MULTI-LAYERED DISPLAY OF A GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE

• US 20090128498A1
• Filed: 06/24/2005
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Hoonhout, Henriette C. M., WIjdeven, Sander B.F., Kleinhout, Huib V., Hollemans, Gerard, Buil, Vincent
• Application Number:
  US11/570,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20090128498A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04101 2.5D-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 and also measures the distance of the input means within a short range in the Z direction, possibly with a separate measurement setup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0446 using a grid-like structure of electrodes in at least two directions, e.g. using row and column electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• 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

Abstract

A graphical user interface for a display uses 3-D sensing in order to manipulate various functions. In particular, instead of a menu being constantly on the display screen occupying space, when the finger of a user is at a certain distance from the screen, the menu then appears. By moving his/her finger in the X and/or Y direction, the user can make a selection from the displayed menu options. This method and GUI does not discriminate a certain part of the screen with less accessibility. Rather, the menu appears immediately in reaction to the user action, and the menu appears at the point of user input.

Claims

1. A graphical user interface for a display device for selectively displaying a menu (38) of options on a display screen (10) of the display device, said graphical user interface comprising:

means (22, 24, 26) for detecting a distance (Z) that a finger (34) of a user is from the display screen (10), said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generating a detection signal when said distance (Z) is within a predetermined threshold distance (36);

means (22, 24, 26) for determining a position of said user'"'"'s finger (34) with respect to said display screen (10);

means (28, 30) for displaying said menu (38) on said display screen (10) at said determined position in response to said detection signal;

means (22, 24, 26) for further detecting movements of said user'"'"'s finger (34) in a plane parallel to the display screen (10); and

means (28) for using said detected further movements to effect selections from the menu (38) options (40).

2. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generates said detection signal only when said user'"'"'s finger (34) initially comes within said predetermined threshold distance (36).

3. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 2, wherein said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generates said detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) begins to withdraw from said display screen (10).

4. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 3, wherein said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generates said detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) is withdrawn more than a predetermined amount.

5. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generates at least one further detection signal when said detected distance (Z) is within at least one further predetermined threshold distance (42), and wherein said displaying means (28, 30) displays said menu (38) at said determined position in response to said detection signal and displays at least one further menu (46) at said determined position in response to said at least one further detection signal.

6. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 5, wherein said menu (38′

) contains basic options (40′

), and said at least one further menu (46) contains menu options (48) most often used by the user.

7. The graphical user interface as claimed in claim 1, wherein said detecting means (22, 24, 26) generates a further detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) is within a further predetermined threshold distance (44) from the display screen, said further predetermined threshold distance (44) being less than said predetermined threshold distance (36), said displaying means (28, 30) stopping the display of said menu (38) in response to said further detection signal.

8. A method for selectively displaying a menu (38) of options on a display screen (10) of a display device, said method comprising the steps:

detecting (22, 24, 26) a distance (Z) that a finger (34) of a user is from the display screen (10);

generating a detection signal when said distance (Z) is within a predetermined threshold distance (36);

determining (22, 24, 26) a position of said user'"'"'s finger (34) with respect to said display screen (10);

displaying (28, 30) said menu (38) on said display screen (10) at said determined position in response to said detection signal;

further detecting (22, 24, 26) movements of said user'"'"'s finger (34) in a plane parallel to the display screen (10); and

using said detected further movements to effect selections from the menu (38) options (40).

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said generating step generates said detection signal only when said user'"'"'s finger (34) initially comes within said predetermined threshold distance (36).

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein said generating step generates said detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) begins to withdraw from said display screen (10).

11. The method as claimed in claim 10, wherein said generating step generates said detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) is withdrawn more than a predetermined amount.

12. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said generating step generates at least one further detection signal when said detecting (22, 24, 26) step detects that the detected distance is within at least one further predetermined threshold distance (42), and wherein said displaying (28, 30) step displays said menu (38) at said determined position in response to said detection signal and displays at least one further menu (46) at said determined position in response to said at least one further detection signal.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein said menu (38′

) contains basic menu options (40′

), and said at least one further menu (46) contains menu options (48) most often used by the user.

14. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein said detecting (22, 24, 26) step generates a further detection signal when said user'"'"'s finger (34) is within a further predetermined threshold distance (44) from the screen, said further predetermined threshold distance (44) being less than said predetermined threshold distance (36), said displaying (28, 30) step stopping the display of said menu (38) in response to said further detection signal.