Reconfigurable user interface systems

• US 7,453,442 B1
• Filed: 12/03/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Poynter, William Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Osorio; Ricardo L
• Application Number:
  US10/308,555
• Time in Patent Office: 2,177 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345172-178, 345/168, 345/169, 178 1801- 1811, 400/472, 400/489
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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

User interface systems comprising a touch screen actuator and a tactile key, in which the tactile key is placed adjacent to the touch screen actuator so that manipulation of the tactile key can be detected by the touch screen actuator. Tactile key modules that can be so placed adjacent to a touch screen actuator, and methods of producing such user interface systems, as well as, repositioning such tactile key modules, are also described.

Claims

1. A user interface system for inputting information, comprising:

a touch screen;

a tactile key mechanism placed adjacent to a first touch screen actuator within said touch screen, the key mechanism including a housing and a key moveable relative to the housing having a tactile surface, the key mechanism including components responding to a keypress of the key by acting on the first touch screen actuator so as to cause detection of a touch by the first touch screen actuator, the key mechanism further including components responding to a keypress of the key resulting in detection of a touch by the first touch screen actuator so as to produce a tactile feedback to a user indicating that the keypress has been sufficient to produce a successful detection of a touch by the first touch screen actuator; and

a choice-driven interface application program controlling displays on the touch screen of a specific sequence of overlays based on choices entered by an operator.

2. The user interface system of claim 1, in which a function of said tactile key is mapped through said first touch screen actuator to a program for execution of said function.

3. The user interface system of claim 1, in which a function of said tactile key is displayed by said touch screen.

4. The user interface system of claim 1, in which said tactile key is secured in position adjacent to said first touch screen actuator.

5. The user interface system of claim 1, wherein the tactile key includes a signal transfer unit providing a signal detectable by the touch screen actuator when the tactile surface of the tactile key is manipulated by a user.

6. The user interface system of claim 5, wherein the signal provided by the signal transfer unit is an optical signal.

7. The user interface system of claim 6, wherein manipulation of the tactile surface of the tactile key causes a change in a level of light impacting on a localized area of the touch screen.

8. The user interface system of claim 5, wherein the signal provided by the signal transfer unit is a mechanical signal.

9. The user interface system of claim 8, wherein the signal transfer unit generates an acoustic wave at the touch screen actuator upon manipulation of the tactile surface of the tactile key by a user.

10. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein manipulation of the tactile surface of the tactile key causes movement of a contact tip into physical contact with the touch screen actuator.

11. The user interface system of claim 9, wherein manipulation of the tactile surface of the tactile key causes projection of an acoustic wave in the direction of the touch screen actuator.

12. The user interface system of claim 5, wherein the signal provided by the signal transfer unit is an electrical signal.

13. A method of utilizing a user interface system for inputting information comprising a touch screen and a tactile key mechanism including a key having a tactile surface within a tactile key housing, comprising the steps of:

placing said tactile key housing adjacent to a first touch screen actuator within said touch screen, such that a keypress of the key results in movement of the key relative to the tactile key housing and a response by components of the key mechanism detected as a touch by the first touch screen actuator, a keypress of the key sufficient to result in detection of a touch by the touch screen actuator further resulting in a tactile feedback by the key mechanism indicating that the keypress has been sufficient to produce successful detection of a touch by the first touch screen actuator; and

controlling the touch screen utilizing a choice-driven interface application program to display a specific sequence of overlays based on choices entered by an operator.

14. The method of claim 13, comprising the step of mapping a function of said tactile key through said first touch screen actuator to a program for execution of said function.

15. The method of claim 13, comprising the step of securing said tactile key in position adjacent to said first touch screen actuator.