US 8,976,128 B2Granted

Using pressure differences with a touch-sensitive display screen

AssigneeGoogle Technology Holdings LLC

InventorStephen C. Moore

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface that responds to differences in pressure detected by a touch-sensitive screen. The user selects one type of user-interface action by “lightly” touching the screen and selects another type of action by exerting more pressure. Embodiments can respond to single touches, to gestural touches that extend across the face of the touch-sensitive screen, and to touches in which the user-exerted pressure varies during the course of the touch. Some embodiments respond to how quickly the user changes the amount of pressure applied. In some embodiments, the location and pressure of the user's input are compared against a stored gesture profile. Action is taken only if the input matches “closely enough” to the stored gesture profile. In some embodiments, a notification is sent to the user when the pressure exceeds a threshold between a light and a heavy press.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

receiving a touch on a touch-sensitive screen of a personal electronic device, wherein receiving the touch comprises receiving a series of datapoints associated with the touch, wherein each datapoint in the series of datapoints comprises a respective amplitude and a respective size;
comparing, by the personal electronic device, values of datapoints in the series of datapoints with one another until a difference between a value of a first datapoint from the series of datapoints and a value of a successive datapoint satisfies a pre-defined criterion;
responsive to determining that the predefined criterion is satisfied, defining a value of a baseline datapoint as equal to a value of the first datapoint;
computing, by the personal electronic device, an associated pressure of the touch as a function of at least one of an amplitude of the baseline datapoint and a size of the baseline datapoint;
comparing the associated pressure with a non-zero threshold;
if the associated pressure is less than the non-zero threshold, performing a first user-interface action;
and
if the associated pressure is not less than the non-zero threshold, performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action.

5 more elements

A personal electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive screen;
and
a processor operatively connected to the touch-sensitive screen and configured for:
receiving a touch on the touch-sensitive screen, wherein receiving the touch comprises receiving a series of datapoints associated with the touch, wherein each datapoint in the series of datapoints comprises a respective amplitude and a respective size;
comparing values of datapoints in the series of datapoints with one another until a difference between a value of a first datapoint from the series of datapoints and a value of a successive datapoint satisfies a pre-defined criterion;
responsive to determining that the predefined criterion is satisfied, defining a value of a baseline datapoint as equal to a value of the first datapoint;
computing an associated pressure of the touch as a function of at least one of an amplitude of the baseline datapoint and a size of the baseline datapoint;
comparing the associated pressure with a non-zero threshold;
if the associated pressure is less than the non-zero threshold, performing a first user-interface action;
and
if the associated pressure is not less than the non-zero threshold, performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/230,224Filed 12 Sep 2011
Published: US 2013/0063364 A114 Mar 2013
Granted: 10 Mar 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification3 codes

G06F 3/04883
Using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures: for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
G06F 3/0416
Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means: control or interface arrangements specially adapted for…
G06F
Computing and data processing