Lateral pressure sensors for touch screens

• US 8,674,947 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Henderson, Andrew, Golding, Mike, Balm, Andy
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAM, VINH TANG
• Application Number:
  US11/962,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160781A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,279 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-184, 345/161, 178 1801- 2004
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0338 with detection of limited linear or angular displacement of an operating part of the device from a neutral position, e.g. isotonic or isometric joysticks
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

An interactive touch screen and method of manipulating an image on an interactive touch screen. The device includes a user interface screen, an interactive image in the user interface screen, at least one pressure sensor positioned adjacent a periphery of the user interface screen, and a pressure sensitive widget responsive to pressure in a direction of said at least one pressure sensor for manipulating the image in a direction of applied pressure. The method includes providing at least one pressure sensor adjacent a periphery of the interactive touch screen, providing a widget in the interactive touch screen without obscuring the image, applying directional pressure to the widget for activating at least one sensor and without sliding the widget in the interactive touch screen, and moving the image in a direction of applied pressure.

Claims

1. An interactive touch screen comprising:

a user interface screen;

an interactive image arranged to be displayed in said user interface screen;

at least one pressure sensor positioned adjacent to and outside of a periphery of the user interface screen and along a lateral edge of the user interface screen; and

a pressure sensitive widget separate from the at least one pressure sensor and positioned on a top surface of the user interface screen and responsive to lateral pressure applied to the user interface screen without a sliding movement over the surface of the user interface screen, thereby activating the at least one pressure sensor and manipulating the image in a direction of applied pressure,

wherein a force applied to the widget directly corresponds to speed of movement of the image on the display.

2. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive widget is activated without obscuring the display.

3. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensitive widget is laterally stationary.

4. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a cursor.

5. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein the image comprises a scrollable file.

6. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein at least four pressure sensors are positioned adjacent the periphery of the display.

7. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein at least eight pressure sensors are positioned adjacent the periphery of the display.

8. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein actuation of the widget in a direction of the at least one pressure sensor moves the image in a corresponding direction.

9. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein actuation of the widget in a direction between two pressure sensors activates both pressure sensors.

10. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein actuation of widget in a direction of a single pressure sensor activates only that pressure sensor.

11. The interactive touch screen of claim 1, wherein the widget is electrically connected to the at least one pressure sensor and image through the display.