06 October 2007

Nokia patents slider input lid on touchscreen!!

Nokia has applied for a patent for a "Slider input lid on a touchscreen". The basic idea is ingeniously simple. Ad a lid to a touchscreen device, with the specially shaped physical opening to guide user inputs. And then use the software to provide interface to control various applications through these guided user inputs.

A device features a touch sensitive area, such as a touchscreen or touchpad, responsive to a first set of user interface inputs from a user; a lid arranged in relation to the touch sensitive area, having a physical guiding form for enabling the user to provide a special set of user interface inputs to the touch sensitive area that are different than the first set; and a switch for changing the functionality of the touch sensitive area to respond to the special set of user interface inputs based on the position of the lid in relation to the touch sensitive area.

The physical guiding form enables the user to slide their finger on the surface of the lid for providing the special set of user interface inputs, and may be integrated into the lid or include one or more add-on pieces that are coupled on the lid.

*click to enlarge