CONTROL OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES

• US 20150123929A1
• Filed: 01/16/2015
• Published: 05/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elliptic Laboratories AS
• Original Assignee: Elliptic Laboratories AS
• Inventors: Bang, Hans Jrgen, Dahl, Tobias Gulden
• Granted Patent: US 10,114,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

An electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system for detecting movement of a finger towards the surface. The device is configured to associate said movement with a predicted touch on said surface and to issue a report of said predicted touch.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system for detecting movement of a finger towards the surface;

the device being configured to associate said movement with a predicted touch on said surface and to issue a report of said predicted touch.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the report of said predicted touch comprises information relating to a position on the surface that it is predicted the user will touch.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the report of said predicted touch comprises information relating to a speed and/or direction of the user'"'"'s finger prior to touching the screen.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 arranged to provide feedback in response to said predicted touch.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 arranged to provide feedback regarding a predicted position of the touch.

6. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the feedback is at least one of:

visual, audible or haptic.

7. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the feedback comprises a GUI element being enlarged as the finger approaches the touch-sensitive surface.

8. A device as claimed in claim 1 arranged such that the report of predicted touch initiates or alters a process in the device which is not apparent to a user.

9. A device as claimed in claim 1 arranged to carry out an action or function on the basis of the report of predicted touch, but to carry out no further action or function if/when the surface is touched.

10. A device as claimed claim 1 wherein the touchless detecting system comprises an acoustic touchless detecting system.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein said touchless detecting system uses ultrasonic signals.

12. A device as claimed in claim 10 wherein the touchless detecting system is configured to detect preferentially the user'"'"'s fingertip over other parts of the user'"'"'s hand.

13. A method of operating an electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system, the method comprising:

detecting movement of a finger towards the surface using the touchless detecting system;

associating said movement with a predicted touch on said surface; and

issuing a report of said touch.

14. A computer software product, either on a carrier or not, comprising instructions for operating an electronic device comprising a touch-sensitive surface and a touchless detecting system, the instructions comprising:

instructions for detecting movement of a finger towards the surface using the touchless detecting system;

instructions for associating said movement with a predicted touch on said surface; and

instructions for issuing a report of said predicted touch.

15. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 wherein the report of said predicted touch comprises information relating to a position on the surface that it is predicted the user will touch.

16. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 wherein the report of said predicted touch comprises information relating to a speed and/or direction of the user'"'"'s finger prior to touching the screen.

17. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 comprising instructions for providing feedback in response to said predicted touch.

18. A computer software product as claimed in claim 17 comprising instructions for providing feedback regarding a predicted position of the touch.

19. A computer software product as claimed in claim 17 comprising instructions for providing feedback which is at least one of:

visual, audible or haptic.

20. A computer software product as claimed in claim 17 comprising instructions for enlarging a GUI element as the finger approaches the touch-sensitive surface.

21. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 comprising instructions for using the report of predicted touch to initiate or alter a process in the device which is not apparent to the user.

22. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 comprising instructions for carrying out an action or function on the basis of the report of predicted touch but carrying out no further action or function if/when the surface is touched.

23. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 comprising using an acoustic touchless detecting system.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 wherein said touchless detecting system uses ultrasonic signals.

25. A computer software product as claimed in claim 14 comprising instructions for detecting preferentially the position of a user'"'"'s fingertip over other parts of the hand.