Kiosk touch pad

• US 6,262,717 B1
• Filed: 07/02/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cirque Corporation
• Inventors: OʼCallaghan, James L., Donohue, Thomas E., Glad, Paul H.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOW, DOON Y
• Application Number:
  US09/110,098
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/173, 345/174, 345/175, 345/176, 345/177, 345/179, 345/168, 341/22, 178/18-1-, 178/19-1-
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

A simplified touch pad which detects a “touch” in a specific absolute positioning programmable zone or “enter/select” zone rather than requiring a “tap”. The touch pad also has an audible feedback device built into the touch pad for immediate feedback and a touch sensitive surface comprising a relative cursor positioning zone. By simplifying a touch pad to include only basic functions, the touch pad is easier to operate, simpler to manufacture, and more amenable to use with graphical interface display systems typically using touch screens. The invention is preferably incorporated into a kiosk where simplified use is of great benefit. An embodiment of the invention includes an enclosure which completely seals the touch pad from external contamination making the touch pad waterproof and dust proof A cover plate also provides durability and added protection for the touch-sensitive surface of the touch pad.

Claims

1. A touch pad comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface including a plurality of programmable input zones, each programmable input zone programmed to transfer relative cursor positioning input to a microprocessor operably associated with said touch pad, wherein at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones is further programmed to simulate a mechanical button when a conductive object comes into proximity therewith.

2. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones is a plurality of programmable touch responsive zones.

3. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones comprises an enter/select zone.

4. The touch pad of claim 3, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones further comprises a scroll zone.

5. The touch pad of claim 3, wherein cursor motion is inhibited when said conductive object comes into proximity with said enter/select zone.

6. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said touch-sensitive surface further comprises sensory feedback corresponding to at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones.

7. The touch pad of claim 6, wherein said sensory feedback comprises tactile feedback comprising texture.

8. The touch pad of claim 6, wherein said sensory feedback comprises tactile feedback comprising a raised ridge corresponding to a boundary of said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones.

9. The touch pad of claim 6, wherein said sensory feedback comprises a speaker device programmed to emit a sound when said conductive object comes into proximity with said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones.

10. The touch pad of claim 9, wherein said speaker device is integrated with said touch pad.

11. The touch pad of claim 6, wherein said sensory feedback comprises visual feedback comprising a light programmed to illuminate when said conductive object comes into proximity with said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones.

12. The touch pad of claim 1, further comprising a glass cover plate disposed adjacent to said touch-sensitive surface.

13. The touch pad of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure comprising:

a base having a well sufficient to receive said touch pad, said touch pad disposed within the well;

a cover disposed above said touch pad and affixed to said base; and

at least one gasket sealingly associated with said cover, touch pad and base.

14. The touch pad of claim 13, wherein said enclosure completely seals said touch pad from an outside environment.

15. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones comprises at least one zone programmed to respond as a numeric pad.

16. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones comprises at least one zone programmed to respond as an alphanumeric pad.

17. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones comprises at least one zone programmed to respond as a recognition zone.

18. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said plurality of programmable input zones comprises at least one zone programmed to respond as a mode selection zone to toggle a portion of said plurality of programmable input zones between absolute position recognition and relative position recognition functions.

19. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said conductive object is a finger.

20. The touch pad of claim 1, wherein said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones is programmed to simulate a mechanical button when said conductive object comes into initial proximity with said touch-sensitive surface in proximity with said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones, and further programmed to transfer relative cursor positioning input to said microprocessor when said conductive object comes into initial proximity with said touch-sensitive surface out of proximity with said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones.

21. A touch pad interactive control system comprising:

a touch pad comprising a non-mechanical touch-sensitive surface having a plurality of programmable input zones programmed to transfer relative cursor positioning input to a microprocessor operably associated with said touch pad, wherein at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones is further programmed to simulate a mechanical button when a conductive object comes into proximity therewith; and

a display device associated with said microprocessor.

22. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 21, wherein said at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones is an enter/select zone.

23. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 21, further comprising an enclosure, said enclosure housing said touch pad and said display device.

24. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 23, wherein said enclosure completely seals said touch pad and display device from an outside environment.

25. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 21, further comprising a durable, transparent cover plate disposed adjacent to said touch-sensitive surface.

26. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 25, wherein the durable, transparent cover plate comprises glass.

27. The touch pad interactive control system of claim 21, wherein said touch pad operates a graphical user interface.

28. An improvement in a kiosk of the type having a housing containing a microprocessor associated with a display and a user input device such that a user can interact with the microprocessor to access and display information on the display, wherein the improvement comprises:

having, as the user input device for interacting with the microprocessor, a touch pad comprising a touch-sensitive surface having a plurality of programmable input zones each programmed to transfer relative cursor positioning input to said microprocessor, wherein at least one of said plurality of programmable input zones is further programmed to relay a function to said microprocessor when a conductive object comes into proximity therewith.

29. The improvement in a kiosk of claim 28, wherein said function is an enter/select command.

30. A method of operating a touch pad comprising:

providing a touch pad having a plurality of programmable input zones, wherein at least one of the plurality of programmable input zones is a relative positioning zone and at least another of the plurality of programmable input zones is an absolute positioning zone;

bringing a conductive object in proximity with said relative positioning zone;

controlling movement of a cursor to a desired position by moving the conductive object in proximity with said relative positioning zone across the relative positioning zone and across said absolute positioning zone;

bringing a conductive object in proximity with said absolute positioning zone, said absolute positioning zone relaying a function command to an associated microprocessor in response thereto.