Method and system for magnifying and displaying local image of touch display device by detecting approaching object

• US 8,134,579 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Getac Technology Company Limited (MiTAC Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Lee, Yu-Chieh, Hsieh, Peng-Yueh
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, JIN CHENG
• Application Number:
  US12/216,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090225100A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,350 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-173, 345/533, 715/863
• US Class Current: 345/661
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Disclosed are a method and system for magnifying and displaying local image of a touch display device. When an object is detected to be approaching an effective touch zone on a touch surface of a touch panel, the distance or altitude between the approaching object at a position on the effective touch zone of the touch panel where the approaching object heads for and the touch surface of the touch panel is determined. When the distance is less than a first predefined approaching altitude, a target graphic representation associated with the position of the approaching object on the touch panel is first enlarged and then, based on a second predefined approaching altitude, an operation of magnification of the local area or the target graphic representation displayed on a display panel corresponding to the position of the approaching object or execution of an executable object linked to the graphic representation is carried out. The second predefined approaching altitude can be defined as being in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel.

Claims

1. A method for magnifying and displaying a local image displayed on a touch display device, the touch display device comprising a display panel and a touch panel integrated on the display panel, the touch panel having a touch surface defining an effective touch zone, comprising the following steps:

(a) detecting if an approaching object is approaching the touch surface in the effective touch zone;

(b) detecting an approaching object position in the effective touch zone of the touch panel where the approaching object heads for, the approaching object position being associated with at least one target graphic representation displayed on the display panel;

(c) determining an approaching altitude of the approaching object on the approaching object position in the effective touch zone of the touch panel with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel;

(d) magnifying and displaying the target graphic representation associated with the approaching object position based on a first predefined magnification and a predefined image magnification mode setting in relation with a first predefined approaching altitude value when the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is detected to be less than the first predefined approaching altitude value; and

(e) detecting and determining if the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than a second predefined approaching altitude value, wherein the second predefined approaching altitude value is less than the first predefined approaching altitude value but greater than zero;

(f) determining if the target graphic representation associated with the approaching object position is an executable object; and

(g) executing the executable object of the target graphic representation when the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than the second predefined approaching altitude value and before the approaching object is in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising, before step (a), a step of determining if to magnify and display the local image.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising magnifying and displaying the target graphic representation based on a second predefined magnification in relation to the second predefined approaching altitude value when the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than the second predefined approaching altitude value.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising, after step (g), the following steps:

(h) detecting if the approaching object is in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel; and

(i) magnifying and displaying the target graphic representation based on a third predefined magnification when the approaching object is in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target graphic representation is linked to an executable program or a system program.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target graphic representation comprises an executable control key.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target graphic representation comprises one of an alphabetic key, a numeric key, and a symbol key.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the target graphic representation comprises one of a static image and a dynamic image.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image magnification mode setting is local area magnification, in which the approaching object position is taken as a center and a local area around the center defined by the approaching object position is magnified in accordance with a predefined magnification operation.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the image magnification mode setting magnifies a local area that is one of a circular area, a rectangular area and a predefined contour area surrounding the approaching object position.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image magnification mode setting is full screen magnification.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the image magnification mode setting comprises the operation of magnifying the target graphic representation by the first predefined magnification.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predefined magnification is a factory defined magnification.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predefined magnification is a user defined magnification.

15. A system for magnifying and displaying a local image displayed on a touch display device, the touch display device comprising a display panel and a touch panel integrated on the display panel, the touch panel having a touch surface defining an effective touch zone, comprising:

a microprocessor connected to the touch panel and the display panel via a touch panel interface and a display panel interface respectively;

an approaching object altitude detection unit connected to the microprocessor and detecting an approaching altitude of an approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel to provide a detected altitude value to the microprocessor;

a program memory connected to the microprocessor and storing a proximity magnification control program; and

a proximity control parameter memory connected to the microprocessor and storing at least a first predefined approaching altitude and a corresponding magnification ratio, and a second predefined approaching altitude, wherein the second predefined approaching altitude is less than the first approaching altitude but greater than zero;

configured such that when an approaching object is approaching the touch surface in the effective touch zone of the touch panel, the approaching object altitude detection unit detects when the detected value of the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than the first predefined approaching altitude and when the detected value of the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel less then the second predefined approaching altitude, and the microprocessor executes the proximity magnification control program to magnify a target graphic representation displayed in a local area of the display panel corresponding to an approaching object position on the touch panel where the approaching object is heading for based on the magnification ratio corresponding to the first predefined approaching altitude with the approaching object position taken as a reference point when the detected value of the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than the first predefined approaching altitude; and

the microprocessor determines when the target graphic representation associated with the approaching object position is an executable object and executes the executable object of the target graphic representation when the detected value of the approaching altitude of the approaching object with respect to the touch surface of the touch panel is less than the second predefined approaching altitude value and before the approaching object is in contact with the touch surface of the touch panel.

16. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the approaching object altitude detection unit comprises:

a first signal transmission unit arrays arranged on a first side edge of the touch panel and spaced from the touch surface of the touch panel by a distance corresponding to the first predefined approaching altitude; and

a first signal receiving unit arrays arranged on a second, opposite side edge of the touch panel and spaced from the touch panel by a distance corresponding to the first predefined approaching altitude;

wherein the first signal transmission unit arrays and the first signal receiving unit arrays oppose each other to detect if the approaching object reaches the first predefined approaching altitude.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the approaching object altitude detection unit further comprises:

a second signal transmission unit arrays arranged on the first side edge of the touch panel and spaced from the touch surface of the touch panel by a distance corresponding to the second predefined approaching altitude; and

a second signal receiving unit arrays arranged on a second, opposite side edge of the touch panel and spaced from the touch panel by a distance corresponding to the second predefined approaching altitude;

wherein the second signal transmission unit arrays and the second signal receiving unit arrays oppose each other to detect if the approaching object reaches the second predefined approaching altitude.

18. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the proximity control parameter memory further contains at least one predefined magnification mode setting.

19. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the proximity control parameter memory further contains at least one predefined image magnification area setting.

20. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the proximity control parameter memory further contains at least one set of factory-defined proximity control parameters.

21. The system as claimed in claim 15, wherein the proximity control parameter memory further contains at least one set of user-defined proximity control parameters.