Method and system for implementing button interface compatibility in touch-screen equipped digital imaging device

• US 6,154,210 A
• Filed: 11/25/1998
• Issued: 11/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: FlashPoint Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Anderson, Eric C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bayerl, Raymond J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao H.
• Application Number:
  US09/200,290
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• Field of Search: 345/326, 345/328, 345/347, 345/348, 345/352, 345/354, 345/172, 345/173, 348/13, 348/158, 348/211, 348/552, 348/333, 348/335
• US Class Current: 715/840
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/20 visible in viewfinder
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

A system for implementing button interface compatibility for button aware applications executing on a touch-screen equipped digital imaging device. A touch-screen is coupled to the digital imaging device and is adapted to accept input from a user. An embedded computer system is built into the digital imaging device for implementing functionality for the digital imaging device. The embedded computer system includes a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the memory stores computer readable code which, when executed by the processor, causes the computer system to implement a hardware abstraction layer, a touch-screen manager, a button interface manager, and an event manager. The hardware abstraction layer is coupled to the touch-screen and is adapted to abstract the functionality of the touch-screen. The button interface manager is coupled to the touch-screen and is adapted to interface with a button aware application. The event manager is coupled to accept input from the touch-screen manager and the button interface manager, wherein the event manager interfaces a touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the interface manager and interfaces a button aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the button event manager, wherein the touch-screen manager emulates button events to the button event manager such that the button aware application transparently interface with the touch-screen to accept the inputs from the user.

Claims

1. A digital imaging device, comprising;

a touch-screen for accepting input from a user; and

an embedded computer system built into the digital imaging device for implementing functionality for the digital imaging device, the computer system having a processor coupled to a coupled to a memory, the computer capable of executing software applications including a button aware application and a touch-screen aware application the memory storing computer readable code which when executed by the processor causes the computer system to implement;

a hardware abstraction layer coupled to the touch-screen, the hardware abstraction layer for abstracting the functionality of the touch-screen;

a touch-screen manager coupled to the touch-screen via the hardware abstraction layer;

a button interface manager for interfacing with the button aware application, the button interface manager coupled to the touch-screen manager; and

an IO event manager coupled to accept input from the touch-screen manager and the button interface manager, wherein if the touch-screen aware application is executed by the computer, the IO event manager interfaces the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the touch screen manager, and if the button aware application is executed by the computer, the IO event manager interfaces the button aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the button interface manager, wherein the touch-screen manager emulates button events to the button interface manager such that the button aware application transparently interfaces with the touch-screen to accept input from the user.

2. The digital imaging device of claim 1, wherein the digital imaging device is adapted to initialize to a default mode wherein the IO event manager is pre-initialized to interface the button aware application with the touch-screen.

3. The digital imaging device of claim 2, wherein the digital imaging device is adapted to exit the default mode to interface the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen when the button aware application is not running.

4. The digital imaging device of claim 1, wherein the digital imaging device is adapted to implement button event input areas on the touch-screen to accept input from a user and provide input to the button aware application.

5. The digital imaging device of claim 4, wherein the digital imaging device graphically renders the button event input areas on the touch-screen in a semi-transparent manner to provide a visual cue to the user.

6. The digital imaging device of claim 1, wherein the touch-screen is configured to use a sub-area to render a graphical user interface for the button aware application and use a remaining area to render a representation of a button interface to accept input from a user.

7. The digital imaging device of claim 6, further comprising:

a display manager implemented by the computer system, the display manager adapted to control the representation of the button interface to interact with the user.

8. A computer readable memory device for a touch-screen equipped digital imaging device, the computer readable memory device for storing computer readable code, which when executed by an embedded computer system built into the digital imaging device causes the digital imaging device to implement:

a hardware abstraction layer coupled to the touch-screen, the hardware abstraction layer for abstracting the functionality of the touch-screen;

a touch-screen manager coupled to the touch-screen via the hardware abstraction layer;

a button interface manager for interfacing with a button aware application, the button interface manager coupled to the touch-screen manager; and

an IO event manager coupled to accept input from the touch-screen manager and the button interface manager, wherein if a touch-screen aware application is executed by the computer, the IO event manager interfaces the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the touch screen manager, and if the button aware application is executed by the computer, the IO event manager interfaces the button aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the button interface manager, wherein the touch-screen manager emulates button events to the button interface manager such that the button aware application transparently interfaces with the touch-screen to accept input from the user.

9. The computer readable memory device of claim 8, wherein the touch screen manager is configured to communicate directly with the IO event manager to support the button aware application.

10. The computer readable memory device of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code is operable to cause the digital imaging device to initialize to a default mode wherein the IO event manager is pre-initialized to interface the button aware application with the touch-screen.

11. The computer readable memory device of claim 10, wherein the computer readable code is operable to cause the digital imaging device to exit the default mode to interface the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen when the button aware application is not running.

12. The computer readable memory device of claim 8, wherein the computer readable code is operable to cause the digital imaging device to implement button event input areas on the touch-screen to accept input from a user and provide input to the button aware application.

13. The computer readable memory device of claim 12, wherein the computer readable code is operable to cause the digital imaging device to configure a sub-area of the touch-screen to render a graphical user interface for the button aware application and use a remaining area to render a representation of a button interface to accept input from a user.

14. The computer readable memory device of claim 13, wherein the computer readable code causes the digital imaging device to further implement an interface manager adapted to control the representation of the button interface to interact with the user.

15. The computer readable memory device of claim 8, wherein the computer readable memory device adapted to be removable from the digital imaging device.

16. A method for implementing button interface compatibility for button aware applications executed on the touch screen equipped digital imaging device, the method comprising to the steps of:

a) executing a boot sequence in a touch-screen equipped digital imaging device;

b) pre-initializing an operating environment of the digital imaging device to a default mode to support button aware applications;

c) launching either a button aware application or a touch-screen aware application;

d) when the touch-screen aware application is launched, supporting the touch-screen aware application by interfacing the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen via an I/O event manager; and

e) when the button aware application is launched, supporting the button aware application by;

interfacing the button aware application with the touch-screen by communicating with the I/O event manager using a button interface manager; and

emulating button events to the button interface manager using the touch-screen manager such that the button aware application transparently interfaces with the touch-screen to accept inputs from the user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step d) further includes the step of:

exiting the default mode to interface the touch-screen aware application with the touch-screen when the button aware application is not running.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein step e) further includes the step of:

implementing button event input areas on the touch-screen to accept input from the user and provide input to the button aware application.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the digital imaging device graphically renders the button event input areas on the touch-screen in a semi-transparent manner to provide a visual cue to the user.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein step e) further includes the steps of:

configuring a sub-area of the touch-screen to render a graphical user interface for the button aware application; and

using a remaining area to render a representation of a button interface to accept input from the user.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital imaging device is a digital camera.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the digital imaging device is a printer.

23. A digital imaging device having button interface compatibility for button aware applications executing on a touch-screen equipped digital imaging device, comprising;

a touch-screen for accepting input from a user;

an embedded computer system built into the digital imaging device for implementing functionality for the digital imaging device, the computer system having a processor coupled to a memory, the computer capable of executing software applications, wherein the software applications are button aware applications and touch-screen aware applications, the memory storing computer readable code which when executed by the processor causes the computer system to implement a touch-screen manager operable for controlling the touch-screen; and

the touch screen manager configured to provide button events or touch screen events to the software applications running on the touch screen equipped digital imaging device, wherein if the touch-screen aware application is executed by the processor, the touch-screen aware application interfaces with the touch-screen through the touch-screen manager, and if the button aware application is executed by the processor, the touch-screen manager emulates button events such that the button aware application transparently interfaces with the touch-screen to accent input from the user.