ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH TOUCH-SENSITIVE NAVIGATIONAL MECHANISMS, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS

• US 20080284741A1
• Filed: 09/05/2007
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Kao, Yih-Feng, Wang, John C., Hsu, Chih-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 8,120,586 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Electronic devices with preselected operational characteristics and associated methods are disclosed. The electronic devices can include a sensing component that senses a touch from an input mechanism and an input circuitry that measures at least one parameter of the touch from the sensing component. The electronic devices can also include a processor that performs an analysis of the measured at least one parameter of the detected touch and causes the user interface to navigate on the display based on the performed analysis.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display that presents a user interface to a user;

a sensing component that senses a touch from an input mechanism;

an input circuitry that measures at least one parameter of the touch via the sensing component; and

a processor that performs an analysis of the measured at least one parameter of the detected touch and causes the user interface to navigate on the display based on the performed analysis.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a storage holding instructions for performing the analysis of the measured at least one parameter and causing the user interface to navigate on the display based on the performed analysis.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the sensing component includes at least one of a resistive touch screen, a capacitive touch screen, an infrared touch screen, a surface acoustic wave touch screen, a pressure sensor, and a temperature sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the input circuitry measures a duration of the touch, and wherein the processor compares the measured duration to a threshold and indicates that the touch is a click if the measured duration is less than the threshold.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the input circuitry measures a duration of the touch, and wherein the processor compares the measured duration to a threshold and indicates that the touch is an input for panning if the measured duration is greater than the threshold.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the input circuitry measures a duration and a position of the touch, and wherein the processor compares the measured duration to a threshold, compares the position to a location of the display, and indicates that the touch is an input for continuous panning if the measured duration is greater than the threshold and the measured position extends beyond the display.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the input circuitry measures a position of the touch as a function of time and the processor calculates a positional change based on the measured position of the touch and indicates an input for scrolling if the calculated positional change exceeds a threshold.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 wherein the threshold is a first threshold and the touch is a first touch, and wherein the input circuitry measures a position of a second touch as a function of time, and wherein the processor calculates a positional change based on the measured position of the second touch and indicates an input for stopping scrolling if the calculated positional change is less than a second threshold.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 wherein if the calculated positional change is greater than the second threshold, the processor calculates an elapsed time between the first touch and the second touch and indicates an input for accelerated scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is less than a scrolling-time threshold, and wherein the processor indicates an input for extended scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is greater than the scrolling-time threshold.

10. A method for operating an electronic device, comprising:

measuring at least one parameter of a detected touch from an input mechanism on a sensing component of the electronic device;

performing an analysis of the measured at least one parameter of the detected touch from the input mechanism; and

causing the user interface to navigate on a display of the electronic device based on the performed analysis.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detecting the touch from the input mechanism before measuring at least one parameter of the detected touch.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein measuring at least one parameter of the touch includes measuring a position, a duration, a pressure, and/or a temperature of the touch.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein measuring at least one parameter of the touch includes measuring a duration of the touch, and wherein the method further includes comparing the measured duration to a threshold and indicating that the touch is an input for panning if the measured duration is greater than the threshold.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein measuring at least one parameter of the touch includes measuring a duration and a position of the touch, and wherein the method further includes

comparing the measured duration to a threshold;

comparing the position to a location of the display; and

indicating that the touch is an input for continuous panning if the measured duration is greater than the threshold and the measured position extends beyond the display.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein measuring at least one parameter of the touch includes measuring a duration and a position of the touch, and wherein the method further includes

calculating a positional change based on the measured position of the touch;

comparing the measured duration to a duration threshold;

comparing the positional change to a positional threshold; and

indicating an input for scrolling if the measured duration is greater than the duration threshold and the calculated positional change exceeds the positional threshold.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the positional threshold is a first positional threshold and the touch is a first touch, and wherein the method further includes

measuring a position of a second touch after indicating an input for scrolling;

calculating a positional change based on the measured position of the second touch; and

indicating an input for stopping scrolling if the calculated positional change of the second touch is less than a second positional threshold.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein if the calculated positional change is greater than the second threshold, calculating an elapsed time between the first touch and the second touch and indicating an input for accelerated scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is less than a scrolling-time threshold;

otherwise, indicating an input for extended scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is greater than the scrolling-time threshold.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein measuring at least one parameter of the touch includes sampling and buffering an input signal of the at least one parameter for a preselected period of time.

19. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing the method of claim 10.

20. A method for operating an electronic device, comprising:

detecting a touch from an input mechanism on a sensing component of the electronic device;

determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch; and

recognizing the detected touch as at least one of a signal for clicking, a signal for panning, a signal for scrolling, and a signal for accelerated scrolling based on the determined at least one characteristic of the detected touch.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch includes determining a duration of the detected touch, and wherein recognizing the detected touch includes indicating the touch as an input for clicking if the determined duration is less than a threshold.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch includes determining a duration of the detected touch, and wherein recognizing the detected touch includes indicating the touch as an input for panning if the determined duration is greater than a threshold.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch further includes determining a position of the detected touch, and wherein recognizing the detected touch further includes indicating the touch as an input for continuous panning if the determined position indicates that the detected touch is beyond a display of the electronic device.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch further includes determining a positional change of the detected touch, and wherein recognizing the detected touch further includes indicating the touch as an input for scrolling if the determined positional change is greater than a threshold.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the detected touch is a first touch, and wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch further includes determining a positional change of a second detected touch, and wherein recognizing the detected touch further includes indicating the touch as an input for stopping scrolling if the determined positional change of the second touch is less than a threshold.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein if the calculated positional change is greater than the threshold, calculating an elapsed time between the first touch and the second touch and indicating an input for accelerated scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is less than a scrolling-time threshold;

otherwise, indicating an input for extended scrolling if the calculated elapsed time is greater than the scrolling-time threshold.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein determining at least one characteristic of the detected touch includes sampling and buffering input signals of at least one parameter of the detected touch.

28. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing the method of claim 20.