Variable pressure touch system

• US 9,600,114 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Milam, Jennifer L, Nesbitt, Pamela A
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): ONYEKABA, AMY
• Application Number:
  US14/447,623
• Publication Number:
  US 20160034086A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• 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

Abstract

The disclosed variable pressure touch system includes an information handling system (IHS) that may take many forms. In one embodiment, the IHS may be a tablet with a touch sensor in the form of a touch sensitive display. A user may apply pressure to the touch sensor with a finger, stylus, or other pointing device. The touch sensor may then generate a current pressure indication of the current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor. In one embodiment, a touch tool of the IHS may receive the current pressure indication and generate a display image on the display of the IHS that changes as the current pressure indication changes. In other embodiments, the touch tool of the IHS may receive the current pressure indication and generate a visual indicator on the display of the IHS that changes as the current pressure indication changes.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

sensing a touch by a touch sensor of an information handling system (IHS);

measuring, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

receiving, by a touch tool of the IHS, the current pressure measure;

generating, by the touch tool of the IHS, a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

displaying, by a display device of the IHS, the display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising a title of a document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising an image associated with the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising textual content of the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating a display image step further comprises:

generating a visual indicator in the display image around a point, on a display of a display device, associated with the sensed touch, the visual indicator increasing in size as the current pressure increases, and the visual indicator decreasing in size as the current pressure decreases.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the visual indicator is situated adjacent a display location corresponding to where the touch sensor currently senses the touch.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining, by the touch tool, a particular detail level of a plurality of detail levels, the particular detail level corresponding to the current pressure indication.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the displaying the display image step includes displaying the particular detail level that corresponds to the current pressure indication.

6. A method, comprising:

sensing a touch by a touch sensor of an information handling system (IHS);

measuring, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

receiving, by a touch tool of the IHS, the current pressure measure;

generating, by the touch tool of the IHS, a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

displaying, by a display device of the IHS, the display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising at least one of a product name or a product price, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising a detailed description of the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising product options corresponding to the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.

7. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:

a processor;

a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory including a touch tool that is configured to;

sense a touch by a touch sensor;

measure, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

receive the current pressure measure;

generate a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

display, by a display device of the IHS, the display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising a title of a document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising an image associated with the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising textual content of the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.

8. A touch tool computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores program code for execution on a processor of an information handling system (IHS), the program code including;

first instructions that sense a touch by a touch sensor;

second instructions that measure, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

third instructions that receive the current pressure measure;

fourth instructions that generate a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

fifth instructions that display, via a display device of the IHS, a display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising a title of a document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising an image associated with the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising textual content of the document, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.

9. The touch tool computer program product of claim 8, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, and wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure.

10. The touch tool computer program product of claim 9, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase.

11. An information handling system (IHS), comprising:

a processor;

a system memory coupled to the processor, the system memory including a touch tool that is configured to;

sense a touch by a touch sensor;

measure, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

receive the current pressure measure;

generate a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

display, by a display device of the IHS, the display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising at least one of a product name or a product price, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising a detailed description of the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising product options corresponding to the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.

12. A touch tool computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer readable storage medium that stores program code for execution on a processor of an information handling system (IHS), the program code including;

first instructions that sense a touch by a touch sensor;

second instructions that measure, by the touch sensor, a current pressure exhibited by the touch on the touch sensor thereby generating a current pressure measure;

third instructions that receive the current pressure measure;

fourth instructions that generate a display image, at a location on a display corresponding to the touch, which is a graphical representation of the current pressure measure, wherein the display image dynamically changes in response to the current pressure measure changing such that the display image remains a graphical representation of an amount of the current pressure measure, and wherein the graphical representation has a first configuration when a first amount of the current pressure measure is within a first range of pressure measurements and has a second configuration when a second amount of the current pressure measure is within a second range of pressure measurements different from the first range of pressure measurements; and

fifth instructions that display, via a display device of the IHS, a display image that changes as the current pressure measure changes, wherein displaying the display image further comprises displaying a graphical representation of an item of content of interest, wherein the item of content is an item available for purchase, wherein different levels of detailed information about the item of content are displayed depending upon the current pressure measure and the different levels of detailed information comprise different levels of information about the item available for purchase, and wherein the different levels of detailed information comprises;

a first level of detailed information comprising at least one of a product name or a product price, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the first range of pressure measurements;

a second level of detailed information comprising a detailed description of the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within the second range of pressure measurements; and

a third level of detailed information comprising product options corresponding to the item available for purchase, which is displayed in response to the current pressure measure being within a third range of pressure measurements.