GB2152250A

GB2152250A - Information display arrangements

Info

Publication number: GB2152250A
Application number: GB8429682A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roger Evan Shivas
Original assignee: Marconi Instruments Ltd
Current assignee: Marconi Instruments Ltd
Priority date: 1983-11-23
Filing date: 1984-11-23
Publication date: 1985-07-31
Also published as: GB8429682D0

Abstract

In an interactive information display arrangement including a mimic panel 5 over which a pointer may be moved to effect the movement of a cursor on the display screen, 2, the panel is arranfgd to respond to light pressure from the pointer to display and move the cursor and to heavier pressure to effect a selection or change of the information displayed on the screen. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Information display arrangements The present invention relates to information display arrangements According to one aspect of the invention in an interactive information display arrangement in which movement of a pointer over a surface or mimic panel effects corresponding movement of a cursor or display element over a display area or screen, the surface or mimic panel, is arranged to be pressure-responsive such that a pressure of greater than a predetermined value between said. pointer and said surface or mimic panel effects a predetermined change of the display, and/or of the information represented by the display, either of the corresponding position of the cursor or display element or over a predetermined area related to said correspond- ing position of the cursor or display element.

The change of the display may represent the addition or deletion of information respectively to or from a body of information held in information storage means as predetermined by operation of information input means such as a keyboard.

According to another aspect of the invention in an interactive information display arrangement in which movement of a pointer or indicator over the surface of a mimic panel effects the movement of a cursor or other information identifier over an information display screen, the mimic panel is arranged to be responsive to pointer pressure or other pointdependent input to effect selection of and/or a predetermined change of the information represented by the display, either at the corresponding position of the cursor or information identifier or over a predetermined area related to said corresponding position of the cursor or other information identifier.

The pointer may be an operator 5 finger, and the pointer-dependent input may be related to the area of finger-tip in contact with the mimic panel as the finger contact pressure is varied.

An information display arrangement in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows the arrangement diagrammatically.

Referring to the drawing the display arrangement comprises a CRT display unit 1 having a screen 2, a keyboard unit 3 and a mimic unit 4 incorporating a mimic panel 5.

By means of a pointer (not shown) bearing on the mimic panel 5 a display element such as a cursor or information identifier (not shown) is arranged to appear at a corresponding point on the screen 2 and to move as the pointer is moved.

The cursor position at any time may be utilised to select, add or subtract information, by two stage pressure-sensing. Light pointer pressure on the panel 5 enables movement of the cursor on the screen, while heavier pressure, above a predetermined value, effects the selection of or change in the information displayed.

The nature of the changes brought about at any point may be dependent upon information entered by way of the keyboard 3. For example, selections may be made from a number of alternative operational procedures presented on the screen in the form of a ''menu'' as part of the process of setting up a system to which the display arrangement is connected to operate in a desired manner.

Alternatively, already identified changes or sub-routines may be selected by means of the keyboard 3 and executed at a particular point or in a particular area of the screen where and when the heavier pressure is applied by the pointer. The pointer may be the operator's finger, or may be a probe electrically interconnected, by way of a wander-lead, to the unit 4.

The mimic panel 5 may be constructed using either a digital approach based on screen printed conducting tracks, as used in touch switch technology, or an analogue approach based on the use of resistive panels located in close proximity to each other. In either instance, three layers are required in order to get two switching actions, the pressure required to operate layers one and two (which brings up the cursor), being much less than the pressure required to bring layers two and three into contact and make the selection.

In the digital approach the information required to position the cursor is derived from circuits which note which of a multiplicity of matrix-arranged switches on layers one and two are closed by the light finger pressure. In the analogue approach, circuits monitor the voltage picked up by one resistive panel when its neighbour is activated with a low voltage (several volts), this action being rapidly repeated and alternated between the panels so as to get multiplexed X and Y information in a quasi continuous fashion. In both digital and analogue approaches, the secondary switch need have no positional resolution and can be simply one sheet of metalised plastic making contact under pressure either with another such sheet or alternatively a metal plate, the latter having the further function of providing a base for the whole assembly.

Claims

1. An interactive information display arrangement in which movement of a pointer over a surface or mimic panel effects corresponding movement of a cursor or display element over a display area or screen, wherein the surface or mimic panel, is arranged to be pressure-responsive such that a pressure of greater than a predetermined value between said pointer and said surface or mimic panel effects a predetermined change of the display, and/or of the information represented by the display, either at the corresponding position of the cursor or display element or over a predetermined area related to said corresponding position of the cursor or display element.

2. An arrangement in accordance with Claim 1 wherein the change of the display represents the addition or deletion of information respectively to or from a body of information held in information storage means.

3. An arrangement in accordance with Claim 2 wherein the added or deleted information is predetermined by operation of information input means such as a keyboard.

4. An interactive information display arrangement in which movement of a pointer or indicator over the surface of a mimic panel effects the movement of a cursor or other information identifier over an information display screen, wherein the mimic panel is arranged to be responsive to pointer pressure or other point-dependent input to effect selection of and/or a predetermined change of the information represented by the display, either at the corresponding position of the cursor or information identifier or over a predetermined area related to said corresponding position of the cursor or other information identifier.

5. An arrangement in accordance with Claim 4 wherein the pointer is an operator's finger, and the pointer-dependent input is related to the area of finger tip in contact with the mimic panel.

6. An information display arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.