Receiving user input on a graphical user interface

• US 9,031,617 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Mobile Communications AB (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Bengtsson, Henrik, Kalogeropoulos, Sarandis, Moliner, Olivier, Rosqvist, Bjorn, Granstrom, Martin, Aberg, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, PABLO N
• Application Number:
  US14/068,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20140128125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 455/566, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/90.3, 455/90.1, 455/90.2, 455/158.2, 455/158.4, 455/154.2, 455/158.5, 455/159.1, 455/156.1, 455/157.2, 345/156, 345/163, 345/173, 345/177
• US Class Current: 455/566
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04106 Multi-sensing digitiser, i.e. digitiser using at least two different sensing technologies simultaneously or alternatively, e.g. for detecting pen and finger, for saving power or for improving position detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- digitiser, i.e. digitiser detecting the X/Y position of the input means, finger or stylus, also when it does not touch, but is proximate to the digitiser's interaction surface without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• 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: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724 User interfaces specially adapted for cordless or mobile telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector

Abstract

A method for a device to receive a user input commanding the device to perform an action includes detecting a first amount of force exerted onto a graphical user interface, providing an indication that additional force must be exerted onto the graphical user interface to command the device to perform the action, detecting a second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted onto the graphical user interface, and providing a signal including data commanding performance of the action.

Claims

1. A mobile telephone comprising:

a force detection logic configured to detect a first amount of force exerted on a graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the first amount of force; and

an indication logic configured to determine based on the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force that the first amount of force is insufficient to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call and further configured to produce a signal indicating that additional force must be exerted to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call,

wherein the force detection logic is further configured to detect a second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the second amount of force, and

wherein the indication logic is further configured to determine based on the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call.

2. The mobile telephone of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to display a graphical indication corresponding to an indication that force additional to the first amount of force must be exerted on the graphical user interface to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call.

3. The mobile telephone of claim 2, wherein the graphical indication includes a graphic that changes in correspondence to changes in force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

4. The mobile telephone of claim 3, wherein the graphic changing in correspondence to changes in force exerted onto the graphical user interface includes at least one of size of the graphic changing in at least one dimension in correspondence to changes in force exerted onto the graphical user interface or color of the graphic changing in correspondence to changes in force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

5. The mobile telephone of claim 1, further comprising:

a transducer configured to produce sound or vibration in response to the signal including data indicating that additional force must be exerted to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call, wherein at least one of frequency or intensity of the at least one of the sound or the vibration changes in correspondence to changes in the force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

6. The mobile telephone of claim 1, comprising:

a touch detection logic configured to detect touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the detected touch,

wherein the indication logic is further configured to, based on the signal including data indicative of the detected touch, command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call.

7. The mobile telephone of claim 1, comprising:

a touch detection logic configured to detect touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the detected touch,

wherein the indication logic is configured to determine based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the detected touch and the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force that the first amount of force is insufficient to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call,

wherein the indication logic is configured to determine based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the detected touch and the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call.

8. The mobile device of claim 1, comprising:

a touchless detection logic configured to detect a touchless user input corresponding to a selection on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the touchless user input,

wherein the indication logic is configured to, based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input and at least one of the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force or the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force, command the mobile telephone to answer the incoming telephone call.

9. A device comprising:

a force detection logic configured to produce a signal including data indicative of a first amount of force exerted onto a graphical user interface; and

an indication logic configured to determine based on the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force exerted on the graphical user interface that the first amount of force is insufficient to command the device to perform an action;

wherein the force detection logic is further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of a second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted onto the graphical user interface, and

wherein the indication logic is further configured to determine based on the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force exerted on the graphical user interface that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the device to perform the action.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the indication logic is further configured to, upon determining that the first amount of force is insufficient to command the device to perform the action, produce a signal including data indicating that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the indication logic is further configured to, upon determining that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the device to perform the action, produce at least one of a signal including data indicating that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the device to perform the action and a signal commanding the device to perform the action.

12. The device of claim 9, further comprising:

a transducer configured to produce sound or vibration in response to the signal including data indicating that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action, wherein at least one of frequency or intensity of the at least one of the sound or the vibration changes in correspondence to changes in the force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the indication logic is configured to cause the graphical user interface to display a graphical indication that changes in correspondence to changes in the force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

14. The device of claim 9, comprising:

a touch detection logic configured to detect touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the detected touch,

wherein the indication logic is further configured to, based on the signal including data indicative of the detected touch, command the device to perform the action.

15. The device of claim 9, comprising:

a touch detection logic configured to detect touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the detected touch,

wherein the indication logic is configured to determine based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the detected touch and the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force that the first amount of force is insufficient to command the device to perform the action,

wherein the indication logic is configured to determine based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the detected touch and the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force that the second amount of force is sufficient to command the device to perform the action.

16. The device of claim 9, comprising:

a touchless detection logic configured to detect a touchless user input corresponding to a selection on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the touchless user input,

wherein the indication logic is configured to, based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input and at least one of the signal including data indicative of the first amount of force or the signal including data indicative of the second amount of force, command the device to perform the action.

17. A method for a device to receive a user input commanding the device to perform an action, the method comprising:

detecting a first amount of force exerted onto a graphical user interface;

providing an indication that additional force must be exerted onto the graphical user interface to command the device to perform the action;

detecting a second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted onto the graphical user interface; and

providing a signal including data commanding performance of the action.

18. The method of claim 17, the method further comprising:

providing an indication that the second amount of force has been detected and further indicating the second amount of force to be sufficient to command the device to perform the action.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein at least one of the indication that the first amount of force has been detected or the indication that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action includes at least one of a sound feedback, a haptic feedback, or a graphical feedback.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

providing a graphical indication on the graphical user interface that at least one of touching or exerting force onto the graphical user interface corresponds to the user input commanding the device to perform the action.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the providing the indication that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action includes changing a graphical indication in correspondence with changes in the force exerted.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the changing the graphical indication includes at least one of:

changing the graphical indication in correspondence to additional force or less force being exerted,

increasing the size of a graphic in at least one dimension in correspondence with additional force being exerted and shrinking the size of the graphic in it at least one dimension in correspondence with less force being exerted, or

changing a portion of the graphical user interface or the graphical indication gradually from a first color to a second color in correspondence to additional force being exerted and gradually returning to the first color in correspondence to less force being exerted.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the providing the indication that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action includes providing at least one of a sound signal or a vibration signal, wherein at least one of frequency or intensity of the at least one of the sound signal or the vibration signal changes as force exerted on the user interface changes.

24. The method of claim 17, comprising:

detecting touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface; and

providing the signal including data commanding performance of the action based on the detecting touch of the user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface.

25. The method of claim 17, comprising:

detecting touch of a user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface;

providing the indication that the first amount of force has been detected and the indication that additional force must be exerted to command the device to perform the action based on a combination of the detecting the touch of the user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and the detecting the first amount of force exerted on the graphical user interface; and

providing the signal including data commanding performance of the action based on a combination of the detecting the touch of the user'"'"'s skin on the graphical user interface and the detecting the second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

26. The method of claim 17, comprising:

detecting a touchless user input corresponding to a selection on the graphical user interface; and

providing the signal including data commanding performance of the action based on a combination of the detecting the touchless user input corresponding to the selection on the graphical user interface and the detecting the second amount of force larger than the first amount of force exerted onto the graphical user interface.

27. A device comprising:

a graphical user interface configured to receive a user input by user exertion of force onto the graphical user interface;

a force detection logic operatively connected to the graphical user interface and configured to produce a signal including data indicative of an amount of force exerted on the graphical user interface;

a touchless detection logic configured to detect a touchless user input corresponding to a selection on the graphical user interface and further configured to produce a signal including data indicative of the touchless user input; and

an indication logic operatively connected to the force detection logic and the touchless detection logic, the indication logic configured to command the performance of an action based on a combination of the signal including data indicative of the amount of force exerted and the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the indication logic is configured to command the performance of the action if the signal including data indicative of the amount of force exerted indicates that an amount of force larger than a threshold has been exerted on the graphical user interface and the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input indicates that the selection on the graphical user interface has been selected.

29. The device of claim 27, wherein the indication logic is configured to take no action if the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input indicates that the selection on the graphical user interface has been selected but the signal including data indicative of the amount of force exerted indicates that an amount of force larger than a threshold has not been exerted on the graphical user interface.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the indication logic is configured to produce a signal indicative of hovering if the signal including data indicative of the touchless user input indicates that the selection on the graphical user interface has been selected but the signal including data indicative of the amount of force exerted indicates that an amount of force larger than a threshold has not been exerted on the graphical user interface.