Electronic device with switchable user interface and electronic device with accessible touch operation

• US 8,456,442 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Kao, Yih-Feng, Liu, Te-Chuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lao, Lun-Yi
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hegarty, Kelly B
• Application Number:
  US12/109,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20090278805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765, 715/766, 715/788, 715/810, 715/778, 715/700, 715/763, 715/782, 345/340, 345/163, 345/173, 345/348, 345/156, 345/157, 345/174
• US Class Current: 345/174
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

An electronic device with switchable user interface and an electronic device with accessible touch operation are provided. The electronic device with switchable user interface includes a display, a touch sensing means, a position detecting module and a processing module. The touch sensing means is used for sensing a touch of an input tool. The position detecting module is used for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch sensing means. If the touch is generated on the specific area, the position detecting module determines whether the position of the touch is varied. The processing module coupled to the position detecting module is used for activating a user interface on the display if there is a position variation of the touch. Consequently, the convenience of operating the electronic device is improved.

Claims

1. An electronic device with a switchable user interface, comprising:

a display for displaying a first user interface, wherein the first user interface has a first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a first array form;

a touch sensing means for detecting a touch of an input tool, the touch sensing means having a specific area;

a position detecting module coupled to the touch sensing means for determining whether or not the touch is generated on the specific area of the touch sensing means and determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area; and

a processing module coupled to the position detecting module for activating a second user interface, which has a second plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a second array form, by dragging the second user interface out from a display edge of the display to replace the first user interface, having the first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in the first array form, on the display if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed, wherein each of the first and second plurality of finger-touchable icons is corresponding to an application program; and

wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are respectively located on two surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the position detecting module calculates a moving distance of the touch, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

3. The electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the position detecting module calculates the moving distance of the touch within a predetermined time.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing means is a touch pad.

5. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the touch sensing means is a touch panel, and the touch panel and the display constitute a touch display.

6. The electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the touch panel comprises a display area and a non-display area on the display, and the display area and the non-display area are located on the same surface.

7. The electronic device according to claim 6, wherein the specific area is a marginal area of the display area, the non-display area, or a central area of the display area.

8. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the 3D motion user interface is a polyhedron and rotates around an axis X, an axis Z, or a tilted axis.

9. An electronic device with a switchable user interface, comprising:

a display for displaying a first user interface, wherein the first user interface has a first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a first array form;

a touch sensing means for detecting a touch of an input tool, the touch sensing means having a specific area;

a position detecting module coupled to the touch sensing means for determining whether or not the touch is generated on the specific area of the touch sensing means and determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area; and

a processing module coupled to the position detecting module for switching the first user interface, having the first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in the first array form, to a second user interface, which has a second plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a second array form, from a display edge of the display if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed, wherein each of the first and second plurality of finger-touchable icons is corresponding to an application program, and wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are adjacent to each other; and

wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are respectively located on two adjacent surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9, wherein the position detecting module calculates a moving distance of the touch within a predetermined time, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and deteimines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

11. The electronic device according to claim 9, further comprising a direction detecting module coupled to the position detecting module for detecting a moving direction of the touch, wherein the processing module is coupled to the direction detecting module for switching the first user interface to the second user interface from a display edge of the display according to the moving direction of the touch if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch sensing means is changed.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11, wherein when the processing module switches the first user interface to the second user interface, the second user interface is dragged out from the display edge of the display opposite to the moving direction to replace the first user interface.

13. An electronic device with accessible touch operation, suitable for activating a first user interface, comprising:

a case having an external surface and an opening defined therein;

a touch display disposed in the opening of the case for receiving a touch of an input tool, the touch display having a touch sensing surface, wherein the external surface of the case is substantially not higher than the touch sensing surface; and

a processing means coupled to the touch display for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch display, determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch display is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area, and activating the first user interface, which has a first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a first array form, by dragging the first user interface out from a display edge of the touch display to replace a second user interface, which has a second plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a second array form, on the touch display if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch display is changed, wherein each of the first and second plurality of finger-touchable icons is corresponding to an application program; and

wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are respectively located on two surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

14. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the processing means calculates a moving distance of the touch within a predetermined time, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

15. The electronic device according to claim 13, wherein the touch display comprises a display area and a non-display area, and the display area and the non-display area are located on the same surface.

16. An electronic device with accessible touch operation, suitable for switching a first user interface, comprising:

a case having an external surface and an opening defined therein;

a touch display disposed in the opening of the case for receiving a touch of an input tool, the touch display having a touch sensing surface, wherein the external surface of the case is substantially not higher than the touch sensing surface; and

a processing means coupled to the touch display for determining whether or not the touch is generated on a specific area of the touch display, determining whether or not a position of the touch on the touch display is changed if the touch is generated on the specific area, and switching the first user interface, which has a first plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a first array form, to a second user interface, which has a second plurality of finger-touchable icons arranged in a second array form, from a display edge of the touch display if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch display is changed, wherein each of the first and second plurality of finger-touchable icons is corresponding to an application program, and wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are adjacent to each other; and

wherein the first user interface and the second user interface are respectively located on two surfaces of a 3D motion user interface.

17. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the processing means calculates a moving distance of the touch within a predetermined time, determines whether or not the moving distance is greater than a predetermined value, and determines that the position of the touch is changed if the moving distance is greater than the predetermined value.

18. The electronic device according to claim 16, wherein the processing means is further configured for detecting a moving direction of the touch, and switching the first user interface to the second user interface from the display edge of the touch display according to the moving direction if the touch is generated on the specific area and the position of the touch on the touch display is changed.