USING PRESSURE DIFFERENCES WITH A TOUCH-SENSITIVE DISPLAY SCREEN

• US 20120306766A1
• Filed: 06/01/2011
• Published: 12/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Moore, Stephen C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0414 using force sensing means to determine a position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface that responds to differences in pressure detected by a touch-sensitive screen. The user selects one type of user-interface action by “lightly” touching the screen and selects another type of action by exerting more pressure. Embodiments can respond to single touches, to gestural touches that extend across the face of the touch-sensitive screen, and to touches in which the user-exerted pressure varies during the course of the touch. Some embodiments respond to how quickly the user changes the amount of pressure applied. In some embodiments, the location and pressure of the user'"'"'s input are compared against a stored gesture profile. Action is taken only if the input matches “closely enough” to the stored gesture profile. In some embodiments, a notification is sent to the user when the pressure exceeds a threshold between a light and a heavy press.

Claims

1. On a personal electronic device with a touch-sensitive screen, a method for responding to user input, the method comprising:

receiving a touch on the touch-sensitive screen;

associating a pressure with the touch;

comparing the associated pressure with a first non-zero threshold; and

if the associated pressure is less than the first threshold, then performing a first user-interface action, else performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the personal electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

mobile telephone, personal communications device, personal computer, tablet computer, kiosk, digital sign, and gaming console.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a location on the touch-sensitive screen with the touch.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a spatial path across the touch-sensitive screen with the touch.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the touch-sensitive screen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from a component of the personal electronic device distinct from the touch-sensitive screen, the distinct component selected from the group consisting of:

a pressure sensor and an active stylus.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving from the touch-sensitive screen an element selected from the group consisting of:

an area measurement, a number of affected channels, and a signal strength.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein associating a pressure comprises comparing a signal strength received from the touch-sensitive screen with a number of affected channels.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second user-interface actions are selected from the group consisting of:

selecting an icon displayed on the screen, opening a file associated with an icon displayed on the screen, executing a program associated with an icon displayed on the screen, modifying a value of a control parameter, opening a context menu, and picking up an icon displayed on the screen.

10. The method of claim 1:

wherein the first user-interface action is a drawing action; and

wherein the second user-interface action is an erasing action.

11. The method of claim 1:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold; and

wherein performing the second user-interface action is based, at least in part, on a magnitude of a difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.

12. The method of claim 11:

wherein the second user-interface action comprises changing a value; and

wherein a speed of change of the value is based, at least in part, on the magnitude of the difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.

13. The method of claim 1:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;

the method further comprising comparing the associated pressure with a second non-zero threshold greater than the first non-zero threshold; and

wherein performing the second user-interface action comprises performing a third user-interface action if the associated pressure is less than the second threshold, else performing a fourth user-interface action distinct from the third user-interface action.

14. The method of claim 1:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;

the method further comprising sending a notification to a user of the personal electronic device; and

wherein the notification comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;

a visual notification, an audio notification, and a haptic notification.

15. A personal electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive screen; and

a processor operatively connected to the touch-sensitive screen and configured for;

receiving a touch on the touch-sensitive screen;

associating a pressure with the touch;

comparing the associated pressure with a first non-zero threshold; and

if the associated pressure is less than the first threshold, then performing a first user-interface action, else performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action.

16. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein the personal electronic device is selected from the group consisting of:

mobile telephone, personal communications device, personal computer, tablet computer, kiosk, digital sign, and gaming console.

17. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a location on the touch-sensitive screen with the touch.

18. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a spatial path across the touch-sensitive screen with the touch.

19. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the touch-sensitive screen.

20. The personal electronic device of claim 15:

further comprising a component distinct from the touch-sensitive screen, the distinct component selected from the group consisting of;

a pressure sensor and an active stylus;

wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the distinct component.

21. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving from the touch-sensitive screen an element selected from the group consisting of:

an area measurement, a number of affected channels, and a signal strength.

22. The personal electronic device of claim 21 wherein associating a pressure comprises comparing a signal strength received from the touch-sensitive screen with a number of affected channels.

23. The personal electronic device of claim 15 wherein the first and second user-interface actions are selected from the group consisting of:

selecting an icon displayed on the screen, opening a file associated with an icon displayed on the screen, executing a program associated with an icon displayed on the screen, modifying a value of a control parameter, opening a context menu, and picking up an icon displayed on the screen.

24. The personal electronic device of claim 15:

wherein the first user-interface action is a drawing action; and

wherein the second user-interface action is an erasing action.

25. The personal electronic device of claim 15:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold; and

wherein performing the second user-interface action is based, at least in part, on a magnitude of a difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.

26. The personal electronic device of claim 25:

wherein the second user-interface action comprises changing a value; and

wherein a speed of change of the value is based, at least in part, on the magnitude of the difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.

27. The personal electronic device of claim 15:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;

wherein the processor is further configured for comparing the associated pressure with a second non-zero threshold greater than the first non-zero threshold; and

wherein performing the second user-interface action comprises performing a third user-interface action if the associated pressure is less than the second threshold, else performing a fourth user-interface action distinct from the third user-interface action.

28. The personal electronic device of claim 15:

wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;

wherein the processor is further configured for sending a notification to a user of the personal electronic device; and

wherein the notification comprises an element selected from the group consisting of;

a visual notification, an audio notification, and a haptic notification.

29. On a personal electronic device with a touch-sensitive screen, a method for responding to user input, the method comprising:

as information about a touch is received from the touch-sensitive screen;

associating a pressure with the touch;

comparing the associated pressure with a non-zero pressure threshold;

if a total distance associated with the touch exceeds a distance threshold, and if the touch has not already been classified as a hard press, then classifying the touch as a swipe; and

if the associated pressure is greater than or equal to the pressure threshold, and if the touch has not already been classified as a swipe, then classifying the touch as a hard press;

if the touch has not been classified as either a hard press or a swipe, then classifying the touch as a tap; and

performing a user-interface action, the action depending, at least in part, on a classification of the touch.

30. A personal electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive screen; and

a processor operatively connected to the touch-sensitive screen and configured for;

as information about a touch is received from the touch-sensitive screen;

associating a pressure with the touch;

comparing the associated pressure with a non-zero pressure threshold;

if a total distance associated with the touch exceeds a distance threshold, and if the touch has not already been classified as a hard press, then classifying the touch as a swipe; and

if the associated pressure is greater than or equal to the pressure threshold, and if the touch has not already been classified as a swipe, then classifying the touch as a hard press;

if the touch has not been classified as either a hard press or a swipe, then classifying the touch as a tap; and

performing a user-interface action, the action depending, at least in part, on a classification of the touch.