ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH SWITCHABLE USER INTERFACE AND ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH ACCESSIBLE TOUCH OPERATION

• US 20090278805A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Liu, Te-Chuan, Kao, Yih-Feng
• Granted Patent: US 8,456,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device with switchable user interface and an electronic device with accessible touch operation are provided. The electronic device with switchable user interface includes a display, a touch sensing means, a position detecting module and a processing module. The touch sensing means is used for sensing a touch of an input tool. The position detecting module is used for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch sensing means. If the touch is generated on the specific area, the position detecting module determines whether the position of the touch is varied. The processing module coupled to the position detecting module is used for activating a user interface on the display if there is a position variation of the touch. Consequently, the convenience of operating the electronic device is improved.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a switchable user interface, comprising:

a display;

a touch sensing means for detecting a touch of an input tool, the touch sensing means having a specific area;

a position detecting module coupled to the display and the touch sensing means for determining whether or not the touch is generated on the specific area of the touch sensing means and determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area; and

a processing module coupled to the position detecting module for activating a user interface and displaying the user interface on the display if the position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein when the processing module activates the user interface, the user interface is dragged out from a display edge of the display and displayed on the display.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting module calculates a moving distance of the touch, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

4. The electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the position detecting module calculates the moving distance of the touch within a predetermined time.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing means is a touch pad.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing means is a touch panel, and the touch panel and the display constitute a touch display.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the touch panel comprises a display area and a non-display on the display, and the display area and the non-display area are located on the same surface.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein the specific area is a marginal area of the display area, the non-display area, or a central area of the display area.

9. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a user interface having at least one finger-touchable icon, or a user interface having at least one finger-touchable image.

10. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the processing module activates the user interface to replace another user interface on the display.

11. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein both of the user interface and another user interface comprise a user interface having at least one finger-touchable icon or at least one finger-touchable image.

12. The electronic device according to claim 10, wherein the user interface and another user interface are respectively located on two surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

13. The electronic device according to claim 12, wherein the 3D motion user interface is a polyhedron and rotates around an axis X, an axis Z, or a tilted axis.

14. An electronic device with a switchable user interface, comprising:

a display;

a touch sensing means for detecting a touch of an input tool, the touch sensing means having a specific area;

a position detecting module coupled to the display and the touch sensing means for determining whether or not the touch is generated on the specific area of the touch sensing means and determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area;

a direction detecting module coupled to the position detecting module for detecting a moving direction of the touch; and

a processing module coupled to the position detecting module and the direction detecting module for switching a first user interface to a second user interface on the display according to the moving direction if the position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed.

15. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein when the processing module switches the first user interface to the second user interface, the second user interface is dragged out from a display edge of the display opposite to the moving direction and displayed on the display to replace the first user interface.

16. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the position detecting module calculates a moving distance of the touch, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

17. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein both of the first user interface and the second user interface comprise a user interface having at least one finger-touchable icon or at least one finger-touchable image.

18. The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are respectively located on two adjacent surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

19. An electronic device with accessible touch operation, suitable for activating a user interface, comprising:

a case having an external surface and an opening defined therein;

a touch display disposed in the opening of the case for receiving a touch of an input tool, the touch display having a touch sensing surface, wherein the external surface of the case is substantially not higher than the touch sensing surface; and

a processor coupled to the touch display for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch display, determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch display is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area, and activating and displaying the user interface on the touch display if the position of the touch on the touch display is changed.

20. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the processor calculates a moving distance of the touch, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

21. The electronic device according to claim 19, wherein the touch display comprises a display area and a non-display area, and the display area and the non-display area are located on the same surface.

22. An electronic device with accessible touch operation, suitable for switching a user interface, comprising:

a case having an external surface and an opening defined therein;

a touch display, disposed in the opening of the case for receiving a touch of an input tool, the touch display having a touch sensing surface, wherein the external surface of the case is substantially not higher than the touch sensing surface; and

a processor coupled to the touch display for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch display, determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch display is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area, detecting a moving direction of the touch, and switching the user interface to another user interface on the touch display according to the moving direction if the position of the touch on the touch display is changed.

23. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein the processor calculates a moving distance of the touch, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

24. The electronic device according to claim 22, wherein both of the user interface and another user interface comprise a user interface having at least one finger-touchable icon or at least one finger-touchable image.