoking a menu for a phone application when there is no voice call in progress, or initiating an outbound voice phone call from the phone application when a phone number is selected in the phone application. The menu button  130 B may be used to invoke a context-sensitive menu comprising context-sensitive menu options. The escape/back button  130 C may be used to cancel a current action, reverses (e.g., “back up” or “go back”) through previous user interface screens or menus displayed on the display screen  112 , or exit the current application  148 . The end/hang up button  130 D may be used to end a voice call in progress or hide the current application  148 . 
     The navigation device  131  may be a depressible (or clickable) joystick such as a depressible optical joystick, a depressible trackball, a depressible scroll wheel, or a depressible touch-sensitive trackpad or touchpad.  FIG. 2  shows the navigation device  131  in the form of a depressible optical joystick. The navigation device  131  detects directional inputs. The directional inputs may be caused by movements of the user&#39;s finger which are detected by the navigation device  131 , or rotational movements of the navigation device  131  caused by the user&#39;s finger depending on the type of navigation device  131 . 
     When the navigation device  131  is a depressible optical joystick, movements of the user&#39;s finger, such as vertical and horizontal movements, are detected by an optical sensor of the optical joystick. Up, down, left or right movements detected by the optical joystick are interpreted as corresponding up, down, left or right navigation inputs/commands which are performed by the processor  102 . The content displayed on the display screen  112  and/or an onscreen position indicator (commonly referred to. as a caret, cursor or focus) is moved from an initial location focusing one onscreen item to a new location focusing a different onscreen item. Typically, navigation is performed using 1:1 movement so that each direction gesture or movement detected by the navigation device  131  causes a corresponding navigation movement. 
     To identify a subscriber for network access, the electronic device  100  uses a Subscriber Identity Module or a Removable User Identity Module (SIM/RUIM) card  138  for communication with a network, such as the wireless network  150 . Alternatively, user identification information may be programmed into memory  110 . 
     The electronic device  100  includes an operating system  146  and software applications or programs  148  that are executed by the processor  102  and are typically stored in a persistent, updatable store such as the memory  110 . Additional applications or programs  148  may be loaded onto the electronic device  100  through the wireless network  150 , the auxiliary I/O subsystem  124 , the data port  126 , the short-range communications subsystem  132  or any other suitable subsystem  134 . 
     A received signal such as a text message, an e-mail message, or web page download is processed by the communication subsystem  104  and input to the processor  102 . The processor  102  processes the received signal for output to the display screen  112  and/or to the auxiliary I/O subsystem  124 . A subscriber may generate data items, for example e-mail messages, which may be transmitted over the wireless network  150  through the communication subsystem  104 . For voice communications, the overall operation of the electronic device  100  is similar. The speaker  128  outputs audible information converted from electrical signals, and the microphone  129  converts audible information into electrical signals for processing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a front view of an electronic device  100  is shown. Each key  115  of the keyboard  114  may be associated with one or more indicia representing an alphabetic character, a numeral or a command (such as a space command, return command, or the like). The plurality of the keys  115  having alphabetic characters may be arranged in a standard keyboard layout such as a full QWERTY layout as shown in  FIG. 2 , a reduced QWERTY layout, a QZERTY layout, a QWERTZ layout, an AZERTY layout, a Dvorak layout, a Russian keyboard layout, a Chinese keyboard layout, or other suitable layout. These standard layouts are provided by way of example and other similar standard layouts may be used. The keyboard layout may be based on the geographical region in which the electronic device  100  is intended for use. 
     A flowchart illustrating one example embodiment of a method  300  of operating an electronic device  100  in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment is shown in  FIG. 3 . The method  300  may be carried out by software executed, for example, by the processor  102 . Coding of software for carrying out such a method  300  is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     The electronic device  100  detects motion of the electronic device  100 . In the presently described example embodiment, motion is detected using the motion sensor(s)  118 , but may be detected using the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service, or a combination of the motion sensor(s)  118  and the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service ( 302 ) in other example embodiments. The magnitude and/or direction of the motion may be determined by the electronic device  100 . In some examples, an accelerometer of the motion sensor(s)  118  is used to detect motion of the electronic device  100  using acceleration measurements. The electronic device  100  monitors acceleration measurements reported by the accelerometer and detects motion when acceleration matches predetermined criteria, for example, when acceleration exceeds a threshold acceleration magnitude. 
     The electronic device  100  receives input signals from the input devices of the electronic device  100  ( 304 ) including, but not limited to, the keyboard  114  and/or the touch-sensitive display. Typically, each key in the keyboard  114  generates a distinct input signal in response to actuation/depression of the respective key. The input signals are recognized and interpreted by the processor  102 . Each input signal is associated with one or more distinct inputs, such as an alphabetic character. When multiple inputs are associated with a key, the processor  102  disambiguates a particular input from the multiple inputs associated with the key in accordance with a secondary indication such as actuation/depression of a control key (e.g., the ALT key) or a duration of the key actuation/depression. 
     The touch-sensitive display typically generates input signals in response to a touch event. The input signals include data describing a touch location of the touch event. The touch location is the centroid of the area of contact of each touch event. The electronic device  100 , for example the processor  102  under the instruction of the operating system  146 , determines an onscreen item associated with the touch location, if any. The onscreen item is provided by a displayed user interface screen of the GUI of the electronic device  100 . The onscreen item may be a button, an icon, a soft key (“virtual key”) in an onscreen (“virtual”) keyboard or other selectable onscreen item. A number of onscreen items may be displayed on the touch-sensitive display at any time. The processor  102  determines the onscreen item associated with the input signal received from the touch-sensitive display and the input associated with the onscreen item. 
     The electronic device  100  selectively ignores the input signal received from the input device in response to the detecting. In the shown example, the electronic device  100  determines whether motion above a threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the input device ( 306 ), which may be the keyboard  114  or touch-sensitive display. The threshold level is set to a value at which the motion is deemed likely to cause erroneous input. The threshold duration is used to compensate for differences in the time required for the input device and the GPS subsystem  116  and/or the motion sensor(s)  118  to report to the processor  102 . For example, the accelerometer may report acceleration data to the processor  102  before, during or after input is received from the input device. The threshold duration is set to a value which takes into account any delay between the input device and the GPS subsystem  116  and/or the motion sensor(s)  118  reporting to the processor  102 . The threshold duration may be set to 0 when there is no delay. The threshold level and threshold duration may be fixed during manufacturing of the electronic device  100 , or may be configurable or learned parameters which more accurately detect motions which are likely to cause erroneous inputs. 
     When motion above the threshold level is detected within the threshold duration of the input signal of the input device, the input signal received from the input device is ignored or rejected/discarded by the processor  102  ( 308 ). This occurs at the user interface and/or operating system level, thereby avoiding any unnecessary processing by the active application  148  of the electronic device  100  and without user action. 
     Optionally, a notification or alert may be generated via a notification element in response to ignoring an input signal ( 310 ). The notification provides the device user with a notification that the input has been ignored. The notification element is an output device which may be configured for generating a visual indication, audio indication, physical indication, or any combination thereof. The notification element may comprise one or more light emitting diodes (LEDs) or other light source for generating a visual indication, an icon or other GUI notification element, the speaker  128  or tone generator (not shown) for generating an audio indication, or a vibrator (not shown) or buzzer (not shown) for generating a physical indication. More than one type of notification element may be provided and activated during the generation of the notification. 
     Optionally, the electronic device  100  may attempt to compensate for motion by selecting at least one alternate input ( 312 ). The electronic device  100  uses the magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion to approximate the amount and/or direction of the movement of the electronic device  100 , and select at least one alternate input based on the amount and/or direction of the movement of the electronic device  100 . The alternate input is a prediction of the input that the device user intended. The alternate input may be an alternate key in the keyboard  114 , or an alternate onscreen item displayed on the touch-sensitive display depending on the input device of the electronic device  100  used. When the input device is the input device, selecting an alternate input comprises determining an adjusted touch location in accordance with a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion when motion above the threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the touch-sensitive display. The onscreen item associated with the adjusted touch location is then determined, and the input corresponding to the onscreen item is determined. 
     When the motion below the threshold level is detected within the threshold duration of the input signal of the input device, the input signal received from the input device is processed in the usual way ( 314 ). Similarly, when motion above the threshold level is detected, but it is outside of the threshold duration of the input signal of the input device, the input signal received from the input device is processed in the usual way ( 314 ). Processing may comprise outputting a result of the input to the display screen  112  (e.g., such as displaying a character associated with a key), performing a command or function associated with the input, among other things. 
     When an input is received at substantially the same time that motion exceeding a threshold magnitude is detected, the input is likely erroneous because the electronic device  100  has moved. The above described embodiment provides a solution for handling erroneous inputs which obviates the need for device users to actively undo erroneous inputs. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4A , one example embodiment of a method  400  of selecting an alternate input will be described. The method  400  may be carried out by software executed, for example, by the processor  102 . Coding of software for carrying out such a method  400  is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     In the method  400 , the input device is a keyboard  114  of the electronic device  100  or the touch-sensitive display with an onscreen keyboard provided thereon. An alternate key in the keyboard  114  or onscreen keyboard is selected by the electronic device  100 , for example by the processor  102 , in accordance with a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion when motion above the threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the input device ( 402 ). The magnitude of the motion may be used to approximate the amount/distance of the movement of the electronic device  100 , or a range thereof. The direction of the motion may be used to approximate the direction of the movement of the electronic device  100 , or a range thereof. The amount/distance of the movement and/or the direction of the movement are used to select the alternate key in the keyboard  114  or onscreen keyboard. 
     As noted above, motion is typically detected using the motion sensor(s)  118 , for example, using an accelerometer of the motion sensor(s)  118  to detect motion of the electronic device  100  using acceleration measurements. The acceleration measurements may be used to determine characteristics of the detected motion including a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion. In some embodiments, the method  400  may only be performed when the characteristics of the detected motion allow the magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion to be determined within a threshold tolerance. In yet other embodiments, the method  400  may only be performed when the characteristics of the detected motion indicate that the. detected motion is substantially horizontal (e.g., side-to-side or lateral movement) or substantially vertical (e.g., up-and-down movement). 
     An alternate input is generated by the electronic device  100 , for example by the processor  102 , in accordance with the alternate key in response to its selection ( 404 ). The electronic device  100  then processes the alternate input ( 406 ). Processing the alternate input may comprise outputting a result of the input to the display screen  112  (e.g., such as displaying a character associated with a key), performing a command or function associated with the alternate key, among other things. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4B , another example embodiment of a method  430  of selecting an alternate input will be described. The method  430  may be carried out by software executed, for example, by the processor  102 . Coding of software for carrying out such a method  430  is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     In the method  430 , the input device is the keyboard  114  or the touch-sensitive display with an onscreen keyboard provided thereon. A number of possible alternate keys are determined by the electronic device  100 , for example by the processor  102 , in accordance with a magnitude and/or direction of the detected motion when motion above the threshold level is detected within a threshold duration of the input signal of the input device ( 432 ). Each of the number of possible alternate keys matches the amount/distance of the movement and/or the direction of the movement. 
     The alternate inputs associated with the number of possible alternate keys is displayed on the display screen  112  in a user interface for selecting one of the possible keys ( 434 ). A particular one of the possible alternate inputs may be selected using corresponding selection input ( 436 ). The selection input may comprise highlighting the alternate input in the user interface via navigation input with the navigation device  131  and the actuation/depression the navigation device  131  or an &lt;ENTER&gt; key of the keyboard  114 , actuation/depression a number key of the keyboard  114  corresponding to a number associated with the particular alternate input, or other suitable input. 
     The alternate input is then generated by the electronic device  100 , for example by the processor  102  in response to the selection input ( 438 ). The electronic device  100  then processes the alternate input ( 440 ). Processing the alternate input may comprise outputting a result of the input to the display screen  112  (e.g., such as displaying a character associated with a key), performing a command or function associated with the alternate input, among other things. 
     The number of possible alternate inputs may, in some embodiments, be determined using a text disambiguation function such as those used in predictive text and spelling check functions. This may assist in more accurately suggest the possible alternate inputs when in text entry mode and/or limit the possible alternate inputs. The text disambiguation function may operate in a similar fashion to that described in following U.S. Patents commonly owned by the owner of the present application: U.S. Pat. No. 7,644,209 directed to a “Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation allowing dynamic expansion of input key associations”, and U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,238, U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,004, U.S. Pat. No. 7,389,124, U.S. Pat. No. 7,358,866, U.S. Pat. No. 7,352,296, U.S. Pat. No. 7,333,085, U.S. Pat. No. 7,324,083, U.S. Pat. No. 7,312,726, U.S. Pat. No. 7,289,044, U.S. Pat. No. 7,283,065 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,091,885each directed to a “Handheld electronic device with text disambiguation”. The content of each of these U.S. Patents is incorporated herein by reference. The methods taught in the above-mentioned patents may be adapted for use with the teachings of the present disclosure by modifying the logical steps associated with having many characters to one key in the above-mentioned patents to accommodate the many characters to one stroke sequence mentioned above. 
     The methods  400  or  430  may be used to select at least one alternate input ( 312 ) in the method  300  described above. Moreover, the methods  400  and  430  may also be applied to arrangements of onscreen items on the touch-sensitive display other than an onscreen keyboard such as, for example, an icon menu. 
     A flowchart illustrating a further example embodiment of a method  500  of operating an electronic device  100  in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment is shown in  FIG. 5 . The method  500  may be carried out by software executed, for example, by the processor  102 . Coding of software for carrying out such a method  500  is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     The electronic device  100  monitors for and detects motion of the electronic device  100  ( 501 ). Motion is typically detected using the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service. When the electronic device  100  is in motion, the electronic device  100  determines the velocity of the electronic device  100  ( 502 ). Velocity is typically determined using the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service. 
     When the determined velocity exceeds a threshold level (block  504 ), a duration of actuation for registering an input for an input device is changed in response to the determining. In the shown example, the duration of actuation for registering an input for an input device is set to a second duration longer than a default duration ( 506 ). When the determined velocity does not exceed the threshold level (block  504 ), the duration of actuation for registering an input for an input device is set to the default duration ( 505 ). Detection of a velocity which exceeds the threshold level indicates that the electronic device  100  is moving at a velocity which is likely to cause erroneous inputs, for example, when the electronic device  100  is in a motor vehicle or other vehicle moving at a high velocity. When the electronic device  100  is in a motor vehicle or other vehicle moving at a high velocity, user distractions and minor accelerations are likely to cause erroneous inputs. 
     The threshold level acts as a threshold velocity above which motion compensation is initiated and below which motion compensation is terminated. The default duration may be 0 in some embodiments. The value of the second duration may vary with the determined velocity. For example, the second duration may be proportional to the determined velocity. 
     The input device may be the keyboard  114  of the electronic device  100  in which case the duration of actuation is the duration of actuation/depression of a key in the keyboard  114  (i.e., duration of a key press) before the processor  102  registers an input event for the respective key. Alternatively, the input device may be a button and the duration of actuation may be the duration of actuation/depression of a button before the processor  102  registers an input event for the button. In other words, longer key presses are used by the processor  102  for registering an input event for the respective key or button. 
     In one example, the duration of actuation for registering an input for a key or button may be approximately 10 millisecond (ms) when the determined velocity of the electronic device  100  is approximately 0 miles per hour (mph). In other words, the key/button input is registered in response to actuation of the key/button. When the velocity is 50 mph, the duration of actuation for registering an input for a key or button may be approximately 100 ms. In other words, the key/button input is registered after the key/button has been actuated continually for 100 ms. 
     Alternatively, the input device may be the touch-sensitive display of the electronic device  110  in which case the duration of actuation is the duration of a touch event at a location on the touch-sensitive display coincident with a selectable onscreen item on the display screen  112 . A location is coincident with the selectable onscreen item in that the centroid of the touch event is within an input area of a user interface screen assigned for receiving input for activating the selectable onscreen item. The input area of the selectable onscreen item may be different than the displayed area of the selectable onscreen item on the display screen  112  in some embodiments, typically the input area being larger than the displayed area in such embodiments to accommodate touch offset of the user. 
     In one example, the duration of the touch event for registering a touch input on the touch-sensitive display may be 10 ms when the velocity is 0 mph. When the velocity is 50 mph, the duration of the touch event for registering a touch input on the touch-sensitive display may be 100 ms. 
     When the electronic device  100  is in motion and travelling at a velocity which exceeds the threshold velocity, the duration of actuation is set to the second duration ( 506 ). When the electronic device  100  receives an input from an input device (block  507 ), such as a key in the keyboard  114 , button or the touch-sensitive display, it determines whether the duration of actuation exceeds the second duration (block  508 ). When the duration exceeds the second duration, an input is registered by the processor  102  ( 510 ). The input registered by the processor  102  is an input of the key, button input or touch input of the touch-sensitive display. When the duration does not exceed the second duration, no input is registered ( 512 ). When no actuation occurs, the electronic device  100  continues to monitor for and detect motion of the electronic device  100  ( 501 ). 
     When the electronic device  100  is not travelling at a velocity which exceeds the threshold velocity, the duration of actuation is set to the default duration ( 505 ). When the electronic device  100  receives an input from an input device (block  509 ), such as a key in the keyboard  114 , button or the touch-sensitive display, it determines whether the duration of actuation exceeds the default duration (block  514 ). When the duration exceeds the default duration, an input is registered by the processor  102  ( 516 ). The input registered by the processor  102  is an input of the key, button input or touch input of the touch-sensitive display. When the duration does not exceed the default duration, no input is registered ( 512 ). When no actuation occurs, the electronic device  100  continues to monitor for and detect motion of the electronic device  100  ( 501 ). 
     The method  500  is repeated until terminated, for example, by a change in the operational mode of the electronic device  100 , by a change in the active application  148 , or by input received by the electronic device  100 . 
     The method  500  may be combined with the method  300  and possibly  400  and/or  430  described above. Combining the methods may further increase input accuracy. In addition, the threshold level at which the inputs are ignored/rejected in the methods method  300  and possibly  400  and/or  430  may be increased because input registration is compensated for velocity and so should result in a lower rejection/error rate. Furthermore, the actuation parameter compensation which occurs in operations  501  to  506  of the method  500  may be implemented as an independent method separate from the input detection registration operations  507  to  516  of the method  500  in other embodiments. 
     A flowchart illustrating yet a further example embodiment of a method  600  of operating an electronic device  100  in an unstable (e.g., non-stationary) environment is shown in  FIG. 6 . The method  600  may be carried out by software executed, for example, by the processor  102 . Coding of software for carrying out such a method  600  is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the art given the present disclosure. 
     The electronic device  100  monitors for and detects motion of the electronic device  100  ( 601 ). Motion is typically detected using the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service. When the electronic device  100  is in motion, the electronic device  100  determines the velocity of the electronic device  100  ( 602 ). Velocity is typically determined using the GPS subsystem  116  or other location-based service. 
     When the determined velocity exceeds a threshold level (block  604 ), a distance of the directional inputs detected by the navigation device  131  for registering a navigation input is set to a second distance longer than a default distance ( 606 ). When the determined velocity does not exceed the threshold level (block  504 ), the distance of the directional inputs detected by the navigation device  131  for registering a navigation input is set to the default distance ( 605 ). Detection of a velocity which exceeds the threshold level indicates that the electronic device  100  is moving at a velocity which is likely to cause erroneous inputs, for example, when the electronic device  100  is in a motor vehicle or other vehicle moving at a high velocity. When the electronic device  100  is in a motor vehicle or other vehicle moving at a high velocity, user distractions and minor accelerations are likely to cause erroneous inputs. 
     The threshold level acts as a threshold velocity above which motion compensation is initiated and below which motion compensation is terminated. As noted above, the directional inputs may be caused by movements of the user&#39;s finger which are detected by the navigation device  131 , or rotational movements of the navigation device  131  caused by the user&#39;s finger depending on the type of navigation device  131 . This effectively slows the navigation (e.g., scrolling) speed of the navigation device  131 . The value of the second distance may vary with the determined velocity, for example, the second distance may be proportional to the determined velocity. 
     When the electronic device  100  is in motion and travelling at a velocity which exceeds the threshold velocity, the distance of the directional inputs detected by the navigation device  131  for registering a navigation input is set to the second distance ( 606 ). When a directional input is detected by the navigation device  131  (block  607 ), the electronic device  100  determines whether the distance exceeds the second distance (block  608 ). When the distance exceeds the second distance, a corresponding navigation input is registered and the electronic device  100  causes corresponding navigation movement to be performed in the user interface displayed on the display screen  112  ( 610 ). When directional input does not exceed the second distance, no navigation input is registered ( 612 ). When no actuation occurs, the electronic device  100  continues to monitor for and detect motion of the electronic device  100  ( 601 ). 
     When the electronic device  100  is not travelling at a velocity which exceeds the threshold velocity, the duration of actuation is set to the default distance ( 605 ). When a directional input is detected by the navigation device  131 (block  609 ), the electronic device  100  determines whether the distance exceeds the default distance (block  614 ). When the distance exceeds the default distance, a corresponding navigation input is registered and the electronic device  100  causes corresponding navigation movement to be performed in the user interface displayed on the display screen  112  ( 616 ). When directional input does not exceed the default distance, no navigation input is registered ( 612 ). When no actuation occurs, the electronic device  100  continues to monitor for and detect motion of the electronic device  100  ( 601 ). 
     The method  600  is repeated until terminated, for example, by a change in the operational mode of the electronic device  100 , by a change in the active application  148 , or by input received by the electronic device  100 . 
     The method  600  may be combined with the method  300  and possibly  400 ,  430  and/or  500  described above. Combining the methods may further increase input accuracy. In addition, the threshold level at which the inputs are ignored/rejected in the methods method  300  and possibly  400  and/or  430  may be increased because input registration is compensated for velocity and so should result in a lower rejection/error rate. Furthermore, the actuation parameter compensation which occurs in operations  601  to  606  of the method  600  may be implemented as an independent method separate from the input detection registration operations  607  to  616  of the method  600  in other embodiments. 
     The methods  300 ,  400 ,  430 ,  500  and/or  600  may contain additional or fewer processes than shown and/or described, and may be performed in a different order. Computer-readable code executable by at least one processor  102  of the electronic device  100  to perform the methods  300 ,  400 ,  430 ,  500  and/or  600  may be stored in a computer-readable medium such as the memory  110 . The methods described above may, in various embodiments, be performed independently of each other, or in some embodiments may be combined and either performed in parallel with each other or sequentially with each other. 
     While the present disclosure is described primarily in terms of methods, the present disclosure is also directed to an electronic device configured to perform at least part of the methods. The electronic device may be configured using hardware modules, software modules, a combination of hardware and software modules, or any other suitable manner. The present disclosure is also directed to a pre-recorded storage device or computer-readable medium having computer-readable code stored thereon, the computer-readable code being executable by at least one processor of the electronic device for performing at least parts of the described methods. 
     The present disclosure may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as being only illustrative and not restrictive. The present disclosure intends to cover and embrace all suitable changes in technology. The scope of the present disclosure is, therefore, described by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced within their scope.