System and method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface

• US 8,049,731 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Interlink Electronics Incorporated
• Inventors: Baker, Jeffrey R., Arthur, David J., Branton, Steve B., Errico, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dharia; Prabodh M
• Application Number:
  US11/488,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20070024595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,931 Days
• Field of Search: 345/684, 345/685, 345/588, 345/688, 345156-158, 345/163, 345/168, 345171-179, 345/660, 455/556.1, 455/566, 382/115, 382/119, 382/124, 358/1.12, 358/473, 347/2, 235/435, 381/121, 381/124, 178 1801- 1803, 178/19.05, 178/771
• 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 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface. The method includes detecting a contact with the touch sensitive control input surface, determining a pressure value corresponding to the contact, and initiating a control function from a set of possible control functions based at least in part on the pressure value.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface, the method comprising:

detecting a contact swipe with the touch sensitive control input surface, wherein the contact swipe is a touch on the input surface which is initiated at a beginning point on the input surface and extends from the beginning point along a segment of the input surface to an ending point on the input surface while in constant contact with the input surface;

determining a pressure value corresponding to the pressure of the contact swipe along the segment of the touch sensitive control input surface;

initiating a first control function in response to the pressure value of the contact swipe being within a first predetermined range; and

initiating a second control function in response to the pressure value of the contact swipe being within a second predetermined range outside of the first predetermined range.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to control volume and the first control function modifies the volume at a first rate and the second control function modifies the volume at a second rate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list and the first control function scrolls through the list at a first rate and the second control function scrolls through the list at a second rate.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function scrolls through the list at a predetermined rate and the second control function steps through the list by a predetermined number of elements.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

6. The method of claim 4 further comprising selecting an element when the pressure value is greater than or equal to a predetermined entry pressure value for a predetermined duration of time.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to step through a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function steps through the list at a first predetermined number of elements and the second control function steps through the list by a second predetermined number of elements.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a hierarchical list and the first control function navigates a first layer of the hierarchical list and the second control function navigates a second layer of the hierarchical list.

10. A method for implementing a control function via a sensor having a touch sensitive control input surface, the method comprising:

dividing the touch sensitive control input surface into a plurality of regions, wherein one or more of the plurality of regions are pressure sensitive regions;

assigning each of the plurality of regions to at least one control function, wherein each of the pressure sensitive regions are assigned two or more control functions;

determining when an operator initiates a contact swipe with one of the pressure sensitive regions, wherein the contact swipe is a touch on the one pressure sensitive region which is initiated at a beginning point on the one pressure sensitive region and extends from the beginning point along a segment of the one pressure sensitive region to an ending point on the one pressure sensitive region while in constant contact with the one pressure sensitive region;

determining a pressure value corresponding to the pressure of the contact swipe along the segment of the one pressure sensitive region;

initiating a first control function in response to the pressure value of the contact swipe being within a first predetermined range; and

initiating a second control function in response to the pressure value of the contact swipe being within a second predetermined range outside of the first predetermined range.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein each of the pressure sensitive regions are assigned two or more control functions based on a state of a corresponding controller.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to control volume and the first control function modifies the volume at a first rate and the second control function modifies the volume at a second rate.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list and the first control function scrolls through the list at a first rate and the second control function scrolls through the list at a second rate.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function scrolls through the list at a predetermined rate and the second control function steps through the list by a predetermined number of elements.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising selecting an element when the pressure value is greater than or equal to a predetermined entry pressure value for a duration of time between a minimum time limit and a maximum time limit.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to step through a list having a plurality of elements and the first control function steps through the list by a first predetermined number of elements and the second control function steps through the list by a second predetermined number of elements.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the plurality of elements correspond to at least one of a character in an alphabet and a word in a language.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to navigate a hierarchical list and the first control function navigates a first layer of the hierarchical list and the second control function navigates a second layer of the hierarchical list.