Methods of Operating Electronic Devices Using Touch Sensitive Interfaces with Contact and Proximity Detection and Related Devices and Computer Program Products

• US 20100117970A1
• Filed: 11/11/2008
• Published: 05/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications USA Incorporated (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Burstrom, David Per, Ostsjo, Anders Wilhelm
• Application Number:
  US12/268,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117970A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04108 Touchless 2D- 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 without distance measurement in the Z direction
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A method of operating an electronic device using a touch sensitive user interface may include detecting contact between a first finger and the touch sensitive user interface, and detecting non-contact proximity of a second finger to the touch sensitive user interface. Responsive to detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface and responsive to detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger to the touch sensitive user interface, one of a plurality of operations may be selected. Responsive to selecting one of the plurality of operations, the selected operation may be performed. Related devices and computer program products are also discussed.

Claims

1. A method of operating an electronic device using a touch sensitive user interface, the method comprising:

detecting contact between a first finger and the touch sensitive user interface;

detecting non-contact proximity of a second finger to the touch sensitive user interface;

responsive to detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface and responsive to detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger to the touch sensitive user interface, selecting one of a plurality of operations; and

responsive to selecting one of the plurality of operations, performing the selected operation.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting contact comprises detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface using infrared (IR) contact sensing, acoustic wave contact sensing, capacitive contact sensing, and/or resistive contact sensing.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting non-contact proximity comprises detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger to the touch sensitive user interface using optical sensing.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting contact comprises detecting contact using a first sensing technology, and wherein detecting non-contact proximity comprises detecting non-contact proximity using a second sensing technology different than the first sensing technology.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the first sensing technology is selected from infrared sensing, acoustic sensing, capacitive sensing, and/or resistive sensing, and wherein the second sensing technology is selected from acoustic sensing and/or optical sensing.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger comprises detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger while detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein selecting one of a plurality of operations comprises,

determining an orientation of the second finger relative to the first finger,

when the second finger is in a first orientation relative to the first finger, selecting a first of the plurality of operations, and

when the second finger is in a second orientation relative to the first finger different than the first orientation, selecting a second of the plurality of operations.

8. A method according to claim 7 wherein the first operation comprises initiating a link to a website identified by detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface, and wherein the second operation comprises an editing operation and/or a bookmarking operation.

9. A method according to claim 1 further comprising:

detecting non-contact proximity of a third finger to the touch sensitive user interface;

wherein selecting one of the plurality of operations comprises selecting a first of the plurality of operations when the first finger is between the second and third fingers, and selecting a second of the plurality of operations when the second and third fingers are on a same side of the first finger.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the touch sensitive user interface comprises a touch sensitive screen and/or a touch sensitive pad.

11. An electronic device comprising:

a touch sensitive user interface including a contact detector configured to detect contact between a first finger and the touch sensitive user interface, and a proximity detector configured to detect non-contact proximity of a second finger to the touch sensitive user interface; and

a controller coupled to the touch sensitive user interface, wherein the controller is configured to select one of a plurality of operations responsive to detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface and responsive to detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger to the touch sensitive user interface, and to perform the selected operation responsive to selecting one of the plurality of operations.

12. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the contact detector is configured to detect contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface using infrared (IR) contact sensing, acoustic wave contact sensing, capacitive contact sensing, and/or resistive contact sensing.

13. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the proximity detector is configured to detect non-contact proximity of the second finger to the touch sensitive user interface using optical sensing.

14. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the contact detector is configured to detect contact using a first sensing technology, and wherein the proximity detector is configured to detect non-contact proximity using a second sensing technology different than the first sensing technology.

15. An electronic device according to claim 14 wherein the first sensing technology is selected from infrared sensing, acoustic sensing, capacitive sensing, and/or resistive sensing, and wherein the second sensing technology is selected from acoustic sensing and/or optical sensing.

16. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger comprises detecting non-contact proximity of the second finger while detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface.

17. An electronic device according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to select one of the plurality of operations by determining an orientation of the second finger relative to the first finger, selecting a first of the plurality of operations when the second finger is in a first orientation relative to the first finger, and selecting a second of the plurality of operations when the second finger is in a second orientation relative to the first finger different than the first orientation.

18. An electronic device according to claim 17 wherein the first operation comprises initiating a link to a website identified by detecting contact between the first finger and the touch sensitive user interface, and wherein the second operation comprises an editing operation and/or a bookmarking operation.

19. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the proximity detector is further configured to detect non-contact proximity of a third finger to the touch sensitive user interface, and wherein the controller is configured to select a first of the plurality of operations when the first finger is between the second and third fingers, and to select a second of the plurality of operations when the second and third fingers are on a same side of the first finger.

20. An electronic device according to claim 11 wherein the touch sensitive user interface comprises a touch sensitive screen and/or a touch sensitive pad.