Touch-screen user interface

• US 8,878,809 B1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 11/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, John T., Hebenstreit, Joseph J., Green, Christopher, Keller, Kevin E.
• Primary Examiner(s): GIESY, ADAM
• Application Number:
  US13/843,741
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/0291 for reading, e.g. e-books constructional details of portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• 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

Abstract

A user interface for a touch-screen display of a dedicated handheld electronic book reader device is described. The user interface detects human gestures manifest as pressure being applied by a finger or stylus to regions on the touch-screen display. In one implementation, the touch-screen user interface enables a user to turn one or more pages in response to applying a force or pressure to the touch-screen display. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface is configured to bookmark a page temporarily by applying a pressure to the display, then allowing a user to turn pages to a new page, but reverting back to a previously-displayed page when the pressure is removed. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface identifies and filters electronic books based on book size and/or a time available to read a book. In another implementation, the touch-screen user interface converts text to speech in response to a user touching the touch-screen display.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a processor;

a memory accessible by the processor;

a display to present a visible representation of content;

a force sensor configured to detect specific locations where force is applied to the force sensor and at least one force amount;

a control module for receiving a first signal from the force sensor and transmitting, in response to the first signal, a second signal to the processor, the control module being configured to generate the second signal based at least in part on a duration of time of force applied to the force sensor, wherein at least one of the force sensor or the control module are configured to determine the duration of time of force applied to the force sensor; and

one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the processor, the one or more programs including instructions for;

sending first content data to the display;

receiving the second signal; and

sending second content data to the display in response to receiving the second signal.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the display to form a touch-screen display.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first content data includes at least a portion of a first page of an electronic document, and the second content data includes at least a portion of a second page of the electronic document.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a haptic output device configured to produce a haptic indication in response to an instruction originating from the processor, wherein the instruction originating from the processor is associated with one or more of the first signal, the second signal, the sending first content data to the display, or the sending second content data to the display.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for interpreting the second signal as at least partially indicative of one or more of force being applied to a predefined region of the force sensor, or a swiping force across the force sensor.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for determining a portion of the content to be sent as the second content data, wherein the determining is based at least in part on one or more of locations where force is applied to the sensor, the at least one force amount, or a duration of time of force applied to the force sensor.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display further comprises one or more of:

a protective layer made of a flexible material;

or

a flexible backplane layer.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a speaker;

wherein the one or more programs further include instructions for causing an audio response signal to be sent to the speaker, and wherein the causing is associated with one or more of the first signal, the second signal, the sending first content data to the display, or the sending second content data to the display.

9. A computer-implemented method comprising:

under control of a portable electronic device configured with executable instructions, performing the following;

presenting a visible representation of content on a display;

detecting pressure at a specific location where force is applied to a force sensor;

detecting at least one force amount applied to the specific location on the force sensor;

determining a duration of time the force is applied to the force sensor;

generating a signal based at least in part on the duration of time the force is applied to the force sensor;

sending first content data to a display; and

presenting second content data in response to the signal being generated.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the force sensor is coupled to the display to form a touch-screen display.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the first content data includes at least a portion of a page of an electronic document, and the second content data includes at least a portion of another page of the electronic document.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

producing a haptic indication in response to an instruction associated with one or more of the signal, the sending first content data to the display, or the presenting second content data.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

interpreting the signal as at least partially indicative of one or more of force being applied to a predefined region of the force sensor or a swiping force across the force sensor.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining a portion of the content to be presented as the second content data, wherein the determining is based at least in part on one or more of locations where force is applied to the force sensor, the at least one force amount, or a duration of time of force applied to the force sensor.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein the display comprises one or more of a protective layer made of a flexible material;

or

a flexible backplane layer.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing an audio response signal to be sent to a speaker, wherein the causing is associated with one or more of the signal, the sending first content data to the display, or the presenting second content data.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein presenting the second content data comprises sending the second content data to the display.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving a selection of a portion of text from displayed content; and

generating a spoken representation of the selected portion of text,

wherein presenting the second content data comprises outputting the spoken representation of text as audible content at a speed determined based at least in part on an average speed of a finger or a stylus moving relative to displayed content.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored therein instructions, which when executed by an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform acts comprising:

presenting a visible representation of content on a display;

detecting pressure at a specific location where force is applied to a force sensor;

detecting at least one force amount applied to the specific location on the force sensor;

determining a duration of time of force applied to the force sensor;

sending first content data to a display;

receiving a signal from the force sensor; and

sending second content data to the display in response to receiving the signal, the second content data being determined based at least in part on one or more of a variance among a plurality of detected force amounts or the determined duration of time of force applied to the force sensor.