PROGRAMMABLE TACTILE TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAYS AND MAN-MACHINE INTERFACES FOR IMPROVED VEHICLE INSTRUMENTATION AND TELEMATICS

• US 20090273575A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,610,674 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed are new methods and apparatus particularly suited for applications in a vehicle, to provide a wide range of information, and the safe input of data to a computer controlling the vehicle subsystems or “Telematic” communication using for example GM'"'"'s “ONSTAR” or cellular based data sources. Preferred embodiments utilize new programmable forms of tactile touch screens and displays employing tactile physical selection or adjustment means which utilize direct optical data input. A revolutionary form of dashboard or instrument panel results which is stylistically attractive, lower in cost, customizable by the user, programmable in both the tactile and visual sense, and with the potential of enhancing interior safety and vehicle operation. Non-automotive applications of the invention are also disclosed, for example means for general computer input using touch screens and home automation systems.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for performing an operation on a computer system in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

identifying a home position on a touch screen corresponding to the location of a first touch input;

in response to said identifying step, displaying a virtual controller on the touch screen, wherein a portion of the virtual controller is located at the home position; and

detecting movement of a second touch input along the touch screen relative to the home position, wherein the first touch input and second touch input are simultaneously in contact with the touch screen; and

performing an operation in response to the detected movement of the second touch input.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the movement of the second touch input relative to the home position includes at least a partial rotation of the second touch input about the home position.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the movement of the second touch input relative to the home position includes a change in the distance between the second touch input and the home position.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein said performing step includes determining a desired value of a variable as a function of the movement of the second touch input relative to the home position.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the home position is selected by the user from among a plurality of locations on the touch screen.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the virtual controller includes at least one of a bar and a knob.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein:

the first touch input corresponds to at least one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen; and

the second touch input corresponds to at least one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein said identifying step includes:

detecting a force corresponding to the first touch input; and

registering the home position when the force exceeds a threshold value.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

displaying the controller in a first orientation in response to said identifying step; and

displaying the controller in a second orientation different from the first orientation in response to said detecting step.

10. A computer implemented method for performing an operation on a computer system in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

identifying a home position on a touch screen corresponding to the location of a first touch input;

displaying a virtual controller on the touch screen, wherein a portion of the virtual controller is displayed at the home position;

detecting movement of the first input along the touch screen relative to the home position; and

performing an operation in response to the detected movement.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the virtual controller includes a slider bar.

12. The method according to claim 10 wherein the movement of the first touch input relative to the home position includes a change in the distance between the first touch input and the home position.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein said performing step includes determining a desired value of a variable as a function of the detected movement.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the home position is selected by the user from among a plurality of locations on the touch screen.

15. The method according to claim 10 wherein the first touch input corresponds to at least one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen.

16. The method according to claim 10 wherein said identifying step includes:

detecting a force corresponding to the first touch input; and

registering the home position when the force exceeds a threshold value.

17. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

displaying the controller in a first orientation in response to said identifying step; and

displaying the controller in a second orientation different from the first orientation in response to said detecting step.

18. A touch interface for a computer comprising:

a display screen adapted to display a virtual controller at a user-designated origin, wherein the user-designated origin is selectable from among a plurality of locations on the display screen; and

a control circuit adapted to identify a time-based change in the location of a touch input relative to the user-designated origin, the control circuit being further adapted to determine a desired value of a variable as a function of the time-based change in the location of the touch input relative to the origin.

19. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the user-designated origin is selected in response to the touch input by the user.

20. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the control circuit is further adapted to detect a force corresponding to the touch input and register the user-designated origin when the force exceeds a threshold value.

21. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the change in the location of the touch input relative to the user-designated origin includes at least a partial rotation of the touch input about the origin.

22. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the change in the location of the touch input relative to the user-designated origin includes a change in the distance between the touch input and the origin.

23. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the virtual controller includes at least one of a bar and a knob.

24. The touch interface of claim 18 wherein the touch input corresponds to at least one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display screen.

25. A computer implemented method for performing an operation on a computer system in response to input received from a user, the method comprising:

identifying a first touch input on a first portion of the touch screen corresponding to one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen;

identifying a second touch input on a second portion of the touch screen corresponding to one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the touch screen, the first and second touch inputs being simultaneously in contact with the touch screen; and

performing an operation based on the location of the first touch input and the location of the second touch input, wherein the location of the first touch input designates a desired function and the location of the second touch input designates a desired degree of the function selected by the user.

26. The method according to claim 25 wherein the function includes at least one of heat and lighting for a vehicle control panel.