Data processing system and method including an I/O touch pad having dynamically alterable location indicators

• US 6,414,674 B1
• Filed: 12/17/1999
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Paolini, Michael A., Kamper, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shalwala, Bipin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Jimmy H.
• Application Number:
  US09/465,296
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/176, 345/168, 178/18.03, 178/18.11
• US Class Current: 345/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• 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

A data processing system and method including a touch pad capable of receiving inputs and providing outputs utilizing a surface of the pad. The surface is first enabled to receive inputs utilizing a plurality of input regions specified within the surface of the I/O touch pad. An output is provided utilizing the surface of the touch pad by outputting a first plurality of location indicators for assisting a user to quickly locate at least one of the plurality of input regions. The surface is then enabled to receive inputs utilizing a different plurality of input regions specified within the surface of the I/O touch pad. The output is then dynamically altered in response to the specification of the different plurality of input regions by outputting a second plurality of location indicators for assisting the user to quickly locate at least one of the different plurality of input regions. The output is altered synchronously with the enablement of the surface to receive inputs utilizing the different plurality of input regions.

Claims

1. An input/output (I/O) touch pad for receiving user inputs and generating dynamically alterable visual and tactile location indicators, said I/O touch pad comprising:

an interactive surface including a plurality of addressable unit locations that are selectively enabled to form location indicators for assisting a user to locate corresponding input regions on said interactive surface, said interactive surface comprising;

a visual output layer including a matrix of individually addressable visual output elements, wherein each of said individually addressable visual output elements is situated at one of said plurality of addressable unit locations; and

a tactile output layer including a matrix of individually addressable tactile output elements, wherein each of said individually addressable visual output elements is situated at one of said plurality of addressable unit locations such that each of said tactile output elements is co-located with a corresponding one of said plurality of visual output elements within each of said plurality of addressable unit locations, and wherein each of said tactile output elements is a heating element situated beneath its corresponding visual output element.

2. The I/O touch pad of claim 1, wherein said interactive surface is covered by a semi-translucent layer that provides a protective cover for said visual output layer and said tactile output layer.

3. The I/O touch pad of claim 1, wherein said individually addressable visual output elements are light-emitting devices.

4. The I/O touch pad of claim 3, wherein said light-emitting devices are light-emitting diode devices.

5. The I/O touch pad of claim 1, wherein said heating elements are Peltier waffle devices that utilize reverse electromagnetic thermodynamics.

6. A method for providing an input/output (I/O) touch pad for receiving user inputs and generating dynamically alterable visual and tactile location indicators, said method comprising:

providing an interactive surface including a plurality of addressable unit locations that are selectively enabled to form location indicators for assisting a user to locate corresponding input regions on said interactive surface;

providing within said interactive surface, a visual output layer including a matrix of individually addressable visual output elements, wherein each of said individually addressable visual output elements is situated at one of said plurality of addressable unit locations; and

providing within said interactive surface, a tactile output layer including a matrix of individually addressable tactile output elements, wherein each of said individually addressable visual output elements is situated at one of said plurality of addressable unit locations such that each of said tactile output elements is co-located with a corresponding one of said plurality of visual output elements within each of said plurality of addressable unit locations, and wherein each of said tactile output elements is a heating element situated beneath its corresponding visual output element.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said individually addressable visual output elements are light-emitting devices.

8. The I/O touch pad of claim 7, wherein said light-emitting devices are light-emitting diode devices.

9. The I/O touch pad of claim 6, wherein said heating elements are Peltier waffle devices that utilize reverse electromagnetic thermodynamics.