Multi-mode touchscreen user interface for a multi-state touchscreen device

• US 9,092,125 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlington Technologies, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Avaya Incorporated
• Inventors: Mohler, David Scott, Robinson, Richard L., Michaelis, Paul Roller
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kumar
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sadio, Insa
• Application Number:
  US12/756,363
• Publication Number:
  US 20110248927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,937 Days
• Field of Search: 345/156, 345/163, 345173-184, 345/168, 178 1801- 1809, 315/149, 315/150
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04806 Zoom, i.e. interaction techniques or interactors for controlling the zooming operation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04808 Several contacts: gestures triggering a specific function, e.g. scrolling, zooming, right-click, when the user establishes several contacts with the surface simultaneously; e.g. using several fingers or a combination of fingers and pen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text

Abstract

A simple exemplary embodiment can leverage the ability of the touchscreen or touchpad device to distinguish between a fingernail and a palm-side fingertip press as binary distinctions. This can be done via long nails or alternatively, by rotating a hand to invert the finger. The binary distinction can be used to perform different functions. For example, a fingertip press could be the functional equivalent of a left-click on a mouse, and a fingernail press could be the equivalent of a right-click. Another example using a simply binary distinction could be that a fingertip press while typing will result in lower case, and fingernail press while typing will result in upper case. Another example, using a binary distinction, would interpret a light touch for right-clicks or upper case characters and a heavy touch for left-clicks or lower case characters.

Claims

1. An input method for an electronic device comprising:

detecting an input from an input device;

determining an occurrence of a transition from a first contact portion of a first finger to a second, different, contact portion of the first finger, at the input device, wherein the transition includes a transition from a finger contact portion comprising a first one of a fingernail or a fingertip to a second contact portion comprising a second one of a fingernail or a fingertip, wherein determining the transition to the fingernail is based a different detectable electrical characteristic of the fingernail touching the input device and wherein the transition between the fingertip of the user and the fingernail of the user correlates to at least three different corresponding functions comprising;

a first function based only on the fingertip of the user being in contact with the input device;

a second function based only on the fingertip of the user and the fingernail of the user being in contact with the input device; and

a third function based on only the fingernail of the user being in contact with the input device, wherein the first function, the second function, and the third function are different functions; and

correlating the transition, by utilizing a mapping technique, to a corresponding function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the input device is a touchscreen, a touchpad, a track pad or a device that detects a presence and a location of a touch within an area.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition is from a fingertip to a fingernail.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein during the transition contact between the input device and at least one of the fingertip and the fingernail of a user is maintained.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition further includes one or more of:

a rotation or degree of rotation about an axis;

a point-of-contact stays at a same X/Y coordinate while one or more fingers rotate; and

the point-of-contact shifts to a different X/Y coordinate while one or more fingers rotate.

6. One or more means for performing the functionality of claim 1.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable storage media, having instructions stored thereon, that when executed cause the steps of claim 1 to be performed.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the transition from the first contact portion of the first finger to the second, different, contact portion is a rolling motion from the fingertip to the fingernail and wherein a hybrid function is generated when the fingernail comes in contact with the input device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the hybrid function is a selection function and a zooming function.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein during the transition a determined X/Y coordinate of a point of contact does not change.

11. An input device for an electronic system comprising:

a detection module that detects an input from an input device;

a transition stimulus module that determines an input from the input device that includes a transition from a first contact portion of a first finger to a second, different, contact portion of the first finger, wherein the transition includes a transition between a fingertip of a user and a fingernail of the user while the user maintains contact with the input device, wherein determining the transition to the fingernail is based on a different detectable electrical characteristic of the fingernail touching the input device and wherein the transition between the fingertip of the user and the fingernail of the user correlates to at least three different corresponding functions comprising;

a first function based only on the fingertip of the user being in contact with the input device;

a second function based only on the fingertip of the user and the fingernail of the user being in contact with the input device; and

a third function based on only the fingernail of the user being in contact with the input device, wherein the first function, the second function, and the third function are different functions; and

a controller that correlates the transition, by utilizing a mapping technique, to a corresponding function.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the input device is a touchscreen, a touchpad, a track pad or a device that detects a presence and a location of a touch within an area.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein the transition includes one or more of:

a rotation or degree of rotation about an axis;

a point-of-contact stays at a same X/Y coordinate while one or more fingers rotate; and

the point-of-contact shifts to a different X/Y coordinate while one or more fingers rotate.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein during the transition a determined X/Y coordinate of a point of contact does not change.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the electronic system is a personal computer, a PDA, a gaming device, a mobile electronics device, a laptop, a netbook, a media player or point of sale equipment.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the detection module detects different tips of a prosthetic device based on different electrical characteristics of the different tips of the prosthetic device touching the input device.