Touch sensitive apparatus and method for improved visual feedback

• US 6,803,905 B1
• Filed: 05/30/1997
• Issued: 10/12/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Steinbugler, Gayle Colby, Capps, Christopher Louis, Scott, Brenda Maltba, Hallihan, Scott Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Liang, Regina
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinh, Duc Q
• Application Number:
  US08/866,402
• Time in Patent Office: 2,692 Days
• Field of Search: 340/731, 340/712, 341/20, 178/19, 345/173, 345/127, 345/168, 345/146, 345/352, 345/172, 345/700, 345/702, 345/773, 395/500, 395/701, 364/900
• US Class Current: 345/173
• 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 touch sensitive apparatus and method of operation to improve visual feedback and visual perception of tactile input to an operator. The apparatus includes a touch screen device or display having a touch overlay, a processor and stored program instructions in a memory in which a three-dimensional graphical image, such as a key element, is created in the apparatus and shown on the display as an input device or keypad to the processor. Each key element includes a beveled surface surrounding a flat surface. When a displayed key element is touched by a probe, such as a finger, the screen area about the displayed key element and the finger, visually enlarges or “splats” confirming the selection of the particular key. Concomitantly or simultaneously, the key element detents or depresses within the key pad, changes color and bevel size further verifying the key selection to the operator thereby creating a sense of key movement and visual perception of tactile input to the operator aiding in the operation of the key pad. The simultaneous visual key enlargement, visual detenting and change in key color and bevel size upon key selection in a touch sensitive apparatus improves the feedback to the operator in the selection and confirmation of a key element actuated by the operator.

Claims

1. In a system having a processor, a display for producing a visual representation of a plurality of keys, a position sensing subsystem for providing signals indicating that an area on the display has been selected by an operator and a memory for storing programming instructions for controlling the operation of the system, an apparatus for providing improved visual feedback to the operator that an area in the visual representation has been selected, said apparatus comprising:

(a) a circuit responsive to signals provided by said the position sensing subsystem to provide an key-identifying signal indicating that a particular key in the visual representation of said plurality of keys has been selected by the operator;

said the circuit providing a first type called key-identifying signal when signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate an upper portion of a key is being selected and a second type of key-identifying signal when signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate a lower portion of a key is being selected, and

(b) display control logic responsive to the key-identifying signal to alter the visual representation of the selected key by enlarging said the visual representation and by changing said visual representation to have the appearance of a depressed key, said enlargement and change in the visual representation of the selected key occuring substantially simultaneously and said altered visual representation providing visual confirmation of the key selection, said display control logic further including color controlling logic for changing the coloration of the visual representation of the selected key to provide further visual confirmation of the key selection.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said display control logic responds to the first type of key-identifying signal by generating a first enlarged visual representation of the selected key and to the second type of key-identifying signal by generating a second enlarged visual representation of the selected key, said first and said second enlarged visual representations being different in size.

3. For use in a system having a processor, a display for producing a visual representation of a plurality of keys, a position sensing subsystem for providing signals indicating that an area on the display has been selected by an operator and a memory for storing programming instructions for controlling the operation of the system, a method for providing improved visual feedback to the operator that an area in the visual representation has been selected, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) responding to signals provided by the position sensing subsystem to identify a particular key selected by the operator in the visual representation of the plurality of keys; and

(b) altering the visual representation of only the selected key by enlarging the visual representation and by changing its appearance to that of a depressed key, the operations of enlarging and changing the visual representation occurring substantially simultaneously and the changes in visual representation including changing the coloration of the selected key, the altered visual representation providing visual confirmation of the key selection;

the visual representation of the selected key is being enlarged as a function of whether signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate that an upper portion or a lower portion of the visual representation of the key was selected.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the enlargement is greater when the signal from the position sensing subsystem indicates that an upper portion of the visual representation of the key was selected.

5. For use with a system having a processor, a display, a position sensing subsystem for providing signals indicating that an area on the display has been selected by an operator and a memory for storing programming instructions for controlling the operation of the system, an article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium for storing programming instructions including:

(a) a computer readable code module for causing the display to produce a visual representation of a plurality of keys;

(b) a computer readable code module for processing signals provided by the position sensing subsystem to produce an key-identifying signal indicating that an operator has selected a particular key in the visual representation of the plurality of keys;

(c) a computer readable code module responsive to the key-identifying signal to alter the visual representation of the selected key by enlarging the visual representation and changing the key image to that of a depressed key;

(d) a computer readable code module for changing the coloration of the visual representation of the selected key; and

(e) a computer readable code module for providing a first enlargement if the processed signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate that a first portion of the selected key was selected and a second enlargement if the processed signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate that a second portion of the selected key was selected.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 5 wherein the programming instructions stored on said computer usable medium include an additional computer readable code module for providing a first enlargement if the processed signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate that a first portion of the selected key was selected and a second enlargement if the processed signals from the position sensing subsystem indicate that a second portion of the selected key was selected.