Segmented touch screen console with module docking

• US 20070103447A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electronic Theatre Controls Incorporated
• Inventors: Penn, Jason, Varian, Dennis, Li, Zhaodong, Hanesworth, John, Foster, Fred
• Granted Patent: US 7,839,391 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0219 Special purpose keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04166 Details of scanning methods, e.g. sampling time, grouping of sub areas or time sharing with display driving Synchronisation with the driving of the display or the backlighting unit to avoid interferences generated internally G06F3/04184
• 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 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04895 Guidance during keyboard input operation, e.g. prompting

Abstract

A segmented touch screen overlies the display or displays of a console having an operating system and display controller for the display. A touch screen controller is continuously connected to each of the touch screen segments and separate touch position information is obtained for each touch screen segment. The console operating system can be supplied with separate position information for each segment or with a single touch position for combined segments. A number of docking module ports near the display optionally receive docking modules that cover segments of the touch screen and display. A module, including tactile elements such as push button switches, can be docked at any port. When a module is detected, the touch screen segment under the module is disabled and the display under the module is switched to display module specific information.

Claims

1. A method of operating a control console comprising:

displaying information on a console display;

detecting the presence of a docking module on the console display; and

changing the information presented on the console display when a module is detected.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said displaying step includes presenting information unrelated to a docking module, and said changing step includes presenting information specific to the docking module.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising obtaining position information from a touch screen covering the display;

and

discontinuing said obtaining step when a module is detected.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step includes determining the location of the docking module on the display and said changing step includes limiting the change of information to a segment of the display under the docking module.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising obtaining independent position information from a plurality of touch screen segments on the display, and discontinuing said obtaining step for any touch screen segment when a module is detected on that segment.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said detecting step includes sensing the presence of a module at a docking port adjacent the display.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said sensing step includes making electrical contact with a module at the docking port.

8. A method of operating a control console comprising:

obtaining position information from a touch screen covering a console display;

detecting the presence of a docking module on the console display; and

discontinuing said obtaining step when a module is detected.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said detecting step includes sensing electrical contact with a module at a module docking port adjacent the display.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said obtaining step includes receiving independent position information from a plurality of touch screen segments on the display, and said discontinuing step includes disabling said receiving step for any touch screen segment when a module is detected on that segment.

11. A control console comprising:

a display;

a plurality of module docking ports adjacent said display;

a plurality of touch screen segments on said display;

a docking module receivable at any one of said module docking ports;

a module detector at each said docking ports; and

a touch screen controller disabling one of said touch screen segments in response to a module detection signal from any of said module detectors.

12. A control console as claimed in claim 11 wherein said docking module is at least partly transparent.

13. A control console as claimed in claim 12 further comprising a console operating system changing the information displayed under a docking module in response to a module detection signal from any of said module detectors.

14. A control console as claimed in claim 13 wherein said docking module includes a plurality of user input elements and transparent legend regions adjacent said elements, said console operating system displaying element legend information in response to a module detection signal from any of said module detectors.

15. A control console as claimed in claim 14, said user input elements comprising push button switches.

16. A control console as claimed in claim 14, said user input elements comprising linear faders.

17. A control console as claimed in claim 14, said user input elements comprising rotary encoders.

18. A control console comprising:

a console operating system with a processor and memory;

a display for displaying information to a user;

a display controller operating said display under control of said console operating system;

a user input touch screen over said display;

a touch screen controller receiving touch position information from said touch screen;

a module port adjacent said display for docking of a module on said display;

a module detector; and

said touch screen controller disabling said touch screen in response to a module detection signal from said module detector.

19. A control console as claimed in claim 18, said operating system altering the information displayed at said console in response to a module detection signal from said module detector.

20. A console comprising:

a display

an operating system including a display controller for displaying information on said display;

a touch screen assembly overlying said display;

said touch screen assembly including a plurality of touch screen segments;

a touch screen controller continuously connected to each of said segments; and

said touch screen controller independently receiving touch position information from each of said touch screen segments.

21. The console of claim 20, said touch screen controller including memory for storing touch screen position information for each of said touch screen segments, and a processor for generating overall touch screen position information for a combination of said touch screen segments.

22. The console of claim 21, said touch screen controller communicating to said operating system (i) touch screen position information for each of said touch screen segments, (ii) touch screen position information for less than all of said touch screen segments, or (iii) overall touch screen position information for a combination of said touch screen segments.

23. The console of claim 20, said touch screen assembly including spaced active layers, one of said active layers covering all of said display, and another of said active layers including segment portions defining said display segments.

24. The console of claim 20, said console including a module docking port adjacent one of said touch screen segments, said docking port including a module detector, and said touch screen controller disabling said one touch screen segment in response to a module detection signal from said module detector.

25. The console of claim 20, said console including module docking ports adjacent said touch screen segments, said module docking ports including module detectors, said touch screen controller disabling said touch screen segments in response to module detection signals from said module detectors.

26. A method of controlling a console having a display with a segmented touch screen overlying the display, said method comprising:

obtaining separate touch position information form each segment of the segmented touch screen.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

using the touch position information from each segment of the segmented touch screen to generate a single overall touch screen position for a combination of the touch screen segments.

28. The method of claim 26 further comprising detecting the presence of a docking module over any one of the touch screen segments and disabling the touch screen segment under the docking module.

29. The method of claim 26 further comprising detecting the presence of docking modules over any of the touch screen segments and disabling the touch screen segment under the docking modules.

30. The method of claim 28 further comprising communicating the separate touch screen information to a console operating system and wherein said disabling step includes interrupting the communication of touch screen information from the touch screen segment under the module.