Turbulence Mitigation for Touch Screen Systems

• US 20140107871A1
• Filed: 10/15/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Williams, Jeffrey L., Foster, Susan Anne, Clark, Jason W., Schwartz, Samantha Ann, Pilcher, Aaron Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,825,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3664 Details of the user input interface, e.g. buttons, knobs or sliders, including those provided on a touch screen; remote controllers; input using gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0418 for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for managing a touch screen system. Data generated by an acceleration detector about acceleration of the touch screen system is received. The acceleration detector is located within the touch screen system. An action is initiated by an input manager when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces usability of the touch screen system.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch screen system;

an acceleration detector located within the touch screen system, wherein the acceleration detector is configured to detect acceleration of the touch screen system; and

an input manager in communication with the acceleration detector and configured to initiate an action when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces usability of the touch screen system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration detector is configured to generate data about the acceleration of the touch screen system and the input manager is configured to receive data from the acceleration detector and determine when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces the usability of the touch screen system using the data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration reduces the usability of the touch screen system when the acceleration of the touch screen system has a magnitude is greater than a selected threshold.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the selected threshold is based on a graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the action is selected from at least one of disabling the touch screen system, reducing functionality of a graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system, disabling a portion of a number of controls in the graphical user interface, increasing a size of at least the portion of the number of controls in the graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system, changing a functionality of the portion of the number of controls, generating an alert, enabling voice input, and requesting confirmation of an input made to the touch screen system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the action is a first action and wherein the input manager is configured to initiate a second action when the acceleration of the touch screen system no longer reduces the usability of the touch screen system.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the second action is selected from at least one of enabling the touch screen system, increasing a functionality of a graphical user interface to an original level, and returning a size of a number of controls in the graphical user interface to an original size.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the input manager is configured to determine a level of reduced usability of the touch screen system and initiate the action based on the level of reduced usability of the touch screen system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the acceleration is caused by at least one of vibrations, turbulence, waves, wind, and operation of a platform.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch screen system is selected from one of a tablet computer, a flight management system, a navigation computer, an autopilot, a mobile phone, a laptop computer, and a portable display device.

11. A method for managing a touch screen system, the method comprising:

receiving data generated by an acceleration detector about acceleration of the touch screen system, wherein the acceleration detector is located within the touch screen system; and

initiating, by an input manager, an action when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces usability of the touch screen system.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

determining, by the input manager, when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces the usability of the touch screen system using the data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the acceleration reduces the usability of the touch screen system when the acceleration of the touch screen system has a magnitude that is greater than a selected threshold.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the selected threshold is based on a graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the action is selected from at least one of disabling the touch screen system, reducing functionality of a graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system, disabling a portion of a number of controls in the graphical user interface, increasing a size of at least the portion of the number of controls in the graphical user interface displayed on the touch screen system, changing a functionality of the portion of the number of controls, generating an alert, enabling voice input, and requesting confirmation of an input made to the touch screen system.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the action is a first action and wherein the input manager is configured to initiate a second action when the acceleration of the touch screen system no longer reduces the usability of the touch screen system.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second action is selected from at least one of enabling the touch screen system, increasing a functionality of a graphical user interface to an original level, and returning a size of controls in the graphical user interface to an original size.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the acceleration detector is an accelerometer system.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the acceleration is vibrations caused by operation of a vehicle, a ship moving in water with waves, a ship moving in water with wind, an aircraft in turbulence, a ground vehicle moving on a rough surface, operation of thrusters on a spacecraft, landing of an aircraft, and takeoff of the aircraft.

20. An aircraft control system comprising:

a network in an aircraft;

data processing systems in the aircraft, wherein the data processing systems are connected to the network and are configured to control operation of the aircraft;

a touch screen system configured display a graphical user interface with a number of controls configured to receive user input for the data processing systems to control the operation of the aircraft;

an acceleration detector located within the touch screen system, wherein the acceleration detector is configured to detect acceleration of the touch screen system; and

an input manager in communication with the acceleration detector and configured to initiate an action when the acceleration of the touch screen system reduces usability of the number of controls displayed in the graphical user interface on the touch screen system.