Touchscreen control panel with sliding touch control

• US 5,053,758 A
• Filed: 02/01/1990
• Issued: 10/01/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sperry Marine, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Corbett, James D., Cornett, Johnny A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hjerpe, Richard
• Application Number:
  US07/476,118
• Time in Patent Office: 607 Days
• Field of Search: 340/706, 340/709, 340/710, 340/711, 340/712, 178/18, 178/19, 341/20, 341/22, 341/24, 341/33
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Touchscreen control panel apparatus that highlights a control key to which the operator slides touch and actuates the associated control function upon touch release from the highlighted key. Highlighting is deleted from a key when operator slides touch therefrom without releasing touch. Parameter values are adjusted by touching a control key associated therewith and thereafter sliding touch anywhere on the touchscreen to effect parameter value change.

Claims

1. Touchscreen control panel apparatus for use in a system having actuate on release control functions, said apparatus comprising

a monitor having a display,

touchscreen means, including a touchscreen overlay on said display for providing touch coordinate signals in accordance with operator touch location on said touchscreen overlay and for providing a touchscreen release signal upon removal of said operator touch,

key generation means for providing control keys on said display, a first plurality of said control keys being associated with a plurality of said actuate on release control functions, respectively,

highlighting means coupled to said touchscreen means for highlighting only an operator touched control key,

sliding touch detecting means coupled to said touchscreen means for detecting when operator touch has slid from a first control key to a second control key,

highlight deletion means coupled to said touchscreen means for deleting said highlighting with respect to a control key from which operator touch has slid, and

first control actuation means coupled to said touchscreen means for actuating a control function associated with a highlighted control key in response to said touchscreen release signal when said highlighted control key is associated with one of said actuate on release control functions.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said touchscreen overlay comprises a capacitive touchscreen.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said system further includes actuate on touch control functions,

a second plurality of said control keys different from said first plurality of control keys being associated with a plurality of said actuate on touch control functions, respectively,

said apparatus further including second control actuation means coupled to said touchscreen means for actuating a control function associated with a highlighted control key in response to operator touch thereon when said highlighted control key is associated with one of said actuate on touch control functions.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further including iterative means coupled to said touchscreen means, comprising

means for storing said touch coordinate signals for a current iteration,

means for storing said touch coordinate signals from an iteration prior to said current iteration, and

routine determining means for determining whether a touched control key controls an actuate on release control function or an actuate on touch control function when said touchscreen release signal is absent.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said routine determining means includes adjustable parameter determining means for determining if a control function associated with a touched control key controls an adjustable parameter and further including parameter adjustment means coupled to said adjustable parameter determining means for adjusting parameters of an actuated control function.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said parameter adjustment means comprises

parameter value adjustment means for adjusting the value of a parameter in accordance with changes in said touch coordinate signals, and

parameter adjustment actuating means for actuating said parameter value adjustment means when said routine determining means detects a touched key associated with said parameter.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said parameter adjustment means includes

an adjust parameters flag set in response to said routine determining means detecting a touched key associated with said adjustable parameter,

said parameter value adjustment means being actuated when said adjust parameters flag is set.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said parameter adjustment means includes timer means decremented in response to said touch release signal for controlling deactuation of said parameter value adjustment means when said timer times out.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said touch coordinate signals comprise first and second coordinate signals and said parameter value adjustment means comprises means for adjusting the value of said parameter in accordance with changes in said first coordinate signal only.

10. A method of control function actuation utilizing a touchscreen overlay on a monitor display comprising

providing graphically generated control keys on said monitor display,

sliding an operator touch over said graphically generated control keys,

highlighting only a control key being touched,

deleting highlighting from a key from which touch has slid, and

releasing a highlighted control key to actuate a control function associated therewith.

11. The method of claim 10 including a method for adjusting the value of a parameter comprising

highlighting a touched control key associated with said parameter, and

adjusting said parameter by sliding touch at any location on said touch screen.

12. The method of claim 11 further including deactuating said parameter value adjustment method when a predetermined time has elapsed after touch has been released from said touchscreen.