Device, system, and methods for entering commands or characters using a touch screen

• US 10,146,428 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inpris Innovative Products Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Inpris Innovative Products Ltd.
• Inventors: Yaron, Ben Etzion, Yaron, Nissan
• Primary Examiner(s): Olson, Jason C
• Application Number:
  US15/241,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20170010799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 345173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04104 Multi-touch detection in digitiser, i.e. details about the simultaneous detection of a plurality of touching locations, e.g. multiple fingers or pen and finger
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0233 Character input methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, device, and system for entry of command using a touch sensitive surface. Instead of the device providing predefined locations for entering different commands, the device identifies the locations of three or more of the user'"'"'s fingers or other objects. After determining the locations of the fingers, an entry mode allows for the entry of one or more commands based on an association between the commands and movements of different fingers and the type or direction of movement. The association may include a first command associated with the sliding motion of only a first finger in a first direction and a second different command associated with the sliding motion of only a second finger in a second direction. The first and second directions may be the same (i.e., within about 30°, within about 20°, within about 15°, within about 10°, or within about 5°) or different (e.g., angled by more than 30°, angled by more than 40°, or angled by more than 50°). Preferably the command entry mode is triggered by a trigger event. Preferably one of the fingers remain on the touch sensitive surface from the identification of the locations of the fingers through the entry of the command.

Claims

1. A method of entering a command comprising the steps of:

i. a processor connected to a touch sensitive surface sensing a simultaneously positioning of exactly three or four objects above and near or on the touch sensitive surface each at a different sensing locations, including a positioning centered at a first finger initial sensing point, a positioning centered at a second finger initial sensing point, and a positioning centered at a third finger initial sensing point;

ii. the processor assigning a finger location region for two or more of the three or four objects, wherein each finger location region is a distinct region of the touch sensitive surface, and each finger location region includes one of the finger initial sensing points;

iii. the processor entering a command entry mode following the step of assigning the finger location regions, wherein the command entry mode includes an association having at least a first command associated with a movement of only one of the objects starting at a first finger location region and a second command different from the first command associated with a movement of only one of the objects starting at a second finger location region; and

iv. the processor recognizing a gesture on the touch sensitive surface including sensing the movement of only one of the objects starting at the first finger location region and identifying the associated first command based on the gesture;

wherein the finger location regions are assigned only after the sensing of the position of the three or four objects in step i;

the touch sensitive surface is in a vehicle facing away from a driver; and

one of the objects remain on the touch sensitive surface from the assignment of the finger location regions through the entry of the first command with the gesture.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method includes executing the control command for controlling a device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the touch sensitive surface is a surface of a pure entry device that is not a display surface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the touch sensitive surface is attached to a steering wheel.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a second touch sensitive surface is attached to the steering wheel.

6. A method of entering a command comprising the steps of:

i. a processor connected to a touch sensitive surface sensing a simultaneously positioning of three or more objects above and near or on the touch sensitive surface at three or more different sensing locations, including a positioning centered at a first finger initial sensing point, a positioning centered at a second finger initial sensing point, and a positioning centered at a third finger initial sensing point;

ii. the processor assigning a finger location region for two or more of the three or more objects, wherein each finger location region is a distinct region of the touch sensitive surface, and each finger location region includes one of the finger initial sensing points;

iii. the processor entering a command entry mode following the step of assigning the finger location regions, wherein the command entry mode includes an association having at least a first command associated with a movement of only one of the objects starting at a first finger location region and a second command different from the first command associated with a movement of only one of the objects starting at a second finger location region; and

iv. the processor recognizing a gesture on the touch sensitive surface including sensing the movement of only one of the objects starting at the first finger location region and identifying the associated first command based on the gesture;

wherein during the command entry mode the processor recognizing an entry positioning of an object within the first finger location region centered at a first finger offset sensing point different from the first finger initial sensing point, and the method includes a step of relocating the first finger location region.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the method includes the processor recognizing a gesture on the touch sensitive surface including the movement of only one of the objects starting at the second finger location region and identifying the associated second command based on the gesture.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the command entry mode is started after a predetermined time interval from the processor sensing the simultaneous positioning of the three or more objects.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the command entry mode is started after the processor identifies the removal of one or more of the objects.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the command entry mode is started after the processor identifies the removal of all except for one of the objects.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the processor senses a continuous contact between one of the objects and the touch sensitive surface from the sensing of the positioning of the object to the sensing the gesture made with the object.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a third entry command different from the first and second entry commands is associated with a different movement of only one of the objects starting at the first finger location region.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive surface is a surface of a pure entry device that.

14. The method of any of claim 6, wherein the touch sensitive surface is oriented so that the surface faces away from a user.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the method includes executing the control command for controlling a device.

16. The method of claim 6, wherein the first finger location region has a geometric center and the step of relocating the first finger relocation region includes moving the geometric center of the first finger location region towards the first finger offset sensing point.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein the method includes one or more of the following features:

i) the three or more objects are fingers;

ii) the step of sensing the simultaneous position occurs when the objects are 10 mm or less from the touch sensitive surface;

iii) the three or more different sensing locations are consistent with the positioning of three or more fingers of a hand;

iv) the processor assigns a finger location region for each of the objects;

v) each finger location region corresponds to only one of the fingers;

vi) the command entry mode is started after a transition event;

or

vii) the transition event is either the processor sensing the removal of all except one of the objects from the touch sensitive surface or a predetermined time interval is reached after the sensing of the positioning of the objects.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein an entry command controls a device selected from a radio, a phone, a telecommunication device, a heating and/or air conditioning system, a motor, a remote device connected via an internet connection, a device for controlling an internet application, a device for entry commands into a video game, and a light.

19. The method of claim 6, wherein each position on the touch sensitive surface is within at most one of the finger location regions.

20. A method of entering a control command comprising the steps of:

i. identifying a simultaneously contact on a touch sensitive surface at three or more different contact locations, including a contact centered at a first finger initial contact point, a contact centered at a second finger initial contact point, and a contact centered at a third finger initial contact point;

ii. assigning a finger contact region for each of the three or more fingers, wherein each finger contact region is a different region of the touch sensitive surface, and each finger contact region includes one of the initial contact points;

iii. recognizing the removing of the contact of the touch sensitive surface at one or more of contact locations; and

iv. recognizing an entry contact at one of the finger contact regions followed by a sliding movement of the entry contact in one or more contact movement directions, and moving a cursor on a display in a corresponding one or more cursor movement directions;

wherein the method includes;

the processor recognizing

i) a single contact on the touch sensitive surface in a single one of the finger contact regions,

ii) a movement of the single contact in one or more directions for selecting an application to control, and

iii) removal of the single contact from the touch sensitive surface;

the processor selecting the application to control based on the finger contact region and the movement;

the processor recognizing;

i) a different single contact on the touch sensitive surface in a different one of the finger contact regions,

ii) a movement of the different single contact in one or more directions for selecting a control of the application, and

iii) a removal of the different single contact from the touch sensitive surface; and

the processor selecting the control of the application based on the location of the different single contact and the movement of the different single contact.

21. A system for entry of control commands for controlling a device comprising:

an entry device including a touch sensitive surface;

a processor connected to the touch sensitive surface;

a memory storing instruction that, when executed by the processor causes the processor to;

i. sensing a simultaneously positioning of three or more objects above and near or on the touch sensitive surface at three or more different sensing locations, including a sensing centered at a first finger initial sensing point, a sensing centered at a second finger initial sensing point, and a sensing centered at a third finger initial sensing point;

ii. assign a finger location region for two or more of the three or more objects, wherein each finger location region is a distinct region of the touch sensitive surface, and each finger location region includes one of the finger initial sensing points;

iii. enter a command entry mode following a predetermined event, wherein the command entry mode includes an association of at least a first entry command associated with a movement of only one of the objects starting at a first finger location region and a second different entry command associated with generally the same movement of a different one of the objects starting at a second finger location region; and

iv. recognizing a gesture on the touch sensitive surface including sensing the movement of only one of the objects starting at the first finger location region and identifying the associated entry command based on the finger location and the movement;

wherein during the command entry mode upon the processor recognizing an entry positioning of an object within the first finger location region centered at a first finger offset sensing point different from the first finger initial sensing point, the processor relocates the first finger location region.