User interface apparatus and method for an electronic device touchscreen

An electronic device, comprising:

• a display unit including a touchscreen having a plurality of locations, wherein the display unit is configured to detect the presence of an end user object proximal to one of the plurality of touchscreen locations, and wherein the display unit is configured to detect the contact of an end user object on one of the plurality of touchscreen locations;
• a touchscreen controller coupled to the display unit, wherein the touchscreen controller is configured to generate a first set of information indicative of the touchscreen location to which an end user object is proximal in response to the display unit detecting the presence of an end user object proximal to the touchscreen location, and wherein the touchscreen controller is configured to register in the electronic device a second set of information indicative of the touchscreen location with which an end user object has made contact in response to the display unit detecting the contact of an end user object on the touchscreen location;
• and
• a text-to-speech converter coupled to the touchscreen controller, wherein the text-to-speech converter is configured to generate, based on the first set of information generated by the touchscreen controller, an audible sound indicative of the touchscreen location to which an end user object is proximal.

A method for entering end user information into an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a display unit having a touchscreen with a plurality of locations and a controller coupled to the display unit, comprising:

• detecting the presence of an end user object proximal to one of the plurality of locations of the touchscreen;
• generating, in response to detecting the presence of an end user object proximal to one of the touchscreen locations, an audible sound indicative of the touchscreen location to which the end user object is proximal;
• detecting the contact of an end user object to one of the plurality of locations of the touchscreen;
• and
• registering, in response to detecting the contact of an end user object to one of the touchscreen locations, location information indicative of the location of the touchscreen to which the end user object has made contact.