Method for automatic switching between a cursor controller and a keyboard of depressible touch panels

• US 20100038151A1
• Filed: 08/14/2008
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: E-Lead Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: E-Lead Electronic Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Chen, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US12/222,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20100038151A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 178/18.30
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers

Abstract

A method for automatic switching between a cursor controller and a keyboard of depressible touch panels includes at least the following procedures: 1. setting operation modes for a touch panel in a cursor controller state and a keyboard state that are switchable alternately; 2. detecting sliding (movement) of a user'"'"'s finger on the touch panel in the keyboard state and switching to the cursor controller state when the detected sliding reaches a set value; 3. detecting all depressing signals in the keyboard state and entering designated characters of depressing locations and maintaining the keyboard state; 4. detecting the touch panel depressed by the user'"'"'s finger in a set condition in the cursor controller state and switching to the keyboard state; 5. detecting the sliding of the user'"'"'s finger in the cursor controller state and moving the cursor in a corresponding manner on a screen and maintaining the cursor controller state. By means of the procedures set forth above user'"'"'s requirements can be judged automatically, and instant switching of the touch panel between the keyboard state and cursor controller state can be accomplished to enable users to perform various types of input operations and function execution.

Claims

1. A method for automatic switching between a cursor controller and a keyboard of depressible touch panels, comprising at least the steps of:

setting operation modes of a touch panel in a cursor controller state and a keyboard state that are switchable alternately;

detecting sliding (movement) of a user'"'"'s finger on the touch panel in the keyboard state and switching to the cursor controller state when the sliding reaches a set value;

detecting all depressible signals in the keyboard state and entering designated characters according to depressed locations and maintaining the keyboard state;

detecting finger depression on the touch panel in a set condition in the cursor controller state and switching to the keyboard state; and

detecting sliding of the finger in the cursor controller state and moving a cursor in a corresponding manner on the screen and maintaining the cursor controller state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting sliding of the finger in the cursor controller state also detects the finger depression on the touch panel not in the set condition, then cursor input function is executed and the cursor controller state is maintained.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the set condition at the step of finger depression on the touch panel in a set condition in the cursor controller state sets at least one first preset depression zone on a depression segment of the touch panel, the operation mode of the touch panel being switched to the keyboard state when the first preset depression zone is depressed.

4. The method of claim 1 further including detection of the finger depression on at least one second preset depression zone on a depression segment of the touch panel in the keyboard state and executing cursor input function.

5. The method of claim 1 further including detection of the finger depression on at least one third preset depression zone on a depression segment of the touch panel in the cursor controller state and executing input of keyboard characters or function.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the set condition at the step of detecting finger depression on the touch panel in a set condition in the cursor controller state is a time period for maintaining the finger depression on the touch panel and switches to the keyboard state when the time period is reached.

7. The method of claim 1 further including detecting the finger depression on the touch panel for a set time period in the keyboard state and executing a cursor input operation.