System and method to assist reaching screen content

• US 9,400,572 B2
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: VanBlon, Russell Speight, Caliendo, Neal Robert Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONYEKABA, AMY
• Application Number:
  US14/094,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153889A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 715700-866
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/96 Touch switches specially adapted for electronic time-pieces with no moving parts G04G21/08

Abstract

A device and method include detecting a position of a finger positioned proximate a touch screen of a hand held device, the touch screen having a target available for selection via the finger, comparing the detected position of the finger to a selection range, and moving a target on the touch screen responsive to the comparison.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

detecting via a processor a position of a finger positioned proximate a touch screen of a hand held device, the touch screen having a target available for selection via the finger;

detecting via the processor a grip of the hand held device, and wherein a selection range is associated with the grip;

comparing the detected position of the finger to the selection range via the processor of the hand held device; and

moving a target on the touch screen via the processor of the hand held device responsive to the comparison such that the target is easily selectable without changing the grip,

wherein moving the target on the touch screen comprises;

recognizing that a finger is extending beyond the selection range based on the comparison;

identifying potential targets outside the selection range in a direction extending from a center of the selection range towards the detected position of the finger; and

moving a most likely target from the identified potential targets from outside the selection range to inside the selection range along the direction used to identify potential targets,

wherein the most likely target is a target most often selected from the identified potential targets.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the target is moved within the selection range.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection range is a range corresponding to a range that is comfortable for a user to move their finger within.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection range is associated with the grip via a selection range table of selection ranges associated with grips.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising selecting the selection range based on the detected grip from the selection range table in response to detecting a shift in grip pressure associated with difficulty reaching the target.

6. The method of claim 1, and further comprising moving multiple identified potential targets by shifting all content on the screen toward the finger.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the targets comprise icons, wherein the most likely target comprises an icon most often selected from the identified potential targets, and wherein the most likely target is moved without moving other content on the screen and is drawn on top of other targets.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger position is detected via capacitive sensors in the touch screen.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger position is detected via cameras.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger position is detected via pressure sensors.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the finger position proximate the touch screen includes finger position touching the touch screen and finger position above the touch screen corresponding to a user using the finger to reach a target.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the target comprises a user selectable icon.

13. A non-transitory machine readable storage device having instructions for execution by a processor of the machine to perform:

detecting a position of a finger positioned proximate a touch screen of a hand held device, the touch screen a target available for selection via the finger;

detecting a grip of the hand held device, and wherein a selection range is associated with the grip;

comparing the detected position of the finger to the selection range; and

moving a target on the touch screen responsive to the comparison such that the target is easily selectable without changing the grip, wherein moving the target on the touch screen comprises;

recognizing that a finger is extending beyond the selection range based on the comparison;

identifying potential targets outside the selection range in a direction extending from a center of the selection range towards the detected position of the finger; and

moving a most likely target from the identified potential targets from outside the selection range to inside the selection range along the direction used to identify potential targets,

wherein the most likely target is a target most often selected from the identified potential targets.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the selection range is a range corresponding to a range that is comfortable for a user to move their finger within.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage device of claim 13, wherein the method further comprises detecting a grip of the hand held device, and wherein the selection range is based on the detected grip in response to detecting a shift in grip pressure associated with difficulty reaching the target.

16. A hand held device comprising:

a case;

a storage device disposed within the case;

a touch screen supported by the case;

finger proximity sensors coupled to the case; and

a processor coupled to the storage device, the proximity sensors, and the touch screen, wherein the processor receives instructions from the storage device for execution by the processor to;

detect a position of a finger positioned proximate a touch screen of a hand held device, the touch screen having a target available for selection via the finger;

detect a grip of the hand held device, and wherein a selection range is associated with the grip;

compare the detected position of the finger to the selection range; and

move a target on the touch screen responsive to the comparison, wherein moving the target on the touch screen comprises;

recognizing that a finger is extending beyond the selection range based on the comparison;

identifying potential targets outside the selection range in a direction extending from a center of the selection range towards the detected position of the finger; and

moving a most likely target from the identified potential targets from outside the selection range to inside the selection range along the direction used to identify potential targets,

wherein the most likely target is a target most often selected from the identified potential targets.