System and method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface

• US 20070024595A1
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Errico, Michael, Baker, Jeffrey, Branton, Steve, Arthur, David
• Granted Patent: US 8,049,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface. The method includes detecting a contact with the touch sensitive control input surface, determining a pressure value corresponding to the contact, and initiating a control function from a set of possible control functions based at least in part on the pressure value.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface, the method comprising:

detecting a contact with the touch sensitive control input surface;

determining a pressure value corresponding to the contact;

initiating a first control function in response to the pressure value being within a first predetermined range; and

initiating a second control function in response to the pressure value being within a second predetermined range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to control volume and the first control function modifies the volume at a first rate and the second control function modifies the volume at a second rate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list and the first control function scrolls through the list at a first rate and the second control function scrolls through the list at a second rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function scrolls through the list at a predetermined rate and the second control function steps through the list by a predetermined number of elements.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting an element when the pressure value is greater than or equal to a predetermined entry pressure value for a predetermined duration of time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to step through a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function steps through the list at a first predetermined number of elements and the second control function steps through the list by a second predetermined number of elements.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a hierarchical list and the first control function navigates a first layer of the hierarchical list and the second control function navigates a second layer of the hierarchical list.

10. A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface, the method comprising:

dividing the touch sensitive control input surface into a plurality of regions, wherein one or more of the plurality of regions are pressure sensitive regions;

assigning each of the plurality of regions to at least one control function, wherein each of the pressure sensitive regions are assigned two or more control functions;

determining when an operator initiates contact with a first pressure sensitive region;

determining a pressure value corresponding to the operator initiated contact;

initiating a first control function in response to the pressure value being within a first predetermined range; and

initiating a second control function in response to the pressure value being within a second predetermined range.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein each of the pressure sensitive regions are assigned two or more control functions based on a state of a corresponding controller.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to control volume and the first control function modifies the volume at a first rate and the second control function modifies the volume at a second rate.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list and the first control function scrolls through the list at a first rate and the second control function scrolls through the list at a second rate.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function scrolls through the list at a predetermined rate and the second control function steps through the list by a predetermined number of elements.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of selecting an element when the pressure value is greater than or equal to a predetermined entry pressure value for a duration of time between a minimum time limit and a maximum time limit.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to step through a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function steps through the list at a first predetermined number of elements and the second control function steps through the list by a second predetermined number of elements.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a hierarchical list and the first control function navigates a first layer of the hierarchical list and the second control function navigates a second layer of the hierarchical list.

20. A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface, the method comprising:

detecting a contact with the touch sensitive control input surface;

determining a pressure value corresponding to the contact; and

initiating a control function from a set of possible control functions based at least in part on the pressure value.

21. A method of claim 20 wherein a resistive element is implemented to detect the contact with the touch sensitive control input surface.