Enhanced Visual Feedback For Touch-Sensitive Input Device

• US 20100156656A1
• Filed: 12/22/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dominguez, Dianne Parry, Dellinger, Richard R., Skillman, Peter, Shiplacoff, Daniel Marc Gatan, Duarte, Matias Gonzalo, Lyon, Jeremy Godfrey
• Granted Patent: US 8,547,244 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/815.400
• 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 touch-sensitive input device provides improved visual feedback at (or near) the point and time of contact. As the user touches a touch-sensitive screen or pad, a portion of the screen or pad changes in visual appearance to indicate that the input has been received. In one embodiment, the change in visual appearance is localized to an area proximate to the point of contact. In one embodiment, the change in visual appearance is accomplished by illuminating an area proximate to and centered around the point of contact. In another embodiment, the change in visual appearance is accomplished by illuminating one or more illuminable elements, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the touch-sensitive pad.

Claims

1. A device for providing feedback for gesture input, comprising:

a gesture area, adapted to detect user input representing at least one gesture; and

at least one illuminable element, positioned within the gesture area, adapted to illuminate responsive to the gesture.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the gesture area is touch-sensitive, and wherein the user input comprises user contact with the gesture area.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the gesture area is proximity-sensitive, and wherein the user input comprises at least one gesture performed proximate to the gesture area.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element comprises at least one light emitting diode.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element comprises:

at least one light emitting diode; and

an illuminable physical button that is user-activatable by application of pressure thereon.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element is adapted to illuminate to generate an acknowledgement of the gesture.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the gesture area is adapted to detect at least one gesture selected from the group consisting of:

a swipe gesture;

a half-swipe gesture;

a tap-and-hold gesture;

a scratch gesture; and

an orbit gesture.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element is adapted to illuminate in a pattern indicating the gesture.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element is adapted to illuminate to indicate an approximate location of the user input.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one illuminable element is further adapted to illuminate in a pattern indicating at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a state of the device; and

an event.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the pattern comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a breathe pattern;

a pulse pattern; and

a ripple pattern.

12. The device of claim 10, wherein the state of the device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a sleep state;

a low-battery state;

a power-saving state; and

a screen-off state.

13. The device of claim 10, wherein the event comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an error;

an incoming message;

a stored message;

a missed message;

an incoming telephone call; and

a missed telephone call.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the device comprises one selected from the group consisting of:

a telephone;

a smartphone;

a personal digital assistant;

a computer;

a handheld computer;

a kiosk;

an input terminal; and

a remote control.

15. In a device, a method for providing feedback for gesture input, comprising:

detecting user input in a gesture area, the user input representing at least one gesture; and

responsive to the gesture, illuminating at least one illuminable element positioned within the gesture area.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein illuminating at least one illuminable element comprises illuminating at least one light emitting diode.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein illuminating at least one illuminable element comprises illuminating at least one illuminable element in a pattern indicating the gesture.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein illuminating at least one illuminable element comprises illuminating at least one illuminable element at an approximate location of the user input.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising illuminating the at least one illuminable element in a pattern indicating at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a state of the device; and

an event.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pattern comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a breathe pattern;

a pulse pattern; and

a ripple pattern.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the state of the device comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

a sleep state;

a low-battery state;

a power-saving state; and

a screen-off state.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the event comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of:

an error;

an incoming message;

a stored message;

a missed message;

an incoming telephone call; and

a missed telephone call.

23. A computer program product for providing feedback for gesture input, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium; and

computer program code, encoded on the medium, for;

detecting user input in a gesture area, the user input representing at least one gesture; and

responsive to the gesture, illuminating at least one illuminable element positioned within the gesture area.