Device and method for controlling symbols displayed on a display device

• US 20050110756A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethertouch Limited
• Original Assignee: Ethertouch Limited
• Inventors: Liao, William, Hall, Bernard J.
• Application Number:
  US10/995,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20050110756A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/161
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/0407 Resolution change, inclusive of the use of different resolutions for different screen areas
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/24 Keyboard-Video-Mouse [KVM] switch

Abstract

A device for controlling keyboard keys displayed on a display. A three dimensional position sensing device is used to locate a pointing object such as a finger tip hovering over a display screen. A processor moves the displayed keys in corresponding x and y directions responsive to the two dimensional location of the finger tip. The processor also increases or decreases the size of a portion of the displayed keys depending on whether the finger tip is moving toward or away from the display in the z-direction in order to assist the user in navigating a full keyboard in a small display.

Claims

1. A device for controlling symbols displayed on a display, comprising:

a position sensing device having x, y and z outputs that correspond to the three dimensional position of a pointing object positioned above a display;

a processor connected to the x, y and z outputs of the position sensing device and operable to display a plurality of symbols on the display, the processor further operable to;

move the displayed symbols in corresponding x and y directions responsive to the x and y inputs; and

change the size of a portion of the displayed symbols in response to the z output.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving closer to the display, the processor increases the size of those keys that are closer to the x and y location of the pointing object.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is within a predetermined distance from the display in the z-direction, the processor selects the closest displayed key to the pointing object.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the processor highlights the selected key on the display.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and the processor determines user selection of one of the displayed keys when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving toward the display in the z-direction at a faster speed than a predetermined speed.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device for controlling symbols is incorporated into a mobile telephone device, a hand held personal digital assistant or a hand held game device.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein:

a control zone within the display is defined; and

when the x and y position of the pointing object is within the control zone, the processor freezes movement of the displayed symbols in the x and y direction.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein when the x and y position of the pointing object is outside the control zone, the processor moves the displayed symbols in the corresponding x and y direction at a speed which is based on how far away the pointing object is from the control zone in the x and y direction.

9. The device according to claim 7, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving closer to the display, the processor increases the size of those keys that are closer to the x and y location of the pointing object.

10. The device according to claim 7, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is within a predetermined distance from the display in the z-direction, the processor selects the closest displayed key to the pointing object.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the processor highlights the selected key on the display.

12. The device according to claim 7, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and the processor determines user selection of one of the displayed keys when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving toward the display in the z-direction at a faster speed than a predetermined speed.

13. A device for controlling keyboard keys displayed on a display, comprising:

a position sensing device having x, y and z outputs that correspond to the three dimensional position of a pointing object positioned above the display, the pointing object being a body part of a user;

a processor connected to the x, y and z outputs of the position sensing device and operable to display a plurality of symbols on the display, the processor further operable to;

move the displayed symbols in corresponding x and y directions responsive to the x and y inputs; and

increase the size of a portion of the displayed symbols which correspond to the x and y location of the pointing object when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving closer to the display.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys and when the processor receives from the z output an indication that the pointing object is moving closer to the display, the processor increases the size of those keys that are closer to the x and y location of the pointing object.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein:

a control zone within the display is defined; and

when the x and y position of the pointing object is within the control zone, the processor freezes movement of the displayed keyboard keys in the x and y direction.

16. The device according to claim 15, wherein when the x and y position of the pointing object is outside the control zone, the processor moves the displayed symbols in the corresponding x and y direction at a speed which is based on how far away the pointing object is from the control zone in the x and y direction.

17. A method of controlling symbols displayed on a display using a three dimensional position sensing device having x, y and z outputs, comprising:

displaying on a display a plurality of symbols;

receiving x, y and z outputs from a position sensing device, the x, y and z outputs corresponding to the three dimensional position of a pointing object positioned above the display;

moving the displayed symbols in corresponding x and y directions responsive to the x and y inputs of the position sensing device; and

changing the size of a portion of the displayed symbols in response to the z output.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the symbols are keyboard keys, further comprising:

determining user selection of one of the displayed keys when the z output indicates that the pointing object is moving toward the display in the z-direction at a faster speed than a predetermined speed.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

freezing movement of the displayed symbols in the x and y direction when the x and y position of the pointing object is within a control zone defined inside the display.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein when the x and y position of the pointing object is outside the control zone, and wherein the step of moving includes moving the displayed symbols in the corresponding x and y direction at a speed which is based on how far away the pointing object is from the control zone in the x and y direction.