APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A SOUND REPRODUCTION APPARATUS

• US 20110246886A1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Published: 10/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Creative Technology Ltd.
• Inventors: Dong, Cunsheng Vincent, Toh, Boon Keat Eddy, Tan, Jeng Khim
• Granted Patent: US 8,566,719 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

There is provided a control apparatus and method for controlling a sound reproduction apparatus. The control apparatus and method enables control of at least one parameter of audio reproduction depending on contact with a touch sensitive panel. The parameters which may be controlled include, for example, volume, bass, treble, equalizer settings and the like. The functions of the sound reproduction apparatus which may be controlled include, for example, radio channel selection, track selection, album selection and the like.

Claims

1. A control apparatus for controlling at least one parameter of audio reproduction of a sound reproduction apparatus, the control apparatus including:

a touch sensitive panel;

a controller coupled to the touch sensitive panel for processing data from the touch sensitive panel relating to an initial contact position, direction of subsequent movement, a rate of the movement and a departing contact position of a first appendage on the touch sensitive panel; and

a visual indicator for denoting a level of at least the first parameter, the visual indicator being coupled to the controller with a final appearance of the visual indicator being determined by the data processed by the controller;

wherein a level of the first parameter is increased by primary increments when the first appendage is moved in a first direction, and the level of the first parameter is decreased by primary decrements when the first appendage is moved in a second direction, with the visual indicator appearing to correspondingly vary visually with a direction of movement of the first appendage when the first appendage is in contact with the touch sensitive panel.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch sensitive panel is transparent and is over-laid on the visual indicator.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2, wherein the controller ignores data from the touch sensitive panel when the initial contact position of the first appendage fails to substantially coincide with a position where a current level of the first parameter is shown on the visual indicator.

4. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the subsequent movement is in a direction selected from a group comprising:

latitudinal, longitudinal, radial and any combination of the aforementioned.

5. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visual indicator includes visual indicia selected from a group comprising:

a plurality of illumination sources, a plurality of LEDs and an LCD panel.

6. The control apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of LEDs is able to vary a level of brightness.

7. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller coupled to the touch sensitive panel is also able to process data from the touch sensitive panel relating to a first contact position, direction of ensuing movement and a second contact position of a second appendage on the touch sensitive panel.

8. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein a mode of the control apparatus switches from a first parameter control mode to a fine-tuning first parameter mode when the controller recognizes contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage to be substantially side-by-side when the first appendage and the second appendage are in contact with the touch sensitive panel.

9. The control apparatus of claim 8, wherein the level of the first parameter is increased in secondary increments when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage that are substantially side-by-side are moved in the first direction, and the level of the first parameter is decreased in secondary decrements when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage that are substantially side-by-side are moved in the second direction.

10. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein a mode of the control apparatus switches from a first parameter control mode to a second parameter control mode when the controller recognizes contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage to be either approaching one another or distancing from one another.

11. The control apparatus of claim 10, wherein the visual indicator denotes a level of the second parameter when the control apparatus switches from the first parameter control mode to the second parameter control mode.

12. The control apparatus of claim 10, wherein a level of a second parameter is increased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are approaching one another, and the level of the second parameter is decreased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are distancing from one another.

13. The control apparatus of claim 10, wherein a level of a second parameter is increased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are distancing from one another, and the level of the second parameter is decreased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are approaching one another.

14. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the first and second appendages is selected from a group comprising:

any finger, thumb, and any toe.

15. The control apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first parameter and the second parameter of audio reproduction is selected from a group comprising:

volume, bass, treble, and equalizer settings.

16. The control apparatus of claim 9, wherein the secondary increment is less than the primary increment and the secondary decrement is less than the primary decrement.

17. The control apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control apparatus is either incorporated into the sound reproduction apparatus or separate from the sound reproduction apparatus.

18. The control apparatus of claim 1, further including instantaneously either reducing the level of the first parameter to a zero level or increasing the level of the first parameter to a maximum level when moving the first appendage at a rate of movement greater than a pre-determined rate.

19. The control apparatus of claim 7, wherein a mode of the control apparatus switches from a first parameter control mode to a functional control mode for the sound reproduction apparatus when the controller recognizes contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage to be substantially side-by-side together, and when either one of the first appendage and the second appendage taps on the touch sensitive panel.

20. The control apparatus of claim 19, wherein the functional control mode controls any function selected from a group comprising:

radio channel selection, track selection, and album selection.

21. The control apparatus of claim 20, wherein the visual indicator denotes a representation of any function selected from a group comprising:

radio channel selection, track selection, and album selection.

22. The control apparatus of claim 21, wherein a level of the function is varied when either one of the first appendage and the second appendage taps on the touch sensitive panel.

23. A method for controlling at least one parameter of audio reproduction of a sound reproduction apparatus using a touch sensitive panel over-laid on a visual indicator of a first parameter visible though the touch sensitive panel, the method including:

contacting the touch sensitive panel using a first appendage at a position where a current level of the first parameter is shown on the visual indicator;

moving the first appendage in either a first direction or a second direction; and

removing the first appendage from contact with the touch sensitive panel;

wherein the level of the first parameter is increased by primary increments when the appendage is moved in the first direction, and the level of the first parameter is decreased by primary decrements when the appendage is moved in the second direction, with the visible indicator appearing to correspondingly vary with a direction of movement of the first appendage when the first appendage is in contact with the touch sensitive panel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the visual indicator includes visual indicia selected from a group comprising:

a plurality of illumination sources, a plurality of LEDs and an LCD panel.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein each of the plurality of LEDs is able to vary a level of brightness.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the first and the second directions are selected from a group comprising:

latitudinal, longitudinal, radial and any combination of the aforementioned.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein there is no change in the level of the first parameter when an initial contact position of the first appendage fails to substantially coincide with the position where a current level of the first parameter is shown on the visual indicator.

28. The method of claim 23, further including contacting the touch sensitive panel using a second appendage, wherein a first parameter control mode switches to a fine-tuning first parameter mode when contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are detected to be substantially side-by-side when the first appendage and the second appendage are in contact with the touch sensitive panel.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the level of the first parameter is increased in secondary increments when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage that are substantially side-by-side are moved in the first direction, and the level of the first parameter is decreased in secondary decrements when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage that are substantially side-by-side are moved in the second direction.

30. The method of claim 28, further including contacting the touch sensitive panel using a second appendage, wherein a first parameter control mode switches to a second parameter control mode when contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are detected to be either approaching one another or distancing from one another.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein a level of a second parameter is increased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are approaching one another, and the level of the second parameter is decreased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are distancing from one another.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein a level of a second parameter is increased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are distancing from one another, and the level of the second parameter is decreased when the contact positions of the first appendage and the second appendage are approaching one another.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein each of the first and second appendages is selected from a group comprising:

any finger, thumb, and any toe.

34. The method of claim 30, wherein the first parameter and the second parameter of audio reproduction is selected from a group comprising:

volume, bass, treble, and equalizer settings.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the secondary increment is less than the primary increment and the secondary decrement is less than the primary decrement.

36. The method of claim 23, further including instantaneously either reducing the level of the first parameter to a zero level or increasing the level of the first parameter to a maximum level when moving the first appendage at a rate of movement greater than a pre-determined rate.

37. A method for controlling a sound reproduction apparatus using a touch sensitive panel over-laid on a visual indicator of a representation of a function visible through the touch sensitive panel, the method including:

contacting the touch sensitive panel with a first appendage and a second appendage, the first appendage and the second appendage being substantially side-by-side together; and

tapping on the touch sensitive panel by either one of the first appendage and the second appendage,

wherein a level of the function is varied when either one of the first appendage and the second appendage taps on the touch sensitive panel.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the functional control mode controls any function selected from a group comprising:

radio channel selection, track selection, and album selection.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein the visual indicator denotes a representation of any function selected from a group comprising:

radio channel selection, track selection, and album selection.