Touch screen with user interface enhancement

• US 20050024341A1
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synaptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Gillespie, David W., Grate, Leslie R., Hsu, Andrew C., Trent, Ray
• Application Number:
  US10/125,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024341A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

The present invention is a graphical user interface in a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display. The graphical user interface comprises a touch screen and a driver coupling the touch screen to the operating system. The driver can display a plurality of icons on the touch screen, or a plurality of screen images having at least one icon, with each of the icons associated with operations on the display and/or the touch screen. Other embodiments include the touch screen having unactivated and activated states, as well as the presence of an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on the touch screen.

Claims

1. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

2. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

3. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.

4. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause a first action on said touch screen and a second action different from said first action on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

5. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause a first action on said touch screen and a second action different from said first action on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

6. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause a first action on said touch screen and a second action different from said first action on said display in response to contact by an object on said region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.

7. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said at least one region, and at least one of said icons identifying at least one other region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said at least one other region.

8. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said at least one region, and at least one of said icons identifying at least one other region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said at least one other region.

9. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying a plurality of icons on said touch screen, at least one of said icons identifying at least one region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said at least one region, and at least one of said icons identifying at least one other region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said at least one other region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.

10. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

11. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region.

12. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.

13. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by an object on said region.

14. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by an object on said region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.

15. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region; and

at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including said at least one icon identifying another region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said another region.

16. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen, said touch screen supporting an unactivated state and an activated state; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region; and

at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including said at least one icon identifying another region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said another region.

17. In a computing device having a processor running an operating system and a display, a graphical user interface, comprising:

a touch screen; and

a driver coupling said touch screen to said operating system, said driver displaying one of a plurality of touch screen images, at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including at least one icon identifying a region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said touch screen and not on said display in response to contact by an object on said region; and

at least one of said plurality of touch screen images including said at least one icon identifying another region on said touch screen that will cause an action on said display and not on said touch screen in response to contact by said object on said another region;

wherein said driver includes an application programming interface that enables an application to display at least one image on said touch screen.