User interface

• US 20090167507A1
• Filed: 12/07/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Maenpaa, Jani Christian
• Application Number:
  US11/999,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20090167507A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.200
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

The invention relates to a user interface of an electronic device. The user interface includes a touch sensitive display panel and an actuator that is arranged to generate a signal that is detectable for a human being. The actuator is arranged to alter a property of the signal as a response to a situation in which an external object is slid on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel. The property of the signal can be, for example, amplitude or frequency of mechanical vibration generated to a housing of the electronic device. The signal represents a feedback to a user of the electronic device and it makes the user interface more illustrative when the touch sensitive display panel is used for controlling a quantity having a continuous nature, e.g. volume of voice generated with a speaker element.

Claims

1. A user interface comprising:

a touch sensitive display panel,

a controller arranged to control an electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel, and

an actuator arranged to generate a signal that is detectable for a human being,

wherein the actuator is arranged to alter a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

2. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a vibration generator that is arranged to alter amplitude of mechanical vibration produced with the vibration generator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

3. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a vibration generator that is arranged to alter frequency of mechanical vibration produced with the vibration generator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

4. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an oscillator that is arranged to alter amplitude of voice produced with the oscillator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

5. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is an oscillator that is arranged to alter frequency of voice produced with the oscillator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

6. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a light source that is arranged to alter intensity of light produced with the light source as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

7. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is a light source that is arranged to alter color of light produced with the light source as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

8. A user interface according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is arranged to alter the property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid along a pre-determined path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

9. A user interface according to claim 8, wherein the pre-determined path is one of the following:

a linear path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel and a circular path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

10. A user interface according to claim 2, wherein the vibration generator is one of the following:

an electromechanical vibration generator and a piezo-electric vibration generator.

11. A method comprising:

controlling an electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of a touch sensitive display panel,

generating a signal that is detectable for a human being, and

altering a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is mechanical vibration and amplitude of said mechanical vibration is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is mechanical vibration and frequency of said mechanical vibration is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is voice and amplitude of said voice is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

15. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is voice and frequency of said voice is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

16. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is light and intensity of said light is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display.

17. A method according to claim 11, wherein said signal is light and color of said light is altered as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display.

18. A method according to claim 11, wherein the property of said signal is altered as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid along a pre-determined path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the pre-determined path is one of the following:

a linear path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel and a circular path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

20. A method according to claim 12, wherein the mechanical vibration is generated with one of the following:

an electromechanical vibration generator and a piezo-electric vibration generator.

21. An electronic device comprising:

a touch sensitive display panel,

a controller arranged to control an electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel, and

an actuator arranged to generate a signal that is detectable for a human being,

wherein the actuator is arranged to alter a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

22. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the actuator is a vibration generator that is arranged to alter amplitude of mechanical vibration produced with the vibration generator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

23. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the actuator is a vibration generator that is arranged to alter frequency of mechanical vibration produced with the vibration generator as a response to the situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

24. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the actuator is arranged to alter the property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid along a pre-determined path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

25. An electronic device according to claim 24, wherein the pre-determined path is one of the following:

a linear path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel and a circular path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

26. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the controller is arranged to control a gain of an amplifier circuitry coupled to a speaker element on the basis of the position of the external object on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

27. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the controller is arranged to control a gain of an amplifier circuitry coupled to a microphone on the basis of the position of the external object on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

28. An electronic device according to claim 21, wherein the electronic device is at least one of the following:

a mobile communication terminal, a palmtop computer, and a portable play station.

29. A computer readable medium storing a computer program for making a processor unit to control an electronic device that includes:

a touch sensitive display panel, and

an actuator arranged to generate a signal that is detectable for a human being,

the computer program comprising computer executable instructions for making the processor unit;

to control the electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel, and

to alter a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

30. A computer readable medium according to claim 29, wherein the computer executable instructions are capable of making the processor unit to alter the property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid along a pre-determined path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

31. An interface module comprising:

a touch sensitive display panel,

a controller capable of controlling an electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel, and

an actuator arranged to generate a signal that is detectable for a human being,

wherein the actuator is arranged to alter a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

32. An interface module according to claim 31, wherein the actuator is arranged to alter the property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid along a pre-determined path on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.

33. A user interface comprising:

a touch sensitive display panel,

means for controlling an electronic device on the basis of a position of an external object on a surface of the touch sensitive display panel,

means for generating a signal that is detectable for a human being, and

means for altering a property of said signal as a response to a situation in which the external object is slid on the surface of the touch sensitive display panel.