User interface for software applications

• US 8,201,090 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Original Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Inventors: Beitle, Robert R., Romey, Noel, Setzer, Steven, Cheung, H. Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Rinehart, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vu, Toan
• Application Number:
  US12/269,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20090217164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 715/702, 715/865, 715/763, 715/771, 341/21, 341/20, 434/112, 434/117, 345/173, 438/612, 427/272, 427/282
• US Class Current: 715/702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/003 using tactile presentation of the information, e.g. Braille displays

Abstract

A user interface for software applications enables the full use of graphical user interface (GUI) software, particularly engineering design software, by visually impaired individuals. The interface combines tactile representations of graphical elements, non-visual cues, and a hardware element to allow the effective placement and interconnection of graphic elements using design software.

Claims

1. A method of controlling an engineering design software application with a user interface comprising a touchscreen providing input to the engineering design software application and an overlay removably fittable onto the touchscreen, wherein the touchscreen comprises a plurality of spatially distinct points and is operable to display a plurality of engineering design elements, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) identifying among the plurality of engineering design elements a first desired engineering design element to be input to an engineering design and displaying the first desired engineering design element on the touchscreen;

(b) locating a first tactile representation corresponding to the first desired engineering design element, wherein the first tactile representation is removable from and repositionable upon the touchscreen;

(c) placing the first tactile representation onto the overlay at a position above a first location where the first engineering design element is displayed on the touchscreen;

(d) identifying among the plurality of engineering design elements a second desired engineering design element to be input to the engineering design and displaying the second desired engineering design element on the touchscreen;

(e) locating a second tactile representation corresponding to the second desired engineering design element, wherein the second tactile representation is removable from and repositionable upon the touchscreen;

(f) placing the second tactile representation onto the overlay at a position above a second location where the second engineering design element is displayed on the touchscreen;

(g) identifying by touch and responsive non-visual cue an engineering design element output point on the first tactile representation;

(h) identifying by touch and responsive non-visual cue an engineering design element input point on the second tactile representation; and

(i) creating an engineering design by connecting the engineering design element output point on the first tactile representation and the engineering design element input point on the second tactile representation by means of tactile input to the touchscreen and responsive non-visual cue wherein a resulting connection is visually represented on the touchscreen by a displayed line.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface comprises a pointing device, and the steps of identifying an output point and identifying an input point and creating an engineering design are performed by the pointing device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying an output point and input point steps comprise the step of generating audio cues.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said locating a first and second tactile representation steps comprises the step of reading Braille characters embossed on a plurality of candidate tactile representations.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said identifying an output point comprises the step of locating a tactile irregularity on the first tactile representation, and said identifying an input point comprises the step of locating a tactile irregularity on the second tactile representation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said first and second tactile representations comprise a selectively removable adhesive, wherein said placing a first tactile representation step comprises the step of adhering the first tactile representation to the overlay, and wherein said placing a second tactile representation step comprises the step of adhering the second tactile representation to the overlay.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first and second tactile representations each comprise an orientation marker, and wherein said method further comprises the step of orienting the first and second tactile representations on the overlay.

8. A user interface for an engineering design software application operable to generate a plurality of graphical user interface (GUI) elements each corresponding to engineering design elements, the user interface comprising:

(a) a hardware surface providing input to the software application, said hardware surface comprising a touch-sensitive digital image display screen comprising a plurality of spatially distinct points;

(b) a non-visual cue generated by the software application upon an interaction of a user with one of said spatially distinct points by means of which the user is informed whether that one of said spatially distinct points corresponds to one of an input and an output;

(c) a removable, transparent overlay fittable onto the touch-sensitive digital image display screen; and

(d) a plurality of tactile stencils each corresponding to one of the engineering design elements, wherein said tactile stencils are removable from and repositionable upon the removable overlay such that the tactile stencils may be positioned above a corresponding one of the engineering design elements appearing on the touch-sensitive digital image display screen, wherein each of the tactile stencils further comprise (i) at least one tactile irregularity corresponding to one of the input and the output;

(ii) a touch-readable print identifying the one of the engineering design elements to which such one of the tactile stencils corresponds, and (iii) a visually-readable print identifying the one of the engineering design elements to which such one of the tactile stencils corresponds.

9. The user interface of claim 8, wherein the touch-sensitive digital image display screen is operable to display at least one of a plurality of connections between at least two of the engineering design elements.