HANDHELD DEVICE WITH TOUCH CONTROLS THAT RECONFIGURE IN RESPONSE TO THE WAY A USER OPERATES THE DEVICE

• US 20130188081A1
• Filed: 06/08/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles J. Kulas
• Original Assignee: Charles J. Kulas
• Inventors: Kulas, Charles J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,042 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/333.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0425 using a single imaging device like a video camera for tracking the absolute position of a single or a plurality of objects with respect to an imaged reference surface, e.g. video camera imaging a display or a projection screen, a table or a wall surface, on which a computer generated image is displayed or projected tracking a projected light spot to determine a position on a display surface G06F3/0386
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2477 for selecting a function from a menu display H04M1/2474 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/52 including functional features of a camera

Abstract

A system is described for reconfiguring touch controls on a device, such as a cell phone, in reaction to a user'"'"'s changing mode of operation. For example, a standard display of icons that works well in two-handed operation may not work as well for one-handed operation where the user tries to operate the controls with a thumb of the holding hand. A device can detect that the user is trying to operate the controls with a thumb of the holding hand and the controls can be reconfigured to be more suitable for thumb operation. Reconfiguration can also occur in other modes of operation, such as when the user is using a stylus, multiple fingers of a second (non-holding hand), fingers on both hands, etc. In some embodiments, detection of the mode of operation can be automatic such as where a camera takes an image to determine the mode.

Claims

1. A method for reconfiguring controls shown on a touch screen display, wherein the touch screen display is included in a device, wherein the reconfiguring allows one or more of the controls to be more accessible for operation of a thumb of a hand holding the device, the method comprising:

displaying at least one control in a first position on the touch screen display;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a thumb mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is moved to a thumb access area, wherein the at least one control is more accessible for operation by the thumb than when the at least one control was in the first position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device includes a camera, the method further comprising:

generating the signal automatically by using the camera to determine when a user is attempting to use a thumb of a holding hand to control the device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein a thumb mode of operation and a non-thumb mode of operation are switched automatically depending on an image captured by the camera.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining that a non-thumb mode of operation is being used;

using the camera to detect that the user is trying to start using the device in a thumb mode; and

waiting until the user has operated a control in the existing non-thumb mode before reconfiguring the touch screen display to a thumb mode of operation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the signal manually in response to a user mode selection control.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accepting one or more signals to allow a user to change a pattern of the thumb access area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thumb access area is defined at least in part by data transferred to the device from another device.

8. An apparatus including reconfigurable controls, the apparatus comprising:

a touch screen display;

a processor;

a processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by the processor to perform the following acts;

displaying at least one control in a first position on the touch screen display;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a thumb mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is moved to a thumb access area, wherein the at least one control is more accessible for operation by the thumb than when the at least one control was in the first position.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

a camera;

wherein the processor-readable device further includes instructions for allowing the apparatus to switch between a thumb mode and a non-thumb mode in response to an image from the camera that shows whether a user is trying to use the apparatus in a thumb mode or a non-thumb mode, respectively.

10. A processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by a processor to perform the following acts:

displaying at least one control in a first position on a touch screen display of a device;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a thumb mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is moved to a thumb access area, wherein the at least one control is more accessible for operation by the thumb than when the at least one control was in the first position.

11. A method for reconfiguring controls shown on a touch screen display, wherein the touch screen display is included in a device, wherein the reconfiguring allows one or more of the controls to be more adapted for use with a stylus, the method comprising:

displaying at least one control in a first position on the touch screen display;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a stylus mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is adapted for the stylus mode.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing the display includes making the control smaller.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the changing the display includes placing multiple controls closer together.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the device includes a camera, the method further comprising:

using the camera to capture an image including a stylus operated by a user and at least a part of the user'"'"'s hand; and

generating the signal in response to the captured image to indicate that reconfiguring for a stylus mode of operation is desired.

15. An apparatus including reconfigurable controls, the apparatus comprising:

a touch screen display;

a processor;

a processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by the processor to perform the following acts;

displaying at least one control in a first position on the touch screen display;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a stylus mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is adapted for the stylus mode.

16. A processor-readable storage device including instructions executable by a processor to perform the following acts:

displaying at least one control in a first position on a touch screen display of a device;

accepting a signal to indicate that reconfiguring for a stylus mode of operation is desired; and

changing the display in response to the signal so that the at least one control is adapted for the stylus mode.