User interface navigation utilizing pressure-sensitive touch

• US 8,816,989 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Nicholson, John Weldon, Rutledge, James Stephen, Wang, Song, Hunt, John Miles
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, PREMAL R
• Application Number:
  US13/477,145
• Publication Number:
  US 20130314364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 345173-179, 178 1801- 1809
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• 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: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An approach is provided to direct data to different applications based upon the amount of pressure applied by a user of a pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen. In this approach, a touch input is received at a location of the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen. The various applications currently being displayed at the location are identified along with the physical pressure level (amount of pressure applied) at the location on the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen. One of the applications running on the device is selected based on the amount of pressure applied and the touch-based input provided by the user is directed to the selected application.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method executing on an information handling system comprising:

receiving a touch input at a location of a pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

identifying a plurality of applications being displayed at the location;

identifying a physical pressure level of the touch input on the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

selecting one of the applications based on the pressure level; and

directing the input to the selected application;

displaying a first application that is being displayed at the location using a first set of display attributes, wherein the first set of display attributes displays the first application as a solid background on the display; and

displaying a second application that is being displayed at the location using a second set of display attributes, wherein the second set of display attributes displays the second application as a partially-transparent overlay on top of the first application so that both the first and second applications are visible at the location;

configuring a plurality of layers, wherein each of the plurality of layers is assigned a different range of physical pressure levels;

configuring the plurality of applications by assigning one of the configured layers to one or more of the plurality of applications; and

selecting one of the layers, wherein the selecting is performed by comparing the identified physical pressure level with the ranges of physical pressure levels assigned to each of the layers, wherein the selected application is identified by comparing the assigned level of each of the plurality of applications to the selected layer.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

configuring a plurality of sets of display attributes, including the first and second sets of display attributes; and

assigning a unique one of the layers to each of the plurality of sets of display attributes.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a subsequent touch input at a second location of the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

determining that a single application is being displayed at the second location; and

directing the subsequent touch input to the single application regardless of the physical pressure applied.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

visually indicating the selected one of the applications to which the input is directed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the visual indication is removed after a period of time following the reception of the touch input.

6. An information handling system comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory coupled to at least one of the processors;

pressure sensitive touch-enabled display screen accessible by at least one of the processors; and

a set of instructions stored in the memory and executable by at least one of the processors in order to;

receive an input at a location on the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

identify at least first and second applications respectively presenting first and second layers at the location, wherein the first layer for the first application is associated with a first range of physical pressure levels and the second layer for the second application is associated with a second range of physical pressure levels different from the first range of physical pressure levels;

identify a physical pressure level of the input on the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

determine one layer of the first and second layers to which to direct the input based on a comparison of the physical pressure level of the input to the first and second ranges of physical pressure levels; and

direct the input to the determined layer.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the instructions are further executable to:

display the first layer using a first set of display attributes, wherein the first set of display attributes includes an attribute to display the first layer as a solid background; and

display the second layer using a second set of display attributes, wherein the second set of display attributes includes an attribute to display the second layer as an at least partially-transparent overlay on top of the first layer so that both the first and second layers are visible at the location.

8. The information handling system of claim 7 wherein the instructions are further executable to:

prepare a plurality of sets of display attributes, including the first and second sets of display attributes; and

assign a unique one of the layers to each of the plurality of sets of display attributes.

9. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the instructions are further executable to:

receive a subsequent input at a second location of the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

determine that a single application is being displayed at the second location; and

direct the subsequent input to the single application regardless of the physical pressure applied.

10. The information handling system of claim 6 wherein the instructions are further executable to:

visually indicate the one of the first and second layers to which to direct the input.

11. The information handling system of claim 10 wherein the visual indication is removed after a period of time following the reception of the input.

12. The information handling system of claim 6, wherein the layer of the first and second layers determined to be the layer to which to direct input is determined by determining that the physical pressure level of the input is within the range of one of the first range and the second range.

13. The information handling system of claim 6, wherein the first layer is a browser window for a browser application and the second layer is a representation of a keyboard for a display-based keyboard application.

14. The information handling system of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second ranges are established at least in part based on user input during a configuration of the respective application associated with the respective at least one of the first and second ranges to be established, the input being input to the display of a first physical pressure level, the first physical pressure level being used to at least in part establish the respective range by establishing the respective range to include the first physical pressure level.

15. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, comprising functional descriptive material that, when executed by an information handling system, causes the information handling system to:

receive an input at a location on a pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

identify at least first and second applications respectively presenting first and second layers at the location, wherein the first layer for the first application is associated with a first range of physical pressure levels and the second layer for the second application is associated with a second range of physical pressure levels different from the first range of physical pressure levels;

identify a physical pressure level of the input on the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

determine one layer of the first and second layers to which to direct the input based on a comparison of the physical pressure level of the input to the first and second ranges of physical pressure levels; and

direct the input to the determined layer.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the functional descriptive material when executed by the information handling system causes the information handling system to:

display the first layer using a first set of display attributes, wherein the first set of display attributes includes an attribute to display the first layer as a solid background; and

display the second layer using a second set of display attributes, wherein the second set of display attributes includes an attribute to display the second layer as an at least partially-transparent overlay on top of the first layer so that both the first and second layers are visible at the location.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the functional descriptive material when executed by the information handling system causes the information handling system to:

prepare a plurality of sets of display attributes, including the first and second sets of display attributes; and

assign a unique one of the layers to each of the plurality of sets of display attributes.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the functional descriptive material when executed by the information handling system causes the information handling system to:

receive a subsequent input at a second location of the pressure sensitive touch-enabled screen;

determine that a single application is being displayed at the second location; and

direct the subsequent input to the single application regardless of the physical pressure applied.

19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein the functional descriptive material when executed by the information handling system causes the information handling system to:

visually indicate the one of the first and second layers to which to direct the input, wherein the visual indication is removed after a period of time following the reception of the input.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the layer of the first and second layers determined to be the layer to which to direct input is determined by determining that the physical pressure level of the input is within the range of one of the first range and the second range.