Touch input method and portable terminal apparatus

• US 7,855,719 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhigu Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Inventec Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Feng-Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao; Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards; Carolyn R
• Application Number:
  US11/710,959
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-157, 345/169, 345173-183, 345/901, 345/903, 178 1801- 1811, 178 1901- 1907, 463 37- 38, 200/512, 715856-858
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0382 Plural input, i.e. interface arrangements in which a plurality of input device of the same type are in communication with a PC
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry

Abstract

A touch input method applied to a portable terminal apparatus includes the following steps. First, a touch command is received. Then, a pressing area is derived by conducting a range computation according to the touch command. After that, a cursor is produced according to the touch command. Finally, the cursor is optionally disposed inside a predetermined range around the pressing area according to a present location of the pressing area. A portable terminal apparatus applying the touch input method is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A touch input method applied to a portable terminal apparatus, the touch input method comprising the steps of:

receiving a touch command;

deriving a pressing area by conducting a range computation corresponding to the touch command;

producing a cursor according to the touch command; and

judging whether the pressing area is located within a first predetermined range or a second predetermined range, and the first predetermined range and the second predetermined range are on the same screen;

disposing the cursor on a right side around the pressing area when the pressing area is located within the first predetermined range;

disposing the cursor on a left side around the pressing area when the pressing area is located within the second predetermined range;

judging whether a location of the cursor is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the first predetermined range or not;

moving the cursor from the right side around the pressing area to the left side when the location of the cursor is within the predetermined coordinate limit;

judging whether a location of the cursor is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the second predetermined range or not; and

moving the cursor from the left side around the pressing area to the fight side when the location of the cursor is within the predetermined coordinate limit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cursor is moved with movement of the pressing area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

judging whether a location of the pressing area is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the first predetermined range or not; and

moving the cursor from the right side around the pressing area to the left side when the location of the pressing area is within the predetermined coordinate limit.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

judging whether a location of the pressing area is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the second predetermined range or not; and

moving the cursor from the left side around the pressing area to the right side when the location of the pressing area is within the predetermined coordinate limit.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

judging whether the cursor is located within one of objects or not

judging whether an allowable range of the pressing area is pressed at least one time or not within a predetermined time when the cursor is located within one of the objects; and

executing the object at which the cursor is located when the allowable range of the pressing area is pressed at least one time within the predetermined time.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the range computation computes the pressing area according to coordinate limits corresponding to the touch command.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined range and the second predetermined range respectively define a left portion and a right portion of an operation frame of the flat panel display module.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the left portion and the right portion are symmetric to each other, the left portion is from the center to the left edge of the operation frame, and the right portion is from the center to the right edge of the operation frame.

9. A portable terminal apparatus, comprising:

a touch panel module for receiving a touch command and producing a position signal;

a computing module, which is connected to the touch panel module and conducts a range computation according to the position signal to derive a pressing area signal corresponding to a pressing area;

a flat panel display module disposed corresponding to the touch panel module;

a processing module, which is connected to the flat panel display module and the computing module, and transmits a cursor signal to the fiat panel display module, wherein the flat panel display module displays a cursor inside a predetermined range around the pressing area according to the cursor signal; and

a judging module, which is connected to the computing module and receives the pressing area signal, for judging whether the pressing area corresponding to the pressing area signal falls within a first predetermined range or a second predetermined range, and producing a range signal, and the first predetermined range and the second predetermined range are on the same screen,

wherein the processing module is connected to the judging module and receives the range signal to produce a cursor position signal, and the flat panel display module displays the cursor on a right side or a left side around the pressing area according to the cursor signal,

wherein the judging module judges whether a location of the cursor is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the first predetermined range or not, and the flat panel display module displays the move of the cursor from the right side around the pressing area to the left side when the location of the cursor is within the predetermined coordinate limit,

wherein the judging module judges whether a location of the cursor is within a predetermined coordinate limit of the second predetermined range or not; and

the flat panel display module displays the move of the cursor from the left side around the pressing area to the right side when the location of the cursor is within the predetermined coordinate limit.

10. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the first predetermined range and the second predetermined range respectively define a left portion and a right portion of an operation frame of the flat panel display module.

11. The portable terminal apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the left portion and the right portion are symmetric to each other, the left portion is from the center to the left edge of the operation frame, and the right portion is from the center to the right edge of the operation frame.