USER INTERFACE FOR SELECTING AND CONTROLLING PLURALITY OF PARAMETERS AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AND CONTROLLING PLURALITY OF PARAMETERS

• US 20090153527A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Advanced Digital Broadcast SA (Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings SA)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Digital Broadcast SA (Advanced Digital Broadcast Holdings SA)
• Inventors: PACZKOWSKI, Jacek
• Application Number:
  US12/333,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20090153527A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/184
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• 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

A user interface for selecting and controlling a plurality of parameters of a device comprises a touch-sensitive apparatus (100) with a touch-sensitive area (101) and a controller (107). The touch-sensitive area (101) has a closed-loop shape limited at outside by an outer closed curve (105) and at inside by an inner closed curve (106) and capable to receive a touch input, whereas the controller (107) is connected to the touch-sensitive apparatus (100) and configured to detect a starting point (102) of the touch input, detect a touch hold duration at the starting point (102), in case of a touch hold duration not shorter than the activation time, determine a parameter associated with the starting point (102), in case of a hold duration shorter than the activation time, determine a previously controlled parameter, and control the determined parameter while the touch input moves along a control path (103). In addition, the control is sensitive to movement direction.

Claims

1. A user interface for selecting and controlling a plurality of parameters of a device and comprising a touch-sensitive apparatus (100) with a touch-sensitive area (101) and a controller (107) wherein

the touch-sensitive area (101) has a closed-loop shape limited at outside by an outer closed curve (105) and at inside by an inner closed curve (106) and capable to receive a touch input,

and wherein the controller (107) is connected to the touch-sensitive apparatus (100) and configured to

determine an activation time,

detect a starting point (102) of the touch input,

detect a touch hold duration at the starting point (102),

in case of a touch hold duration not shorter than the activation time, determine a parameter associated with the starting point (102),

in case of a hold duration shorter than the activation time, determine a previously controlled parameter, and

control the determined parameter while the touch input moves along a control path (103), the control being sensitive to movement direction.

2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the control paths (103) of parameters associated with neighboring starting points (102) overlap.

3. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the range of the control paths (103) of parameters are unlimited.

4. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive area (101) is of an annular shape.

5. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the user interface further comprises additional input means (104), and the controller (107) is configured to activate and/or deactivate upon detecting an input to the additional input means (104).

6. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive apparatus (100) is a touch screen.

7. The user interface according to claim 6, wherein the controller (107) is further configured to visualize regions (111, 112, 113) on the touch screen with which starting points (102) are associated.

8. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein the controller (107) is further configured to visualize on the touch screen (101) the range of the control path (103) of the determined parameter.

9. The user interface according to claim 7, wherein the controller (107) is further configured to visualize on the touch screen the value of the determined parameter.

10. A device comprising at least one user interface according to claim 1.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the device is a portable multimedia player.

12. A device of claim 10 wherein the device is a remote control unit.

13. A method for selecting and controlling a plurality of parameters of a device having a touch-sensitive apparatus with a touch-sensitive area and a controller, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting the touch-sensitive area of a closed-loop shape for receiving a touch input;

determining an activation time for selecting a parameter;

detecting a starting point of the touch input;

detecting a touch hold duration at the starting point;

in case of a touch hold duration not shorter than the activation time, determining a parameter associated with the starting point;

in case of a hold duration shorter than the activation time, determining a previously controlled parameter; and

controlling the previously controlled parameter while the touch input moves along a control path from the starting point, the control being sensitive to movement direction.

14. A computer program comprising program code means for performing all the steps of the method of claim 13 when said program is run on a computer.

15. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium comprising computer readable program means which, when executed, cause a computer to perform all of the steps of the method of claim 13.