Feedback mechanism for user detection of reference location on a sensing device

• US 8,537,119 B1
• Filed: 02/21/2012
• Issued: 09/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NVIDIA Corporation
• Original Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (Infineon Technologies AG)
• Inventors: Grivna, Edward L., Wright, David G., Sartore, Ronald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): OSORIO, RICARDO
• Application Number:
  US13/401,683
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/157, 345/168, 345/159, 345/169, 345/173
• US Class Current: 345/169
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04111 Cross over in capacitive digitiser, i.e. details of structures for connecting electrodes of the sensing pattern where the connections cross each other, e.g. bridge structures comprising an insulating layer, or vias through substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0445 using two or more layers of sensing electrodes, e.g. using two layers of electrodes separated by a dielectric layer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes

Abstract

Devices including an audio mechanism and a processing device coupled to display on-screen buttons on a touch-screen display are described. The processing device is configured to detect a conductive object proximate to the touch-screen display and to determine a position of the conductive object on the touch-screen display. The processing device is configured to provide different sounds via the audio mechanism for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons to allow detection of a reference location on the touch-screen display.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

an audio mechanism; and

a processing device coupled to display on-screen buttons on a touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to detect a conductive object proximate to the touch-screen display and to determine a position of the conductive object on the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to provide different sounds via the audio mechanism for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons to allow detection of a reference location on the touch-screen display, wherein the reference location is a defined physical area on a sensor array of the touch screen display.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference location is a defined physical area on the sensing device that provides a user with spatial orientation of the on-screen buttons of the touch-screen display.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the reference location corresponds to a physical location on the sensing device to allow a user to navigate to the on-screen buttons of the touch-screen display.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device is a hand-held device.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the hand-held device is a mobile phone.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to determine the position of the conductive object without generating a signal indicating activation of the corresponding button location.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a vibrating mechanism to provide vibrations, the vibrating mechanism coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to provide different vibrations via the vibrating mechanism for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio mechanism is a speaker.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the speaker is in an earpiece of a mobile phone.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the audio mechanisms is a wireless headset.

11. The device of claim 1, further comprising a illuminating mechanism to provide one or more lights, the illuminating mechanism coupled to the processing device, wherein the processing device is configured to provide different lights via the illuminating mechanism for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the touch-screen display comprises a plurality of capacitive sense elements coupled to the processing device to detect the conductive object proximate to the touch-screen display.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the processing device comprising one or more capacitance sensors coupled to the plurality of capacitive sense elements to determine capacitances on individual ones of the capacitive sense elements or between the capacitive sense elements.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the different sounds are touch-tone sounds.

15. A device, comprising:

a touch-screen display; and

a processing device coupled to the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to display on-screen buttons on the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to detect a conductive object proximate to the touch-screen display and to determine a position of the conductive object on the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to provide different touch-tone sounds via a speaker for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons to allow detection of a reference location on the touch-screen display, wherein the reference location is a defined physical area on a sensor array of the touch screen display.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the reference location corresponds to a physical location on the sensing device to allow a user to navigate to the on-screen buttons of the touch-screen display.

17. The device of claim 15, further comprising the speaker.

18. The device of claim 15, further comprising a wireless communication circuit configured to be communicatively coupled to a wireless headset, and wherein the speaker is part of the wireless headset.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio mechanism to produce touch-tone sounds;

a touch-screen display configured to display an on-screen dialing keypad comprising on-screen buttons corresponding to at least the numbers zero to nine; and

a processing device coupled to the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to determine a position of a conductive object proximate to the touch-screen display, wherein the processing device is configured to provide different touch-tone sounds via the audio mechanism for different ones of the on-screen buttons when the position of the conductive object is determined within the different on-screen buttons to allow detection of a reference location on the touch-screen display, wherein the reference location is a defined physical area on a sensor array of the touch screen display.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the reference location is the on-screen button corresponding to the number five.