Active edge user interface

• US 6,369,803 B2
• Filed: 06/12/1998
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Roberts, Jobe L. W., French-St. George, Marilyn, Trasmundi, Frederic F., Brisebois, Michel A., Mahan, Laura
• Primary Examiner(s): Jankus, Almis R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Henry N.
• Application Number:
  US09/097,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043189A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/172, 345/173, 345/178, 178/18.05, 178/18.1, 178/18.03, 200/5.R, 200/5.D, 200/177, 200/8.R, 341/22, 341/29, 341/34
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0489 using dedicated keyboard keys or combinations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/807 characterised by the spatial arrangement of the contact sites, e.g. superimposed sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/002 superimposed
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2225/018 Consecutive operations
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2239/074 Actuation by finger touch
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly

Abstract

An active edge user interface includes dynamically configurable flexible touch areas positioned near the perimeter of a display to support interactive communication between a user and a user environment for flexible active touch areas surrounding a display. The interface allows for multiple levels of sensitivity, texture, key travel, and varying widths of active touch areas based on the user environment.

Claims

1. A user interface, comprising:

a display;

an input device located adjacent an edge of the display, and operatively connected to the display to respond to a physical contact having a plurality of electrical contacts positioned to electrically couple in response to the physical contact, wherein each electrical contact includes a first set of mating contacts positioned a first distance from one another and a second set of mating electrical contacts positioned a second distance from one another; and

a processor for executing user interface software configured to implement a function in response to the physical contact on the input device.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the display is a liquid crystal diode display.

3. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the input device includes a flexible elastomer strip having an upper surface and a lower surface.

4. The user interface of claim 3 wherein the elastomer strip includes a deformable cavity formed therein.

5. The user interface of claim 3 wherein the upper surface of the elastomer strip is smooth.

6. The user interface of claim 3 wherein the upper surface of the elastomer strip includes a protrusion.

7. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the input device includes a resistive plate positioned to generate a response to the physical contact.

8. The user interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first set of mating electrical contacts is ring-shaped.

9. The user interface of claim 1 wherein at least one of the second set of mating electrical contacts is disc-shaped.

10. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the user input device is permanently affixed to a host device.

11. The user interface device of claim 1 wherein the user input device extends along more than one edge of the display.

12. A method for implementing a user interface, comprising the steps of:

highlighting an image on a display in response to a first contact applied with a first pressure at a location on an input device adjacent an edge of the display; and

implementing a function associated with the image when a second contact is applied with a second pressure at the location, wherein the second pressure is different from the first pressure.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the highlighting step includes the step of generating textual data on the display.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of scrolling through the textual data generated on the display in response to a sliding contact.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the highlighting step includes the step of generating graphical data on the display.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of scrolling through the graphical data generated on the display in response to a sliding contact.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein the highlighting step includes the step of generating an image corresponding to a programmable area of the user input device.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the highlighting step includes the step of generating an image that identifies a category of information corresponding to a first predetermined area of the input device and generating an image that identifies a subcategory of information corresponding to a second predetermined area of the input device.

19. A user interface, comprising:

a display;

an input device comprising a flexible strip having a plurality of touch areas each associated with contacts and extending along at least one edge of the display, the input device being operatively connected to the display to respond to a physical contact on the touch areas; and

a processor for executing a user interface software configured to implement a function in response to the physical contact on the input device, wherein the contacts comprise first and second mating contacts and the function comprises a first function and a second function, the contacts being responsive to a physical contact with a first pressure to close the first mating contacts and cause implementation of the first function and the contacts being responsive to physical contact with a second pressure to close the second mating contacts and cause implementation of the second function.

20. A user interface according claim 19, wherein the contacts are responsive to sliding pressure along successive touch areas of the flexible strip to cause a scroll function.

21. A user interface, comprising:

a display;

an input device comprising a flexible strip having a plurality of touch areas each associated with contacts and extending along at least one edge of the display, the input device being operatively connected to the display to respond to a physical contact on the touch areas; and

a processor for executing a user interface software configured to implement a function in response to the physical contact on the input device, wherein the contacts comprise first and second mating contacts and the function comprises a select function and a second function, a selected contact being responsive to a physical contact with a first pressure to close the first mating contacts and cause implementation of the select function, and the selected contact and immediately adjacent contacts then being responsive to a physical contact with a second pressure to close the second mating contacts and cause implementation of the second function.