Touch-sensitive control systems and methods

• US 8,508,476 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Wang, Yi-Shen, Chuang, Cheng-Chieh
• Primary Examiner(s): Mengistu, Amare
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZUBAJLO, JENNIFER L
• Application Number:
  US12/501,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20100007604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 345156-179
• US Class Current: 345/158
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04805 Virtual magnifying lens, i.e. window or frame movable on top of displayed information to enlarge it for better reading or selection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures

Abstract

Touch-sensitive control systems and methods are provided. The touch-sensitive control system includes a touch interface and a sensor. The touch interface includes a first zone and a second zone having an icon corresponding to a function. The sensor is disposed under the touch interface for detecting contacts on the physical interface. When a contact on the icon of the second zone is detected by the sensor, the corresponding function is activated. When a movement on the first zone is detected by the sensor, an operation corresponding to the function is performed according to the movement.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a touch interface comprising at least a first zone and a second zone, wherein the first zone is a touch-sensitive keyboard comprising a plurality of input keys, and wherein the second zone comprises at least one icon corresponding to a function;

a display unit for displaying a function object corresponding to the function, wherein the display unit is separated from the touch interface; and

a sensor, disposed under the touch interface, for detecting contacts on the touch interface, wherein when a contact on the icon of the second zone is detected by the sensor and dragged from the second zone to the touch-sensitive keyboard, the corresponding function is activated and the corresponding function object is moved on the display unit according to a continuous movement of the contact on the touch-sensitive keyboard.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, which is a media player, a notebook, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a GPS (Global Positioning System) device, or a mobile phone.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the function object is a cursor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the function object is a specific region, and data within the specific region is magnified and displayed on the display unit.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein when one of the input keys is pressed by another touch on the touch-sensitive keyboard, a corresponding character, digit or symbol is input.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive touch-sensitive sensor, a resistive touch-sensitive sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a pressure sensor.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the function object is a plurality of selections.