Touch Selection Device

• US 20080129685A1
• Filed: 07/12/2005
• Published: 06/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Original Assignee: Orange S.A.
• Inventors: Bertolus, Cedric, Falletta, Frederic
• Application Number:
  US11/661,699
• Publication Number:
  US 20080129685A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/0339 Touch strips, e.g. orthogonal touch strips to control cursor movement or scrolling; single touch strip to adjust parameter or to implement a row of soft keys
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning

Abstract

The invention concerns a selection device (20) of an element among a list of elements of a graphical user interface (INT) intended to be displayed on a screen (2), including a navigation means in the list and a validation means (11) of the said selected element, characterised in that the navigation means includes a tactile strip (10) with tactile navigation zones (B, C) located on both side of a central neutral zone (A) which, by means of maintaining a point of contact on the said tactile navigation zones, allows continuous scrolling in the list, in either direction respectively, where the speed of the said scrolling increases with the distance of the position of the said point of contact from the central neutral zone.

Claims

1. A selection device configured to select an element from a list of elements of a graphical user interface which is configured to be displayed on a screen, the selection device comprising means for navigating the list and a means for validating said selected element,

wherein the navigation means comprises a tactile strip with tactile navigation zones respectively located on both sides of a central neutral zone which, by means of maintaining a point of contact on the said tactile navigation zones, allows continuous scrolling in the list in either direction respectively, and the speed of the said scrolling increases with the distance of the position of the said point of contact from the central neutral zone.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile navigation zones each include a neighbouring zone of the central neutral zone which, by brief contact on either said neighbouring zone, allows step-by-step scrolling in the list, in either direction, respectively.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile navigation zones each include a peripheral zone which, by brief contact on either said peripheral zone, allows screen-by-screen scrolling of the list, in either directions respectively.

4. A device according to claim 2, further comprising tactile means for indicating the position of the neighboring zones.

5. A device according to claim 1, further comprising tactile means indicating the position of the central neutral zone.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means for validating of the selected element includes a tactile validation zone in the central neutral zone.

7. A device according to claim 1, further comprising means for returning to the list once validation had been effected.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile strip is positioned in a circular arc.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the tactile strip is positioned vertically.

10. A terminal including a selection device configured to select an element from a list of elements of a graphical user interface which is configured to be displayed on a screen, the selection device comprising means for navigating the list and a means for validating said selected element,

wherein the navigation means comprises a tactile strip with tactile navigation zones respectively located on both sides of a central neutral zone which, by means of maintaining a point of contact on the said tactile navigation zones, allows continuous scrolling in the list in either direction respectively, and the speed of the said scrolling increases with the distance of the position of the said point of contact from the central neutral zone.

11. A terminal according to claim 10 wherein the terminal is a mobile telephone.

12. A remote-control device including a selection device configured to select an element from a list of elements of a graphical user interface which is configured to be displayed on a screen, the selection device comprising means for navigating the list and a means for validating said selected element,

wherein the navigation means comprises a tactile strip with tactile navigation zones respectively located on both sides of a central neutral zone which, by means of maintaining a point of contact on the said tactile navigation zones, allows continuous scrolling in the list in either direction respectively, and the speed of the said scrolling increases with the distance of the position of the said point of contact from the central neutral zone.