TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAY USER INTERFACE AND METHOD FOR IMPROVING TOUCH INTERFACE UTILITY ON THE SAME EMPLOYING A RULES-BASED MASKING SYSTEM

• US 20130249809A1
• Filed: 03/22/2012
• Published: 09/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Kawalkar, Amit Nishikant, Roth, Hans
• Granted Patent: US 9,733,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04812 Interaction techniques based on cursor appearance or behaviour, e.g. being affected by the presence of displayed objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for improving touch utility on a touch screen display user interface providing a rule-based mask that enables or limits a function in a way that allows a user or developer to enhance precision or efficiency of input, or to create a unique modality of input. A method of touch-based user interaction with a touch screen device includes providing a virtual mask overlaying one or more of a plurality of virtual objects on the touch screen device and defining a mask area, sensing a touch within the mask area, the touch generating a touch data signal, and applying one or more combination of interaction, graphical rendering and/or visual feedback rules to the touch data signal and graphical objects. The interaction, graphical rendering and visual feedback rules can exist individually or in combination.

Claims

1. A method of touch-based user interaction with a touch screen device, comprising:

providing a virtual mask overlaying one or more of a plurality of virtual objects on the touch screen device and defining a mask area;

sensing a touch within the mask area, the touch generating a touch data signal; and

applying one or more interaction rules to the touch data signal.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a feedback data signal to the touch screen device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising applying one or more interaction rules to generate the feedback data signal, and wherein the feedback data signal causes the touch screen device to generate one or more of a visual, a tactile, and an aural feedback response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mask area is user defined.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the mask area is defined by the user indicating bounds of the area by touching the touch screen device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the interaction rules are not applied when the touch occurs outside of the mask area.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more rules are user defined or developer defined.

8. A touch screen device, comprising:

a display screen;

first circuitry configured to display at least one virtual object through the display screen; and

second circuitry configured to sense touches applied to the at least one virtual object; and

a processor configured to;

provide a virtual mask overlaying the at least one virtual object and defining a mask area;

sense a touch within the mask area, the touch generating a touch data signal; and

apply one or more interaction rules to the touch data signal.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to provide a feedback data signal to the touch screen device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the feedback data signal causes the touch screen device to generate one or more of a visual, a tactile, and an aural feedback response.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the mask area is user defined.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the mask area is defined by the user indicating bounds of the area by touching the touch screen device.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the interaction rules are not applied when the touch occurs outside of the mask area.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more rules are user defined or developer defined.

15. A method of interaction with a virtual object displayed on a touch screen device, comprising:

providing a virtual mask overlaying the virtual object and defining a mask area;

sensing a touch within the mask area, the touch generating a touch data signal; and

applying one or more interaction rules to the touch data signal, wherein the one or more rules are provided to improve the efficiency of input on the touch screen device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more interaction rules provides a de-cluttering algorithm in the mask area.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more interaction rules providing de-cluttering is applied dynamically.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more interaction rules provides layer activation or graphical processing algorithms in the mask area.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the one or more interaction rules provides a protected control algorithm in the mask area.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the protected control algorithm prevents activation of a function corresponding with a touch input of an interactive graphical user interface element when the mask area is not provided over the virtual object.