TWI439922B - Handheld electronic apparatus and control method thereof - Google Patents

Description

Handheld electronic device and control method thereof

The present invention relates to a handheld electronic device and related control method, and more particularly to a handheld electronic device having a touch screen and a control method thereof.

As the user's usage habits and usage requirements change, more and more electronic devices, especially handheld or portable electronic devices such as smart phones, personal digital devices Assistants (PDAs), Tablet PCs, or Ultra Mobile PCs (UMPCs, etc.) are equipped with a touch screen that can be directly touched as a main input device. The user can issue commands to the electronic device by touching an option displayed on the touch display device to perform or control the function represented by the option. For example, the user can click on a drawing button or icon displayed on the touch display device to activate the drawing function, or click on a navigation button or icon displayed on the touch display device to activate the satellite navigation function.

The existing touch display device does not provide a mouse over click function, and can only be operated by directly clicking the target option. The action of clicking on the touch display device is achieved by an indicator such as a fingertip or a stylus. That is, the user must inform the electronic device to perform a specific function through the action of the indicator. However, for a handheld electronic device having a contact display device of a smaller size, such as a personal digital assistant, since the contact display device is small, the interval between the options may be relatively close and the target to be clicked is relatively small. If the finger is too large, you may click on the wrong option or click on multiple options at the same time. It is not possible to select the correct smaller option or target at the exact location, which is inconvenient for the user. In addition, the user's fingers may also block or cover a portion of the display, making navigation difficult.

In addition, although the object or option on the touch display device can be precisely manipulated by using the stylus, the size of the handheld electronic device and its internal space are limited, and the stylus is usually too thin and too short to be convenient. It is used for a long time, and the stylus is separated from the electronic device, so there is still the possibility of loss. Furthermore, the resistive touch panel can be operated with a stylus, but the contact display device of the future mobile electronic device will gradually adopt a capacitive touch panel. Use a traditional stylus to control.

On the other hand, for a handheld electronic device having a larger size contact display device, such as a tablet computer or an ultra-portable computer, the user usually has to use a finger or a stylus to click on the display screen, so that only the single use can be used. The hand is used to support the electronic device, and the hand used to support the electronic device will quickly feel pain and discomfort over time.

Some electronic devices, such as laptops, typically provide a touch pad that allows the user to control the cursor to select and perform work by finger movements, providing a mouse-like touch. Features. However, such a touchpad is generally placed in the middle of the electronic device near the keyboard, unless the user holds the computer in one hand or places the computer on a platform, and then controls the touchpad with the other hand, otherwise When the user holds the electronic device, the finger, especially the thumb, is difficult to touch the touchpad, so the traditional touchpad on the notebook is not suitable for the handheld electronic device. Although some handheld electronic devices will place the touchpad on the surface of the outer casing close to the thumb, this design will occupy considerable surface space, resulting in inconvenient space design and hardware cost. increase.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method that can be accurately controlled without increasing the size of the device, so as to improve the above problems and allow the user to operate conveniently and easily.

Based on the above object, the present invention provides a control method for an electronic device, the electronic device having a touch display device having a display area and a sensing area, wherein the sensing area is located on the display area. And the sensing area has a range corresponding to the display area, and the control method of the electronic device includes the following steps. First, an indication symbol is displayed on the display area, and then detected on the sensing area of the touch display device. One touch. Finally, the action of detecting the touch at any position on the sensing area is detected, and the position of the indicator in the display area is correspondingly moved.

The invention further provides a handheld electronic device comprising a contact display device, a detecting unit and a processing unit. The touch display device has a display area and is operable in a first mode and a second mode, and the detecting unit is configured to detect whether the touch display device is touched by an indicator. When the detecting unit detects that the touch display device is touched by the indicator device, if the processing unit determines that the touch display device operates in the first mode, the processing unit makes an option on the display area. Can be directly selected. If the processing unit determines that the touch display device is operated in the second mode, the processing unit generates an indication symbol on the display area, and corresponding to the indicator moving in any one of the positions on the display area, Move the indicator at the location of the display area to click or execute an option on the display area.

The present invention further provides a method of controlling an electronic device having a touch display device having a display area and operable in a first mode and a second mode. The control method of the electronic device is the following steps. First, the operation mode of the touch display device is determined. And detecting a touch on the display area of the touch display device, wherein when the display area is detected to be touched, if the touch display device operates in the first mode, the display area is The options can be selected directly. If the touch display device is operated in the second mode, an indication symbol is generated on the display area, and the touch is corresponding to one of the positions on the display area, and the indicator symbol is moved in the display area. Location to click or execute an option on the display area.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more <RTIgt;

The invention provides a control method for an electronic device and a related handheld electronic device for a handheld electronic device having a touchable or contact display screen, such as a smart phone and a personal digital assistant ( PDA), Tablet PC or Ultra Mobile PC, etc. The touch display screen is, for example, a resistive touch panel or a capacitive touch screen (capacitive) The touch panel can be touched to generate an input signal, so that a control unit can determine the position and movement of a cursor according to the input signal, thereby controlling the handheld electronic device by using the motion of the cursor.

In the embodiment of the present invention, a solution for solving the problem formed by the above-mentioned conventional manner is provided, which is provided for providing a virtual touch pad on the touch display screen, and according to the user through a indicator such as a fingertip. Or the stylus touches the action on the touch-sensitive display screen to simulate the action of the mouse, and then controls or selects an option displayed on the display unit.

1 shows a block diagram of a handheld electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the handheld electronic device 100 has a touch display screen 110, a detecting unit 120, a processing unit 130, and a selection unit 140. As shown in FIG. 2, it is a schematic diagram of a touch display screen 110 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The touch display screen 110 has a display area 112 and a sensing area 114 for providing display of various functional options for the user to control, for example, displaying an option including at least one notebook and an option of a drawing function. The desktop allows the user to click on the option of Notepad to perform the Notepad function, or click on the option of the drawing function to perform the drawing function. The sensing area 114 is closely connected to the display area 112, and the sensing area 114 has the same range as the display area 112 for sensing the touch of the indicator. For example, if the range of the display area 112 is equal to the size of the entire touch display screen 110, the range of the sensing area 114 is also equal to the size of the entire touch display screen 110. In other words, a touch anywhere on the touch display screen 110 will be detected. The handheld electronic device can be a small-sized electronic device such as a smart phone, a personal digital assistant or a handheld computer system, or a large-sized electronic device of the contact display device. Such as a tablet or an ultra-portable computer.

In addition, the touch display screen is operable at least in a first mode and a second mode, wherein when the touch display device 110 is operated in the first mode, the option or object on the display area 112 can be directly selected. When the touch display device 110 operates in the second mode, an indicated symbol is generated on the display area 112 such that an option or object on the display area can be selected by the indicator. The indicator here can be any icon or cursor, when the indicator touches the sensing area 114 of the touch display device 110 or automatically generates a corresponding position in one of the display areas 112. For example, in one embodiment, the touch display screen 110 can operate in a normal mode that can directly select an option in the display area 112 for control and a touchpad mode with a mouse-like function. And when the touch display screen 110 is operated in the touch panel mode, an indication symbol of an arrow cursor is automatically generated on the display area 112.

The detecting unit 120 is configured to detect whether the touch display screen 110 is touched by an indicator. The indicator can be any device that can be used to touch the touch display screen 110, such as a user's finger (including a thumb) or a stylus. For example, the detecting unit 120 will continuously detect whether a finger touches the touch display screen 110, and when a finger is detected to touch the touch display screen 110, a signal notification processing unit 130 is issued. After the detecting unit 120 detects that the touch display screen 110 is touched by the indicator, the detecting unit 130 then determines the current operating mode of the touch display screen 110. When it is determined that the operation mode of the touch display device 110 is the second mode, the processing unit 130 moves corresponding to the indicator at any position on the display area to move the position of the indicator symbol in the display area. The selecting unit 140 is configured to select an operation mode of the touch display screen 110, and can provide a user to set a specific operation mode according to the use requirement.

The processing unit 130 further includes a setting unit 132, a determining unit 134, and a motion analyzing unit 136. The determining unit 134 is configured to determine an operation mode of the touch display device 110, and the setting unit 132 is configured to set an operation mode of the touch display device 110, and can be set to the first mode or the second mode according to the selection of the selecting unit 140. The action analysis unit 136 is configured to analyze the action of the indicator and move the position of the indicator in the display area corresponding to the action of the indicator. For a detailed description of the position of the moving indicator in the display area corresponding to the action of the indicator, please refer to the descriptions of FIGS. 3A to 3D below.

3A to 3D are diagrams showing the action of the indicator and the movement of the indicator according to the embodiment of the present invention, for explaining how the motion analysis unit 136 moves the position of the indicator in the display area according to the action of the indicator. Please note that, for convenience of explanation, the electronic device in the embodiments of FIGS. 3A to 3D is a personal digital assistant, and the indicator is a thumb. These are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention to only this.

As shown in FIG. 3A, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the user can operate the thumb as an indicator while the other four fingers are supported by the personal digital assistant on the back of the personal digital assistant, so that operation can be performed with one hand. Referring to FIG. 3A, when the thumb touches the sensing area of the touch display device (such as the touch display screen 110), the detecting unit 120 detects the touch and sends a signal to the processing unit 130, so that the processing unit 130 A cursor is generated (displayed) on the display area as an indicator, as shown by the arrow. Note that the location at which the indicator is generated can be a specific location in the display area or a randomly determined location. For example, in this embodiment, regardless of any position where the thumb touches the sensing region, the indicator symbols are generated at the upper left corner of the display area, as shown in FIG. 3A. In other embodiments, the indicator symbol can also be generated at different positions depending on the position of the thumb touch. In particular, the display position of the indicator in the display area is different from the position at which the indicator touches the sensing area, so that the user can view the entire screen and effectively solve the problem that the screen may be partially blocked by the indicator.

As described above, when the user operates with the thumb on the right side of the display area, a corresponding arrow is generated in the upper left corner of the display area. Next, the movement of the thumb will be monitored by the motion analysis unit 136 and analyzed to correspond to the display position of the motion cursor. When the movement of the thumb is in a specific direction on the sensing area, for example, upward a, downward e, left c, right f, or diagonally b, d or g, respectively, the cursor The position of the display area is correspondingly moved in a specific direction such as upward a', downward e', left c', right f', or diagonally to the direction of b', d' or g'. That is, the position of the cursor will change as the thumb moves. Therefore, the user can move the cursor to any desired position on the display area through the thumb, and the display position of the indicator symbol can be approached or away from the position touched by the indicator by the operation of the indicator. The above operation, in addition to changing the direction of the cursor, can also control the distance the cursor (arrow) moves. In this embodiment, the distance the cursor (arrow) moves can be set to correlate with the speed at which the thumb moves.

Referring to Figure 3B, assuming that the speed at which the thumb moves upward is v, the speed at which the cursor moves upward may be k times v (kv, k≧1 or k<1), or may be an exponential multiple of v ( e ^v ). For example, if k is 3, when the speed at which the thumb moves upward is v, the speed at which the cursor moves up will be 3v. When the speed at which the thumb moves upward is v, the distance at which the cursor moves can also be set to be related to the moving distance of the thumb. For example, the two can be set to an exponential relationship or a multiple relationship. For example, assuming that the moving speed of the thumb is v, the moving distance of the thumb is S, and the distance S' of the cursor moving may be 3S. In addition, the distance S' of the cursor movement may also be set to have a specific relationship with the moving speed v of the thumb, such as an exponential relationship (S'=kv) or a multiple relationship (S'=e ^v ). That is to say, the distance the cursor moves can be set or controlled according to the speed at which the thumb moves. For example, if the thumb is moved within the same distance, the faster the thumb moves, the greater the distance the cursor will move.

Therefore, the user can control the relative moving direction of the cursor and the moving speed and the moving distance by the speed and direction of the thumb movement to move the cursor to any position in the display area.

Moreover, the action of the indicator can be adjusted according to the size, type and desired function of the contact display device of the electronic device. For example, in this embodiment, the action of the thumb may include, in addition to movement, a depress, a single click, and a double click. When the thumb touches the sensing area for a period of time, you can change the cursor to another symbol (such as an arrow to a small hand symbol) or change the color of the cursor (such as changing the color of the arrow from white to black), prompting the user to Perform a specific function, for example, drag the cursor onto the display area and generate a line segment on the display area according to the drag track. When the action of the thumb is the touch sensing area for a period of time (after another symbol appears) or double-clicking the sensing area, a click function may be provided to select or execute one of the specific actions on the display area or Options, such as starting the Notepad feature and more.

Referring to FIG. 3C, after the thumb is pressed against the 1a position of the sensing area for a period of time (for example, one second), the indication of the display area is switched from the arrow of FIG. 3B to the small hand symbol of FIG. 3C. At this time, the thumb is moved from the position of 1a to the position of 1b, and the small hand symbol is also relatively moved from the position of 1a' to the position of 1b', and a line segment is drawn between the positions of 1a' and 1b'. Therefore, according to the use requirement, the action of the thumb (indicator) can be used to provide the value-adding function in a specific mode, so that the user is more convenient to operate.

In accordance with the present invention, the position of the cursor in the display area can be moved with the thumb to control the cursor and to select a particular option on the display area. Referring to Figure 3D, four options ITEM1-ITEM4 are displayed in the display area. Assuming that the function of the option ITEM2 is to be performed by the cursor, the action of moving the thumb from the position a to the position b and then to the position c can be utilized, so that the cursor moves from the position a' to the position b' and then moves to the option ITEM2. Position c'. When the cursor moves to position c', the option ITEM2 will be highlighted, indicating that it can be clicked. Then, the thumb double clicks on the sensing area to enter or execute the function of the option ITEM2.

Figure 4 shows a flow chart 400 of a control method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. First, in step S410, a cursor is displayed before the display area. In step S420, it is detected that the sensing area of the touch display device is touched by an indicator (such as a finger). In step S430, the cursor is moved to the position of the display area corresponding to the detection of one of the positions on the sensing area. For the detailed operation of step S430, please refer to the description of FIGS. 3A to 3D above.

Figure 5 shows a schematic diagram 500 of a control mode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It is assumed that in the following embodiments, the display area is operable in a first mode and a second mode. When the operation mode of the display area is the first mode, the display area is a normal click function, that is, the operation of the electronic device must be started or controlled by clicking a finger to select an option or an object in the display area. When the operation mode of the display area is the second mode, the display area can be regarded as a virtual touch panel to provide a mouse-like function. As shown in the figure, it is first determined whether the operation mode of the touch display device is the second mode (step S510). If the operation mode of the touch display device is the first mode (No in step S510), that is, the display area is a normal click function, the indicator (such as a finger or a stylus) is used to directly select an option of the display area ( Step S530). If so (YES in step S510), the touch display device can be regarded as a virtual touch panel, and the display area of the contact display device is displayed with an indication symbol (step S520). Next, it is detected that the touch display device is touched (step S530). Thereafter, corresponding to the action of the indicator at any position on the display area, the position of the indicator in the display area is moved (step S550).

In addition, the user can also set the operation mode of the touch display device or switch the operation mode. Referring to Figure 6, Figure 6 shows a flow chart 600 for operating mode switching of a touch display device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In step S610, it is first determined whether an indication of a switching operation mode is received. The indication here may be from a motion detection in a specific area of one of the display areas, or may be triggered by a physical button or a software button on a hardware. In an embodiment, the display area may be provided with a switching area in the outer frame portion thereof, when the user's finger or moving the cursor to the area indicates that the operation mode is to be switched, and when the user's finger or cursor is in the display area When it is outside this area, it means that the operation mode is not switched. If there is an indication that the switching operation mode is received (YES in step S610), in step S620, the current operation mode is switched to another operation mode, otherwise no switching is performed. That is, if the original operation mode is the first mode, the operation mode is changed to the second mode, and conversely, if the original operation mode is the second mode, the operation mode is changed to the first mode. Therefore, this flow can be utilized to determine and switch the operating mode of the electronic device to operate in the desired operating mode.

Similarly, according to the method of the embodiment of the present invention, when the size of the contact display device is a large-sized electronic device such as a tablet computer, the electronic device can be supported by both hands, and the thumb can be performed at any position of the contact display device. Operate and click to reduce the burden, so you can use both hands to operate.

In summary, according to the control method of the present invention, the user can grasp and control the motion of the cursor more accurately, and can choose to operate in the original manner according to the usage habits and requirements, or use the control method of the present invention. Operating the electronic device can better meet the needs of the user. In addition, with the present invention, when the size of the contact display device of the electronic device is a small size (for example, the screen size of the smart phone or the personal digital assistant is small), the electronic device can be operated with one hand, and when the electronic device When the size of the contact display device of the device is one size (for example, the screen size of a tablet computer or an ultra-portable computer is large), the electronic device can be operated with both hands. Therefore, the problem that the conventional option cannot be accurately positioned to the target option can be improved, and the option to be clicked can be accurately positioned without increasing the size of the device, so that the user can operate more easily and conveniently.

The above description provides several different embodiments or different methods of applying the invention. The specific devices and methods in the examples are intended to help explain the main spirit and purpose of the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto.

Therefore, the present invention has been described in the above preferred embodiments, and is not intended to limit the invention, and it is possible to make some modifications and refinements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the scope of the appended claims.

100. . . Handheld electronic device

110. . . Contact display screen

112. . . Display area

114. . . Sensing area

120. . . Detection unit

130. . . Processing unit

132. . . Setting unit

134. . . Judging unit

136. . . Motion analysis unit

140. . . Selection unit

ITEM1-ITEM4. . . Option

S410-S430. . . step

S510-S550. . . step

S610-S620. . . step

1 is a block diagram showing a block of a handheld electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a schematic view showing a touch display screen according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A to 3D are diagrams showing the action of the indicator and the movement of the indicator in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a flow chart showing a control method in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing a control mode in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a flow chart showing the operation mode switching of the touch display device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

S410-S430. . . step

Claims (27)

A method for controlling an electronic device, the electronic device having a touch display device for displaying a picture, the method comprising the steps of: detecting a touch on the screen displayed by the touch display device, wherein the touch And being generated by an indicator; and when one of the first positions on the screen displayed by the touch display device is touched, displaying an indication symbol at a second position on the screen displayed by the touch display device The first location and the second location are different locations on the screen. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the indicator comprises a user's finger or a stylus. The method for controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: moving the indication symbol on the touch display device according to the action of the touch on the screen displayed by the touch display device; One of the screen displays a position in which the indicator is not visually obscured by the indicator. The method of controlling an electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the step of moving the indication position on the display position on the screen displayed by the touch display device comprises: when the action is in the contact type When the screen displayed by the display device moves in a specific direction, the display position of the indicator on the screen displayed by the touch display device is correspondingly moved in the specific direction. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 4, wherein the distance at which the indicator moves is related to a speed at which the indicator moves. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 5, wherein when the indicator moves at the speed, the distance at which the indicator moves is an exponential relationship or a multiple relationship with the moving distance of the indicator. . The method for controlling an electronic device according to claim 5, wherein the distance at which the indicator moves is in an exponential relationship or a multiple relationship with the speed at which the indicator moves. The control method of the electronic device of claim 3, wherein the indicator is changed when the action of the indicator is depressed on the screen displayed by the touch display device for a period of time. A first symbol or a color change to drag the indicator symbol onto the screen displayed by the touch display device. The control method of the electronic device according to claim 3, wherein the action of the indicator is to touch the screen displayed on the touch display device for a period of time or double click (click) the screen When the indicator is selected, one of the options is displayed on the screen or a specific function is performed on the screen. The control method of the electronic device of claim 3, wherein the display position of the indicator on the screen displayed by the touch display device is remote from or close to the indicator touches the contact display. The location of the screen displayed by the device. The method of controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a smart phone, a PDA, a tablet PC, or an ultra-portable computer (UMPC). The control method of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indicator symbol comprises a cursor. The method for controlling an electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: moving a position of the indicator on the screen displayed by the touch display device to select the touch display device by using the indicator symbol One of the specific options on the screen. The control method of the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the touch display device is operable in a first mode or a second mode, and the method further comprises: detecting the touch display device Determining an operation mode of the touch display device when the displayed screen is touched by the indicator device; and determining that the contact display device is in a predetermined range on the screen displayed by the touch display device The operation mode is the first mode, so that the option on the screen displayed by the touch display device can be directly selected; and when the predetermined range on the screen displayed by the touch display device is touched, the The operating mode of the touch display device is the second mode, and the indicator is displayed on the screen displayed by the touch display device, and corresponding to the indicator is actuated on the screen displayed by the touch display device Moving the indicator on the touch display device The display position on the screen to select or execute an option on the screen displayed by the touch display device. A handheld electronic device includes: a touch display device for displaying a picture; a detecting unit for detecting whether the picture displayed by the touch display device is touched by an indicator; and a processing unit, wherein When the detecting unit detects that a first position on the screen displayed by the touch display device is touched by the indicator, the processing unit is in a second position on the screen displayed by the contact display device An indicator is displayed, wherein the first location and the second location are different locations on the screen. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the processing unit further moves in response to the indicator on one of the screens displayed by the touch display device, and moves the indicator on the touch display device. One of the displayed positions on the screen is displayed, wherein the indicator is not visually obscured by the indicator. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein the touch display device is operable in a first mode or a second mode, and the processing unit further comprises: a determining unit for determining the contact type An operation mode of the display device; a setting unit configured to set the operation mode of the touch display device to the first mode or the second mode; and a motion analysis unit configured to analyze the action of the indicator device, and phase The display position of the indicator on the screen displayed by the touch display device is moved in the action of the indicator. The handheld electronic device of claim 17, further comprising a selection unit for selecting an operation mode of the contact display device. The hand-held electronic device of claim 17, wherein the action analyzing unit respectively moves the indicator symbol in the specific direction when the action of the indicator is moved in a specific direction. The handheld electronic device of claim 19, wherein the distance the indicator moves is related to a speed at which the indicator moves. The handheld electronic device of claim 20, wherein when the indicator moves at the speed, the distance the indicator moves is in an exponential relationship or a multiple relationship with the moving distance of the indicator. The handheld electronic device of claim 20, wherein the distance the indicator moves is in an exponential relationship or a multiple relationship with a speed at which the indicator moves. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein the processing unit causes the indication when the action of the indicator is depressing the screen displayed by the touch display device for a period of time The symbol becomes a first symbol or discoloration to drag the indicator onto the picture. The handheld electronic device of claim 16, wherein when the action of the indicator is touched, the touch display device displays When the screen continues for a period of time or clicks on the screen displayed by the touch display device, the processing unit causes the indicator to select a specific option on the screen displayed by the touch display device or Performing a specific function on the screen displayed by the touch display device. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the display position of the indicator on the screen displayed by the touch display device is remote from or close to the indicator device and touches the touch display device. The position on the screen is displayed. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the indicator comprises a user's finger or a stylus. The handheld electronic device of claim 15, wherein the indicator symbol comprises a cursor.