Advanced touch control of a file browser via finger angle using a high dimensional touchpad (HDTP) touch user interface

• US 8,638,312 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NRI R&D Patent Licensing, LLC (Advanced Touchscreen and Gesture Technologies, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lester F. Ludwig
• Inventors: Lim, Seung E.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIMNHUNG T
• Application Number:
  US13/786,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20130181926A1
• Time in Patent Office: 329 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1804, 463 36- 39
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/214 for locating contacts on a surface, e.g. floor mats or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/428 involving motion or position input signals, e.g. signals representing the rotation of an input controller or a player's arm motions sensed by accelerometers or gyroscopes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 21/00 Systems for transmitting the position of an object with respect to a predetermined reference system, e.g. tele-autographic system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

A method for controlling a file browser executing on a computing device is disclosed. A user interface touch sensor is configured to be responsive to at least one angle of contact with at least one finger. A change in an angle of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor is measured by the touch sensor to produce measured data. Real-time calculations on the measured data are performed to produce a measured-angle value. The measured-angle value is used to control the value of at least one user interface parameter of the file browser. At least one aspect of the file browser changes in response to the angle of the position of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a file browser executing on a computing device, the method comprising:

configuring a user interface touch sensor to be responsive to at least one angle of contact with at least one finger, the finger belonging to a human user of a computing device and the user interface touch sensor in communication with an operating system of the computing device;

measuring at least one change in at least one angle of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor to produce measured data, the measuring performed by at least the touch sensor;

performing real-time calculations on the measured data to produce a measured-angle value; and

using the measured-angle value to control the value of at least one user interface parameter of the file browser;

wherein at least one aspect of the file browser changes responsive to the angle of the position of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control navigation of content of at least one folder associated with the file browser.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control an address bar associated with the file browser.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control the manipulation of at least one item displayed in at least one file browser window.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control at least one aspect of a graphical user interface associated with the file browser.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control selecting a tab among a plurality of tabs associated with a file browser.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control deselection of a currently selected tab in a file browser.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control changing at least one or more dimensions of at least one window of the file browser.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control changing at least one dimension of an item in a folder associated with the file browser.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of a menu associated with the file browser.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one finger angle comprises one of a:

pitch, roll and yaw of the finger with respect to the touch sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface touch sensor is additionally configured to be responsive to at least one gesture comprising changes to position of the finger on the touch sensor.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface touch sensor is additionally configured to be responsive to gestures comprising changes to pressure applied by the finger to the touch sensor.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a speed of change of the finger angle, and using the speed of the change of the finger angle is used to control an aspect of the file browser.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one finger angle is used in a natural metaphor to control an aspect of the file browser.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control at least one function associated with a command bar associated with the file browser.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control at least one function associated with a ribbon associated with the file browser.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the measured-angle value to control one of a:

copy, cut and paste command associated with the file browser.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more touch gestures performed by the finger on the surface of the touch sensor wherein at least one of the touch gestures comprises the at least one change in at least one angle of the finger; and

using the measured-angle value and the one or more touch gestures to control the value of at least one user interface parameter of the file browser.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a sequence of touch gestures performed by the finger on the surface of the touch sensor;

wherein at least one of the touch gestures comprises the at least one change in at least one angle of the finger.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device.