USOO82861 06B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8.286,106 B2 Bergman (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 9, 2012 (54) SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR INTERACTING (56) References Cited WITH STATUS INFORMATION ON A TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 6,750,803 B2 * 6/2004 Yates et al. .................... 341,176 Inventor: Eric D. Bergman, Menlo Park, CA (US) 7,479,949 B2 1/2009 JobS et al. (75) 2005/0024341 A1* 2/2005 Gillespie et al. .............. 345,173 2008/0104639 A1 5/2008 Yoon ............................... 725/56 (73) Assignee: Oracle America, Inc., Redwood City, 2008. O1581.89 A1* 7, 2008 Kim ........ ... 345,173 CA (US) 2008/0163082 A1* 7/2008 Rytivaara ...................... 715,762 * cited by examiner (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 Primary Examiner — Omar Abdul-Ali U.S.C. 154(b) by 459 days. (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Osha Liang LLP (57) ABSTRACT (21) Appl. No.: 12/404,198 A method for interacting with a computing device, involving presenting a first mode of a touch interface, where the touch (22) Filed: Mar 13, 2009 interface is configured as a user interface of the computing device, where the touch interface comprises at least one status (65) Prior Publication Data icon, and where in the first mode, the status icon is not select able by touch input. The method further includes receiving, US 2010/O235732 A1 Sep. 16, 2010 from a user using the computing device, a first input indicat ing a desire to Switch from the first mode to a second mode of (51) Int. C. the touch interface; and in response to receiving the first input, G06F 3/4 (2006.01) presenting the user with the second mode of the touch inter (52) U.S. Cl. ........................................ 715/864; 715/802 face, where in the second mode, the status icon is selectable (58) Field of Classification Search .................. 715/702, by touch input, and where the status icon displays a corre 715/864, 810 sponding status of the computing device. See application file for complete search history. 20 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets Stat: 3:3:38 88: 88,388 28 YS 3. y ^ 8883:388 *:::::38: 888 1 883 A. 288 U.S. Patent US 8,286,106 B2 U.S. Patent Oct. 9, 2012 Sheet 2 of 8 US 8,286,106 B2 &&&&& 333,&#3 U.S. Patent Oct. 9, 2012 Sheet 3 of 8 US 8,286,106 B2 &###########33 U.S. Patent Oct. 9, 2012 Sheet 4 of 8 US 8,286,106 B2 ************** U.S. Patent US 8,286,106 B2 009LS 079||S V9(61-) U.S. Patent US 8,286,106 B2 |||9S Z||9S SEX CINE U.S. Patent US 8,286,106 B2 O9(61-) U.S. Patent Oct. 9, 2012 Sheet 8 of 8 US 8 9 286,106 B2 999LS ON US 8,286,106 B2 1. 2 SYSTEMAND METHOD FOR INTERACTING desire to switch from the first mode to a second mode of the WITH STATUS INFORMATION ON A TOUCH touch interface, and in response to receiving the first touch SCREEN DEVICE input, displaying, on the capacitive touch screen, the second mode of the touch interface, wherein in the second mode, the BACKGROUND at least one status icon is selectable by touch input and the at least one command icon is not selectable by touch input, Many Small, hand-held computing devices include graphi wherein the at least one status icon displays a corresponding cal user interfaces (GUIs) presented on touch screens. For status of the computing device. example, many personal digital assistants, audio players, and In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a com mobile phones include touch screen GUIs. Typically, such 10 puter usable storage medium having computer readable pro touch screen GUIs include graphical elements (e.g., buttons, gram code embodied therein, the computer readable program icons, etc.) that a user may select by touch input, thereby code adapted to, when executed by the processor, implement enabling the user to interact with the computing device. Such a method for presenting a touch interface. The method selectable graphical elements are referred to herein as “com includes presenting a first mode of the touch interface, mand icons.” 15 wherein the touch interface is configured as a user interface of Further, a touch screen GUI may also include a status bar, a computing device, wherein the touch interface comprises at i.e., a relatively thin horizontal area containing information least one status icon and wherein in the first mode, the at least describing the state of the computing device. For example, the one status icon is not selectable by touch input, receiving, touch screen GUI of a mobile phone may have a status bar from a user using the computing device, a first input indicat including icons describing various states of the mobile phone ing a desire to Switch from the first mode to a second mode of (e.g., signal strength, battery level, ringer status, alarm mode, the touch interface, and in response to receiving the first input, network status, etc.). Such icons included in the status bar are presenting the user with the second mode of the touch inter referred to herein as “status icons. Typically, the status bar face, wherein in the second mode, the at least one status icon occupies a relatively small portion of the touch screen GUI is selectable by touch input, wherein the at least one status and is not an interactive part of the GUI. 25 icon displays a corresponding status of the computing device. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent from the SUMMARY following description and the appended claims. In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a method BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS for interacting with a computing device, including presenting 30 a first mode of a touch interface, wherein the touch interface FIG. 1 shows a system in accordance with one or more is configured as a user interface of the computing device, embodiments of the invention. wherein the touch interface comprises a status display portion FIGS. 2A-2C show a user interface inaccordance with one and a command portion, wherein the status display portion or more embodiments of the invention. comprises at least one status icon arranged in a first arrange 35 FIGS. 3A-3D show flow charts in accordance with one or ment, wherein the command portion comprises at least one more embodiments of the invention. command icon, wherein selecting a command icon initiates a corresponding command action within the computing device, DETAILED DESCRIPTION and wherein in the first mode, the at least one status icon is not selectable by touch input and the at least one command icon 40 Specific embodiments of the invention will now be is selectable by touch input, receiving, from a user using the described in detail with reference to the accompanying Figs. computing device, a first input indicating a desire to Switch Like elements in the various Figs. are denoted by like refer from the first mode to a second mode of the touch interface, ence numerals for consistency. and in response to receiving the first input, presenting the user In the following detailed description of embodiments of the with the second mode of the touch interface, wherein in the 45 invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to second mode, the at least one status icon is selectable by touch provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. input, and wherein the at least one status icon displays a However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art corresponding status of the computing device. that the invention may be practiced without these specific In general, in one aspect, the invention relates to a portable details. In other instances, well-known features have not been communications device, including a processor, a capacitive 50 described in detail to avoid unnecessarily complicating the touch screen, and a computer usable storage medium having description. computer readable program code embodied therein. The In general, embodiments of the invention relate to a method computer readable program code is adapted to, when system for interacting with status information on a touch executed by the processor, implement a method for present screen device. More specifically, embodiments of the inven ing a user interface, the method including displaying, on the 55 tion relate to a method and system for interacting with the capacitive touch screen, a first mode of a touch interface, status icons in the status bar on a touch screen. wherein the touch interface is configured as a user interface of FIG. 1 shows a computing device in accordance with one or the portable communications device, wherein the touch inter more embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the face comprises a status display portion and a command por computing device (100) includes a touch screen (102), a tion, wherein the status display portion comprises at least one 60 processor (108), associated memory (110), an external com status icon arranged in a first arrangement, wherein the com munication device (116), and numerous other elements and mand portion comprises at least one command icon, wherein functionalities typical of today's computing devices (not selecting a commandicon initiates a corresponding command shown). The computing device (100) may be a computer action within the computing device, and wherein in the first system, a laptop, a media player (i.e., a portable television, a mode, the at least one status icon is not selectable by touch 65 MP3 player, etc), a gaming device, a mobile phone (including input and the at least one commandicon is selectable by touch a Smart phone), a personal digital assistant, or any other input, receiving, from a user, a first touch input indicating a Suitable wired or wireless computing device.