PROGRAMMABLE TACTILE TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAYS AND MAN-MACHINE INTERFACES FOR IMPROVED VEHICLE INSTRUMENTATION AND TELEMATICS

• US 20090322499A1
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1995
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pryor, Timothy R.
• Application Number:
  US12/500,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20090322499A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/407.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/143 Touch sensitive instrument input devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/1438 Touch screens
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/654 the user being the driver
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed are new methods and apparatus particularly suited for applications in a vehicle, to provide a wide range of information, and the safe input of data to a computer controlling the vehicle subsystems or “Telematic” communication using for example GM'"'"'s “ONSTAR” or cellular based data sources. Preferred embodiments utilize new programmable forms of tactile touch screens and displays employing tactile physical selection or adjustment means which utilize direct optical data input. A revolutionary form of dashboard or instrument panel results which is stylistically attractive, lower in cost, customizable by the user, programmable in both the tactile and visual sense, and with the potential of enhancing interior safety and vehicle operation. Non-automotive applications of the invention are also disclosed, for example means for general computer input using touch screens and home automation systems.

Claims

1. A touch interface for a computer comprising:

a display screen including a front surface facing a user and a rear surface opposite the front surface, the display screen being adapted to display visually observable data;

an electro-optical sensor oriented toward the rear surface of the display screen and adapted to detect a first touch input on the front surface of the display screen and a second touch input on the front surface of the display screen, the first touch input and the second touch input being simultaneously in contact with the display screen; and

processing means connected to the electro-optical sensor for determining a characteristic of each of the first touch input and the second touch input.

2. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the electro-optical sensor includes a camera.

3. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the processing means includes a computer processor.

4. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein:

the first touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display screen; and

the second touch input includes one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display screen.

5. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the characteristic includes the location of each of the first touch input and the second touch input.

6. The touch interface of claim 5 wherein the processing means is adapted to detect a change in the location of at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input along the surface of the display screen.

7. The touch interface of to claim 6 wherein the visually observable data includes an object rotated in response to the change in the location of at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input.

8. The touch interface of claim 6 wherein the visually observable data includes an object, wherein the object is moved in response to the change in location of at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input.

9. The touch interface of claim 1 wherein the electro-optical sensor is further adapted to detect a distortion manifested on the rear surface of the display screen by at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input.

10. A method for controlling a computer system comprising the steps of:

providing a display screen capable of displaying visually observable data and including a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface;

providing an electro-optical sensor oriented toward the rear surface of the display screen;

detecting with the electro-optical sensor at least two simultaneous contacts on the front surface of the display screen;

determining a characteristic of each of the at least two simultaneous contacts; and

in response to the determining step, performing an operation on the computer system.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the characteristic includes the location of each of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein:

the at least two simultaneous contacts include a first contact and a second contact;

the location of the first contact is determined by identifying a centroid of a first signal corresponding to the first contact; and

the location of the second contact is determined by identifying a second centroid of a second signal corresponding to the second contact.

13. The method according to claim 11 further comprising detecting a change in the location of at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of detecting a rate of the change in the location of at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

15. The method according to claim 11 further comprising detecting a change in the spacing between the at least two simultaneous contacts.

16. The method according to claim 15 further comprising the step of detecting a rate of the change in the spacing between the at least two simultaneous contacts.

17. The method according to claim 13 wherein the visually observable data includes an object rotated in response to the change in the location of the at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

18. The method according to claim 17 wherein the object is at least one of a virtual dial and a virtual knob.

19. The method according to claim 13 wherein the visually observable data includes an object moved in response to the change in the location of the at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

20. The method according to claim 17 wherein the object includes a virtual slider.

21. The method according to claim 13 wherein:

the visually observable data includes text designated by the location of the at least two simultaneous contacts; and

the text is moved in response to the change in the location of at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

22. A computer implemented method of operating a touch screen comprising the steps of:

providing a display screen capable of displaying visually observable data and including a front surface and a rear surface opposite the front surface;

providing an electro-optical sensor oriented toward the rear surface of the display screen to detect a contact on the front surface thereof;

displaying a first image using the display screen, the first image being visible on at least the front surface of the display screen;

detecting with the electro-optical sensor at least two simultaneous contacts on the front surface of the display screen;

determining a characteristic of the at least two simultaneous contacts; and

in response to the determining step, performing an operation on the computer system.

23. The method according to claim 22 wherein the detecting step includes detecting a distortion manifested on the rear surface of the display screen by at least one of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

24. The method according to claim 22 wherein the operation includes changing a variable in response to the determining step.

25. The method according to claim 22 wherein the characteristic of the at least two simultaneous contacts includes at least one of location, magnitude, and direction.

26. The method according to claim 22 further comprising the step of determining a change in the characteristic of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

27. The method according to claim 26 further comprising the step of determining a rate of the change in the characteristic of the at least two simultaneous contacts.

28. The method according to claim 22 wherein the operation includes displaying a second image on the display screen different from the first image in response to the determining step.

29. The method according to claim 28 wherein:

the first image includes an object in a first orientation; and

the second image includes the object in a second orientation different from the first orientation.

30. The method according to claim 29 wherein the object is at least one of a knob, a dial, a switch, and a lever.

31. The method according to claim 22 wherein the first image includes a virtual keyboard arrangement corresponding to textual characters.

32. The method according to claim 31 wherein the front surface of the display screen includes a depression to assist a user in locating at least a portion of the virtual keyboard.

33. The method according to claim 22 wherein the first image includes a piano keyboard.

34. The method according to claim 22 wherein the front surface of the display screen includes at least one of a protrusion and an indentation.

35. The method according to claim 34 wherein the at least one of a protrusion and an indentation includes a circular indentation.

36. The method according to claim 22 wherein the operation includes actuating the display screen with a force feedback signal in response to the detecting step.

37. The method according to claim 36 wherein the actuating step includes vibrating the display screen.

38. The method according to claim 22 wherein the electro-optical sensor is a camera.

39. The method according to claim 22 wherein the visually observable data is projected onto the rear surface of the display screen and visible on the front surface thereof.

40. A method for controlling a computer system using a touch screen, comprising the steps of:

displaying visually observable data on a display surface of the touch screen;

providing an electro-optical sensor oriented toward a rear portion of the display surface;

detecting with the electro-optical sensor a first touch input on the display surface and a second touch input on the display surface, the first and second touch inputs being simultaneous;

determining a characteristic of the first and second touch inputs; and

in response to the determining step, performing an operation on the computer system.

41. The method according to claim 40 wherein:

the first touch input includes at least one of a finger and thumb in contact with the display surface; and

the second touch input includes at least one of a finger and a thumb in contact with the display surface.

42. The method according to claim 41 wherein the characteristic includes the locations of the first and second touch inputs.

43. The method according to claim 42 further comprising:

detecting a change in the location of the first touch input along the display surface; and

detecting a change in the location of the second touch input along the display surface.

44. The method according to claim 43 further comprising detecting a rate of change in the location of at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input, the rate of change of the location indicating a desired value of a variable.

45. The method according to claim 40 wherein the characteristic includes the force of the first and second touch inputs, the force of at least one of the first touch input and the second touch input indicating a desired value of a variable.

46. The method according to claim 40 wherein the operation includes actuating the display screen with a force feedback signal in response to the determining step.

47. The method according to claim 40 further comprising providing a light source oriented toward the rear portion of the display surface.

48. The method according to claim 47 wherein the detecting step includes detecting a change in the light energy reflected toward the electro-optical sensor, wherein the change in the light energy reflected toward the electro-optical sensor indicates the characteristic of the first touch input and the characteristic of the second touch input.

49. The method according to claim 47 wherein the light source is an infrared light source.

50. The method according to claim 40 further comprising providing a bandpass filter to filter light received by the electro-optical sensor.