Touchscreen feedback system

For an instrument comprising a screen, means for generating output signals indicating when an object is proximate said screen and indicating a particular touch zone area of a plurality of touch zone areas of said screen to which said object is proximate, and control means responsive to said output signals for producing displays of waveforms in a waveform display area of said screen and for producing displays of images other than waveforms on said screen, a method for said control means for responding to said output signals, the method comprising the steps of:

• monitoring said output signals to determine when an object is proximate said screen;
• generating a display of a first indicating image on said screen visually distinguishing said particular touch zone from all others of said plurality of touch zones when said touch zone is included in said waveform area and no portion of any image other than a waveform is displayed on said screen within boundaries of said particular touch zone;
• and
• generating a display of a second indicating image on said screen visually identifying said particular touch zone when said touch zone is not included in said waveform area and no portion of any image other than a waveform is displayed on said screen within boundaries of said particular touch zone, said first and second images being recognizably distinct.

An instrument comprising:

• a screen for displaying waveforms in a waveform display area thereof and for displaying images other than waveforms;
• means for generating output signals indicating when an object is proximate said screen and indicating a particular touch zone area of a plurality of touch zone areas of said screen to which said object is proximate;
• and
• means responsive to said output signals for generating a dlsplay of a first indicating image on said screen visually distinguishing said particular touch zone from all others of said plurality of touch zones when said output signals indicate said particular touch zone is included in said waveform area and no portion of any image other than a waveform is displayed on said screen within boundaries of said particular touch zone, and for generating a display of a second indicating image on said screen visually distinguishing said particular touch zone from all others of said plurality of touch zones when said output signals indicate said particular touch zone is not included in said waveform area and no portion of any image other than a waveform is displayed on said screen within boundaries of said particular touch zone, said first and second images being recognizably distinct one from another.