TOUCH-SENSITIVE INPUT DEVICE, MOBILE DEVICE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A TOUCH-SENSITIVE INPUT DEVICE

• US 20110221684A1
• Filed: 03/11/2010
• Published: 09/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: RYDENHAG, Tobias
• Application Number:
  US12/721,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20110221684A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a touch-sensitive input device for an electronic device, a mobile device and a method for operating a touch-sensitive input device that allow additional and more flexible input operations by a user, such as different input gestures. The touch-sensitive input device for an electronic device comprises a touch-sensitive sensor panel operable to sense a region of said touch-sensitive sensor panel that is touched by a user; and a controller adapted to determine a shape and position of the touched region on said touch-sensitive sensor panel at different times and adapted to trigger a function of the electronic device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.

Claims

1. Touch-sensitive input device for an electronic device, comprising

a touch-sensitive sensor panel operable to sense a region of said touch-sensitive sensor panel that is touched by a user;

and

a controller adapted to determine a shape and position of the touched region on said touch-sensitive sensor panel at different times and adapted to trigger a function of the electronic device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.

2. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive sensor panel has a plurality of touch-sensitive elements activatable by the user and activated touch-sensitive elements define the shape and position of said touched region.

3. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 2, wherein said touch-sensitive elements comprise at least one of resistive and capacitive touch-sensitive elements.

4. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to determine the center position of said touched region.

5. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to detect a finger of said user rolling over said touch-sensitive sensor panel by determining a change in the size and of position of said touched region with time.

6. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to detect a finger of said user increasing pressure on said touch-sensitive sensor panel by determining an increase in the size and change of position of said touched region with time.

7. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, wherein said controller is adapted to detect a finger of said user decreasing pressure on said touch-sensitive sensor panel by determining a decrease in the size and change of position of said touched region with time.

8. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 1, further comprising a display device.

9. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 8, wherein said controller is adapted to control a rotation of a virtual three-dimensional object displayed on said display device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.

10. Touch-sensitive input device of claim 8, wherein said controller is adapted to control the selection of a virtual object displayed on said display device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.

12. Mobile device comprising said touch-sensitive input device of claim 1.

13. Mobile device of claim 12, wherein said mobile device constitutes a mobile phone with a touch screen display.

11. Touch-sensitive input device for an electronic device, comprising

a touch-sensitive sensor panel operable to sense a region of said touch-sensitive sensor panel that is touched by a finger of a user;

and

a controller adapted to determine a finger rolling motion by the finger of the user on the touch-sensitive sensor panel.

14. Touch-sensitive input device of an electronic device, comprising

means for sensing a region of a touch-sensitive sensor panel that is touched by a user;

means for determining a shape and position of the touched region on said touch-sensitive sensor panel at different times; and

means for triggering a function of the electronic device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.

15. Method for operating a touch-sensitive input device of an electronic device, comprising the steps of

sensing a region of a touch-sensitive sensor panel that is touched by a user;

determining a shape and position of the touched region on said touch-sensitive sensor panel at different times; and

triggering a function of the electronic device dependent on the change in shape and position of the touched region with time.