ADAPTIVE TOUCHSCREEN SYSTEM

• US 20130100037A1
• Filed: 10/20/2011
• Published: 04/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin International, Inc. (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Mabie, Ted D., Dixon, David M., Vondrasek, Clayton C., Komer, Joseph L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,229,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04186 Touch location disambiguation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0421 by interrupting or reflecting a light beam, e.g. optical touch-screen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A touchscreen system for adapting a user interface broadly comprises a controller and a display screen, the display screen comprising a touchscreen. The display screen is operable to present the user interface. The controller may be configured to detect a defect in an area of the touchscreen, determine a location on the display screen related to the defect, and adapting the user interface on the display screen to compensate for the defect.

Claims

1. A method of adapting a user interface for a touchscreen system associated with a display screen, the method comprising the steps of:

a) detecting a defect in an area of the touchscreen system;

b) determining a location on the display screen related to the defect; and

c) adapting the user interface on the display screen to compensate for the defect.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted by presenting the user interface on the display screen in areas other than in the location of the defect.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the user interface is adapted by increasing the size of one or more selectable functions presented on the display screen.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising presenting an indicator on the display screen that the touchscreen system is inoperable in the area of the defect.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising restoring the user interface to a default configuration, if the defect is corrected.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising scaling at least a portion of the user interface to be presented in a smaller area on the display screen prior to step c), wherein the scaling is at least partially based on stored user interface configuration information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling a portion of the user interface prior to step c).

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising changing a location of where a portion of the user interface is to be presented prior to step c).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein step a) further comprises the steps of:

transmitting a plurality of beams from a plurality of transmitters to a plurality of receivers,

generating a receive signal from one or more of the receivers that detects at least one of the beams, and

analyzing a status of the receive signals to detect the defect.

10. An adaptive touchscreen system comprising:

a display screen for presenting a user interface, the display screen comprising a touchscreen; and

a controller configured to

detect a defect in an area of the touchscreen,

determine a location on the display screen related to the defect, and

present the user interface on the display screen in areas other than in the location of the defect.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to cause an indicator to be presented on the display screen that the touchscreen system is inoperable in the area of the defect.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to restore the user interface to a default configuration, if the defect is corrected.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to scale at least a portion of the user interface to be presented in a smaller area on the display screen, wherein the scaling is at least partially based on stored user interface configuration information.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to disable a portion of the user interface.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the controller is further configured to change a location of where a portion of the user interface is to be presented.

16. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a plurality of transmitters for transmitting beams across the display screen, and

a plurality of receivers for detecting the beams from the transmitters and generating receive signals,

wherein the controller is in communication with the transmitters and the receivers and configured to analyze a status of the receive signals to detect the defect.

17. An adaptive touchscreen system comprising:

a display screen for presenting a user interface, the display screen comprising a touchscreen;

a plurality of transmitters for transmitting beams across the display screen;

a plurality of receivers for detecting the beams from the transmitters and generating receive signals; and

a controller configured to

analyze a status of the receive signals,

detect a defect in an area of the touchscreen,

determine a location on the display screen related to the defect, and

present the user interface on the display screen in areas other than in the location of the defect.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to present an indicator on the display screen that the touchscreen is inoperable in the area of the defect.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to restore the user interface to a default configuration, if the defect is corrected.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to scale at least a portion of the user interface to be presented in a smaller area on the display screen wherein the scaling is at least partially based on stored user interface configuration information.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to disable a portion of the user interface.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is further configured to change an area of the display screen in which the user interface is to be presented.