Apparatus Equipped with a Touchscreen and Method for Controlling Such an Apparatus

• US 20160092099A1
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Wavelight GmbH (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Wellhfer, Armin, Jeglorz, Tobias
• Granted Patent: US 10,459,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/0033 characterised by user input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/102 for optical coherence tomography [OCT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/107 for determining the shape or measuring the curvature of the cornea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the eyes; Devices for putting-in contact lenses; Devices to correct squinting; Apparatus to guide the blind; Protective devices for the eyes, carried on the body or in the hand caps with means for protecting the eyes A42B1/018; visors for helmets A42B3/22; retractors A61B17/02; manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; appliances to aid invalids to move about A61H3/00; exercisers for the eyes A61H5/00; eye baths A61H35/02; sunglasses or goggles having the same features as spectacles G02C
• 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 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• 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

Abstract

In one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a touchscreen and a control device for executing an operating command which is input on the user side via the touchscreen. The control device is adapted to control the touchscreen such that, in order to prompt a command input, a first graphic element marking a touching starting location and a destination graphic arrangement having at least one second graphic element at a distance from the first graphic element are displayed on the touchscreen. The control device is further adapted to recognise a command input depending detecting a first movement of at least one object over the touchscreen starting from the touching starting location continuously up to a second graphic element of the destination graphic arrangement and on reaching this second graphic element a movement stoppage of the object, followed by a follow-up action of the object on the touchscreen.

Claims

1. Method for controlling an apparatus equipped with a touchscreen, the method comprising:

displaying on the touchscreen a first graphic element and a destination graphic arrangement at a distance from the first graphic element, the first graphic element marking a touching starting location, the destination graphic arrangement including at least one second graphic element;

recognizing a command input depending on there being detected a first movement of at least one object over the touchscreen starting from the touching starting location continuously up to a second graphic element of the destination graphic arrangement and on reaching this second graphic element a movement stoppage of the object, followed by a follow-up action of the object on the touchscreen; and

executing an operating command associated with the recognized command input.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up action comprises a stationary dwelling of the object at the second graphic element reached for a preset minimum duration.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up action comprises a follow-up movement of the object over the touchscreen starting from the second graphic element reached in the direction away from the latter, if desired in a direction transversely with respect to the direction of the first movement.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the command input is recognised depending on the follow-up action being detected without intermediate lifting-off of the object from the touchscreen after the first movement.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up action comprises a renewed movement of the object over the touchscreen starting from the touching starting location continuously up to the second graphic element reached on the first movement.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the follow-up action comprises a renewed touching by means of the object of the second graphic element reached after intermediate lifting-off of the object from the touchscreen.

7. Method according to claim 1, wherein there is displayed on the touchscreen an optical indication which disappears depending on the follow-up action being performed.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the optical indication comprises a flashing of a graphic element displayed on the touchscreen, for example a flashing of the first graphic element or of the second graphic element reached on the first movement.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein, on detection of the first movement, the first graphic element is displaced on the touchscreen in the direction towards the second graphic element preferably synchronously with the moving object.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the displaced first graphic element is locked at the second graphic element, in at least partial superimposition of the latter, depending on the follow-up action also being detected.

11. Method according to claim 9, wherein the displaced first graphic element is moved back after lifting-off of the object from the touchscreen as long as the follow-up action has not yet begun or is not yet concluded.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the destination graphic arrangement has a plurality of at least two second graphic elements which are arranged at a distance from one another and each of which is assigned a different operating command.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein one of the second graphic elements signifies a confirmation of a called apparatus function, for example of a function for storing or deleting or modifying data, and another of the second graphic elements signifies a rejection of this apparatus function.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the operating command causes an adjustment of an adjustable component of the apparatus into one of a plurality of different predefined adjustment states, wherein each of these adjustment states is assigned a different second graphic element.

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein a haptic and/or visual and/or acoustic acknowledgement is output by the apparatus after at least part of the follow-up action.

16. Apparatus comprising a touchscreen and a control device, coupled to the touchscreen, for executing an operating command which is input on the user side via the touchscreen,

wherein the control device is adapted to control the touchscreen in such a manner that, in order to prompt a command input, a first graphic element marking a touching starting location and a destination graphic arrangement having at least one second graphic element at a distance from the first graphic element are displayed on the touchscreen,

wherein the control device is further adapted to recognise a command input depending on there being detected a first movement of at least one object over the touchscreen starting from the touching starting location continuously up to a second graphic element of the destination graphic arrangement and on reaching this second graphic element a movement stoppage of the object, followed by a follow-up action of the object on the touchscreen.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the follow-up action comprises a stationary dwelling of the object at the second graphic element reached for a preset minimum duration.

18. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the follow-up action comprises a follow-up movement of the object over the touchscreen starting from the second graphic element reached in a direction transversely with respect to the first movement away from the second graphic element reached.

19. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to recognise the command input depending on it detecting the follow-up action without intermediate lifting-off of the object from the touchscreen after the first movement.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the follow-up action comprises a renewed movement of the object over the touchscreen starting from the touching starting location continuously up to the second graphic element reached on the first movement.

21. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the follow-up action comprises a renewed touching by means of the object of the second graphic element reached after intermediate lifting-off of the object from the touchscreen.

22. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to cause the display on the touchscreen of an optical indication which disappears depending on the follow-up action being performed.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control device is adapted to output the optical indication as a flashing of the first graphic element or of the second graphic element reached on the first movement.

24. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to control the touchscreen in such a manner that, on detection of the first movement, the first graphic element is displaced on the touchscreen in the direction towards the second graphic element preferably synchronously with the moving object.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the control device is adapted to control the touchscreen in such a manner that the displaced first graphic element is locked at the second graphic element, in at least partial superimposition of the latter, depending on the follow-up action also being detected.

26. Apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the control device is adapted to control the touchscreen in such a manner that the displaced first graphic element is moved back after lifting off the object from the touchscreen as long as the follow-up action has not yet begun or not yet ended.

27. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the destination graphic arrangement has a plurality of at least two second graphic elements which are arranged at a distance from one another and each of which is assigned a different operating command.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein one of the second graphic elements signifies a confirmation of a called apparatus function, for example of a function for storing or deleting or modifying data, and another of the second graphic elements signifies a rejection of this apparatus function.

29. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted, on recognising the command input, to adjust an adjustable component of the apparatus into one of a plurality of different predefined adjustment states, wherein each of these adjustment states is assigned a different second graphic element.

30. Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control device is adapted to cause the output of a haptic and/or visual and/or acoustic acknowledgement after at least part of the follow-up action.

36. Apparatus, according to claim 16, comprising a touchscreen and a control device coupled to the touchscreen, wherein the control device is adapted to control the touchscreen in such a manner that, in response to a predefined operating command, a view on the touchscreen changes from a first menu page to a second menu page,

wherein the control device is adapted to recognise an input of the operating command depending on a first movement of an object over the touchscreen being detected and simultaneously or at least partly temporally overlapping with respect thereto at least one further movement of an object over the touchscreen along a movement path which is different from the movement path of the first movement being detected, or/and a stationary dwelling of an object on the touchscreen at a place distant from the movement path of the first movement being detected.

37. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the control device is adapted to recognise an input of the operating command depending on the movement paths of the first and each further movement running without intersecting one another.

38. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the control device is adapted to recognise an input of the operating command depending on the movement paths of the first and each further movement running longitudinally beside one other.

39. Apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the control device is adapted to recognise an input of the operating command depending on the stationary dwelling of an object at a place within a predefined region of the touchscreen being detected.

40. Apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the predefined region is a corner region of the touchscreen.

31. Method for operating an apparatus equipped with a touchscreen,

wherein the method comprises:

recognizing an input of an operating command depending on a first movement of an object over the touchscreen being detected and simultaneously or at least partly temporally overlapping with respect thereto at least one further movement of an object over the touchscreen along a movement path which is different from a movement path of the first movement being detected, or/and a stationary dwelling of an object on the touchscreen at a place distant from the movement path of the first movement being detected; and

changing a view on the touchscreen from a first menu page to a second menu page in response to the operating command being recognized.

32. Method according to claim 31, wherein an input of the operating command is recognised depending on the movement paths of the first and each further swiping movement running without intersecting one another.

33. Method according to claim 31, wherein an input of the operating command is recognised depending on the movement paths of the first and each further swiping movement running longitudinally beside one other.

34. Method according to claim 31, wherein an input of the operating command is recognised depending on the stationary dwelling of an object at a place within a predefined region of the touchscreen being detected.

35. Method according to claim 34, wherein the predefined region is a corner region of the touchscreen.