Touch screen implemented control panel

• US 20130100042A1
• Filed: 10/21/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Agilent Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Kincaid, Robert H.
• Application Number:
  US13/279,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20130100042A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 2203/04809 Textured surface identifying touch areas, e.g. overlay structure for a virtual keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• 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

A control panel and method for using the same for controlling a device attached thereto is disclosed. The control panel includes a touch screen and a widget implemented on the touch screen. The widget controls a parameter in a device that is controlled by the control panel. The widget responds to first and second gestures. The first gesture sets a value for the parameter, and the second gesture alters a function that determines a relationship between the first gesture and the value. The touch screen may include an overlay that restricts the position of the widget and/or provides tactile feedback to a user while the user executes the first gesture.

Claims

1. A control panel comprising:

a touch screen and

a widget implemented on said touch screen, said widget controlling a parameter in a device that is controlled by said control panel, said widget responding to a first gesture that sets a value for said parameter and a second gesture that alters a function that determines a relationship between said first gesture and said value.

2. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said first gesture comprises moving an object across said touch screen.

3. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said second gesture comprises moving two contact points across said touch screen, a distance between said contact points changing during said movement.

4. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said touch screen determines a pressure applied to said touch screen, said pressure altering a response of said widget to said first or second gesture.

5. The control panel of claim 1 further comprising an overlay on said touch screen aligned with said widget such that a user receives tactile feedback when said user executes said first gesture.

6. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said widget includes a layer that overlies said touch screen and restrains an object to move in a predetermined manner determined by said first gesture.

7. The control panel of claim 2 wherein said object comprises an element that is detected by said touch screen.

8. The control panel of claim 5 wherein said object comprises an element that rotates in said overlay.

9. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said second gesture determines which of a plurality of parameters in said device is altered by said widget.

10. The control panel of claim 9 wherein said second gesture comprises moving said widget to a predetermined location on said touch screen, said predetermined location determining which of said parameters is altered by said first gesture.

11. The control panel of claim 9 wherein said touch screen comprises a track that constrains an object that is part of said widget to particular locations on said touch screen, said parameter that is altered being determined by a position of said object in said track.

12. The control panel of claim 1 further comprising a toolbox displayed on said touch screen, said toolbox containing a plurality of widgets that can be moved to specified locations on said touch screen.

13. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said widget is moveable on said touch screen and wherein said widget changes size when positioned at predetermined locations on said touch screen.

14. The control panel of claim 13 wherein each predetermined location corresponds to a different parameter that is to be altered by said widget.

15. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said parameter can also be set by an action other than said first gesture of said widget and wherein said widget includes an indication of a parameter value that is altered when said parameter is set by said other action.

16. The control panel of claim 15 further comprising a display implemented on said touch screen, said control panel responding to a third gesture corresponding to said display by altering said parameter, said third gesture determining said indication.

17. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said touch screen includes a plurality locations, each location corresponding to a different parameter in said device and wherein each location is associated with a widget that appears when that location is selected by a user.

18. The control panel of claim 17 wherein said widget has a size that overlaps a plurality of said locations.

19. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said second gesture alters a rate of change of said parameter in response to said first gesture.

20. The control panel of claim 1 wherein said second gesture determines an offset that is applied to said parameter.