Intelligent programmable touchscreen system

• US 4,587,630 A
• Filed: 02/15/1984
• Issued: 05/06/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Company (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: McClelland, Scott R., Straton, Peter R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zache, Raulfe B.
• Application Number:
  US06/580,408
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 364/200 MS File, 364/900 MS File, 364/521, 340/709, 340/712, 340/365 VL, 340/365 P, 340/365 C
• US Class Current: 715/823
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

A computing system for detecting movement of a user'"'"'s touch on a touchscreen and to operate an intelligent programmable device is provided. The system includes a touchscreen for detecting information of an initial touch by a user on a display surface, a change of touch on the display surface, and disengagement of the user'"'"'s touch from the display surface. The detected touch information is then used to determine system operations in response to the touch information.

Claims

1. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

first detecting means for detecting an initial touch on a display surface;

second detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface; and

internal coordinating means coupled to said first and second detecting means for determining what operation should be performed for each touch position detected by said first and second detecting means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said change of touch position is across a screen of said display surface.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said change of touch position is away from a screen of said display surface.

4. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

first detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface;

second detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface;

third detecting means for detecting a disengagement of touch with said display surface and for sending information indicating that a release has occurred; and

internal coordinating means coupled to said first, second and third detecting means for determining what operation should be performed for each touch position detected by said first and second detecting means, and for determining what operation should be performed by said third detecting means.

5. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

first detecting means for detecting an initial touch on a display surface;

second detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface, said change of touch position being across a screen of said display surface;

third detecting means for detecting a disengagement of touch with said display surface to send information indicating that a release has occurred; and

internal coordinating means coupled to said first, second and third detecting means to determine what operation should be performed for the touch position information detected by said first and second means, and to determine what operation should be performed by said third detecting means.

6. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

touchscreen initiating means for determining operations in response to information from a touchscreen independently from a target function; and

operating system means coupled to said touchscreen initiating means for executing said target function in response to said information from said touchscreen.

7. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

first detecting means for detecting an initial touch on a display surface;

second detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface;

internal coordinating means coupled to said first and second detecting means for determining what operation should be performed for each touch position detected by said first and second detecting means;

touchscreen intiating means coupled to said internal coordinating means for determining operations in responding to said information from said touchscreen independently from a target function; and

operating system means coupled to said internal coordinating means for executing said target function in response to said information from said touchscreen.

8. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

touchscreen means for defining a touchscreen position to have a desired functional meaning; and

means for receiving said definition of touchscreen position, and for communicating said functional meaning to said touchscreen means in response to user selection of said touchscreen position.

9. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

touchscreen means for determining operations in response to information from a touchscreen independently from a target function; and

feedback means coupled to said touchscreen means for providing an indication to a user of a status of said touch screen means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the indication provided by said feedback means is defined by said target function.

11. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said feedback means is an audio indication.

12. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said feedback means is a video indication.

13. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said feedback means is an audio and video indication.

14. In a computing system, an apparatus comprising:

data input means having

first detecting means for detecting an initial touch on a display surface, and

second detecting means for detecting a change of touch position on said display surface;

internal coordinating means coupled to said data input means, said internal coordinating means, having a control input from a target function, and an output of data to the target function, said internal coordinating means for determining what operation should be performed for each touch position detected by said first and second detecting means;

control input means coupled to the internal coodinating means for establishing an environmental parameter to define what function is to be performed by the control input from the target function;

data output means coupled to the internal coodinating means for allowing the target function to distinguish the output of data from the internal coordinating means from other types of data; and

control output means coupled to the internal coodinating means for providing a control output to define a particular control function.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines an enable/disable row and column touch data reporting mode, causing a touch and/or release report data from the data input means to be translated into a relative coordinate number pair of the display surface, corresponding to a row number and a column number of a position touched by a user.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines an enable/disable touch field reporting mode, causing a touch and/or release report data from the data input means to be translated into a particular operation defined for a touch field that occupies a position on the display surface touched by a user.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines a mode for enabling/disabling touch sensitivity of softkey labels, causing the same action to be performed as if a user operated a corresponding function key on a physical keyboard.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines a mode for toggling the on/off state of the internal coordinating means, causing all operations performed by the internal coordinating means to be deactivated.

19. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines a mode for resetting the internal coordinating means to a reset state.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines a mode for defining a touch field, causing the target function to define a rectangular area of the display surface so that the area behaves in a particular manner when touched and/or released.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said rectangular area of the display surface is enclosed by bounds of a particular field to respond to touch as a whole entity.

22. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said touch field is de-bounced, after the initial touch has been made in the touch field.

23. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said touch field causes a particular operation to be initiated when it is touched and/or released by a user.

24. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein a visual user feedback mechanism is utilized to assist a user in determining when the user'"'"'s action to touch and/or release said touch field has been successful.

25. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein an audio user feedback mechanism is utilized to assist a user in determining when the user'"'"'s action to touch and/or release said touch field has been successful.

26. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said environmental parameter defines a mode for deleting the touch field, causing the touch field to be deleted from the display surface of the touchscreen.

27. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said initial touch on the display surface is touching a softkey label which causes a corresponding softkey function to be performed by the control output.

28. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said initial touch on the display surface is in a touch field which is defined such that the touch field behaves like a particular control key on a physical keyboard by the control output.

29. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said initial touch and/or said change of touch position on said display surface causes an audible simulated keyboard click to occur by the control output.

30. An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said initial touch on the display surface is in a touch field which is defined such that a cursor is positioned by the control output.