USH716H - Parallax induced pointing error avoidance method and means for systems using touch screen overlays - Google Patents

Parallax induced pointing error avoidance method and means for systems using touch screen overlays Download PDF

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Publication number
USH716H
USH716H US07/121,024 US12102487A USH716H US H716 H USH716 H US H716H US 12102487 A US12102487 A US 12102487A US H716 H USH716 H US H716H
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United States
Prior art keywords
display
touch
parallax
guard band
area
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US07/121,024
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English (en)
Inventor
James E. McDonald
Jimmy D. Stone
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International Business Machines Corp
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International Business Machines Corp
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Publication date
Application filed by International Business Machines Corp filed Critical International Business Machines Corp
Priority to US07/121,024 priority Critical patent/USH716H/en
Assigned to INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NEW YORK reassignment INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION, A CORP. OF NEW YORK ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: STONE, JIMMY D., MC DONALD, JAMES E.
Priority to JP63204867A priority patent/JPH01136227A/ja
Priority to EP88480048A priority patent/EP0324306A3/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of USH716H publication Critical patent/USH716H/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F3/00—Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
    • G06F3/01—Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer
    • G06F3/03—Arrangements for converting the position or the displacement of a member into a coded form
    • G06F3/041—Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
    • G06F3/0416—Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
    • G06F3/0418—Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers for error correction or compensation, e.g. based on parallax, calibration or alignment

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to touch sensitive selection screens or panels which overlay displays that concurrently present a multiplicity of visual areas for user selection. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems using touch screen panels overlaying visual display devices, wherein parallax effects can cause the user to erroneously select an area presented on the visual display.
  • the invention is especially useful for systems using a cathode ray tube (CRT) as a display with a transparent touch screen overlaying the CRT face so that the user can select from amongst areas on the display, as by touching, light pen operation, or the like.
  • CTR cathode ray tube
  • display screens as an interface between users and electronic systems of various types is attractive to the data processing industry because of its flexibility and speed.
  • Selection of an item from the display by the user can cause a wide variety of responses by the system. It can initiate internal activities within the system, such as is involved in calling up or processing databases, or it can produce external actions, such as handling of process control functions. Further, the system can reconfigure the display presented to offer a subset of selections in response to the first selection, it can simulate cause and effect relationships, such as by simulating arrays of buttons, lights, knobs, etc., that a user might expect to encounter in a physical implementation of the display, and thereafter visualizing simulated effects of operating those elements.
  • the display-to-user interface is obtained by displaying multiple items for selection on the face of a CRT, or the like, with the user employing a keyboard as the means for selecting the desired item.
  • the selection is accomplished by entering a letter or symbol from the keyboard, or by manipulating a cursor to align with the desired selection.
  • Other means such as the so-called mouse and tablet devices, are also sometimes used in conjunction with cursor-oriented selection. Regardless, parallax offsetting of the displayed items or areas, as seen by the user, are irrelevant under those circumstances.
  • the thickness of the face of the CRT and the touch screen intervene between the display plane and the viewer.
  • the user is looking along a line that is not substantially perpendicular to the plane of the target item or area for which selection is intended while little or no space separates that target from its neighbors, the user's finger or pen may well actually overlie the neighbor. The electronics will then cause erroneous selection of the neighbor.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 4,198,623 by Misek et al configures a special array of light sources and sensors in an effort to minimize the parallax effects of the edge curvature in CRT's.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 4,355,202 by DeCosta et al teaches a frame of force translating cones and piezoelectric sensors surrounding a display in an effort to place the display and selection planes as near coincidence as possible while admitting that a finite thickness between those two planes will involve parallax distortion.
  • the present invention overcomes selection errors caused by parallax distortion which causes the user to believe one area of a display is selected when the user's finger or selecting device is actually selecting another area of the display. While the invention is described with emphasis on parallax errors in conjunction with CRT's, those having normal skill in the art will understand that the invention is useful for any combination of display and touch-screen type of combination which involves potential parallax offset of the perceived display area. Briefly, the present invention contemplates resolving the parallax-induced error problem by assigning a guard band around each display area available for touch selection where the width of that band is correlated to the amount of parallax error associated with the desired CRT and touch screen environment.
  • the present invention uses a process of compensating for parallax errors associated with use of an electronically-generated visual display which is viewed through a medium prone to causing apparent image displacement from parallax distortion.
  • the touching of one or more discrete areas by the user is intended to cause actuation of some form of system response.
  • the amount of visually-apparent image shifting caused by parallax effects from the medium is initially determined.
  • a guard band invisible to the user is assigned to each area of the electronically generated visual display which is potentially available for touch actuation. This guard band has a width which incorporates an area correlated to the enlarged apparent area of the surrounded area caused by the parallax distortion.
  • the system responds to touching within the guard band by generating a signal indicative that the surrounded area was actually selected.
  • the size of the guard band is a function of the maximum angle of viewing relative to the display screen that the system is to accommodate. By deciding upon that angle, as well as determining the combined parallax offset at that angle associated with the thickness of the CRT face and the touch panel, the width of the guard band is determinable and assignable to each potentially-selectable area of the display.
  • FIG. 1 is a partially schematic view of the environment of a touch screen actuated system in which the present invention is useful.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the optics associated with viewing displacement induced by parallax phenomenon.
  • FIG. 3 is a sample of a display with guard bands assigned to selectable areas thereof in accordance with the present invention.
  • FIG. 1 A typical environment of a system using a cathode ray tube or CRT 10 having a transparent touch screen overlay 12 is shown in FIG. 1.
  • Screen 12 in normal use, is placed directly over the face 14 of CRT 10 as is well known; it is shown displaced in FIG. 1 merely for convenience of this description.
  • Touch screen assembly 12 includes an X-Y matrix which responds to touching by generating output signals into sensors 15 and 16. The two output signal sets are coupled to data processor 18.
  • Touch detection is by any of several well known systems, such as capacitive or inductive sensors, light path interruption, contact switches, and the like. The foregoing, along with the electronics in processor 18 for correlating the touching of screen 12 with a particular display, or part of a display, is likewise well known and therefore is not further described here.
  • the user-to-machine interface provided by the screen and CRT combination allow the users to electronically interact with the associated data processing system. For instance, the user can simulate physical selection of objects, such as buttons, keys, icons, and switches, with the data processing responding with an appropriate simulated result.
  • objects such as buttons, keys, icons, and switches
  • a user-system interface employing touch screen/CRT technology is easily created and modified.
  • the technology makes multiple panels or "menus" available under software control. In short, the technology permits a highly flexible software generated user-to-system interface.
  • CRT/touch screen combinations also offer advantages over indirect pointing mechanisms including keyboards, "mouse” or “joy-stick” devices, or the like.
  • indirect pointing the user must manipulate a control device which typically causes a visible cursor to move on the CRT display.
  • the cursor When the cursor is positioned on the desired object, the user must select it, usually by pushing an independent button on the control device.
  • the separation varies with the touch screen technology, but is always present to some degree.
  • the parallax problem does not occur with real objects nor does it occur with indirect pointing devices and CRT-generated objects.
  • Parallax-induced pointing errors are eliminated in accordance with the present invention by making the touch area for an object larger than its visually-displayed area.
  • the exact size of the area is determined by considering (1) the separation between the phosphor coated surface inside CRT 10 behind face 14 and the surface touched by the user, (2) the maximum anticipated (or allowable) viewing angle offset from the perpendicular relative to the object in both the vertical and horizontal directions, and (3) the index of refraction of the materials used in the CRT 10 and the touch screen 12. This equation is also used to determine the minimum acceptable separation between objects, such as buttons presented on the touch screen 12 and CRT 10 interface.
  • the user may unintentionally indicate apparent selection of the wrong area because of visual parallax, the refraction of light and the glass thickness at face 14 of CRT 10, as well as the touch sensitive panel 12 thickness.
  • the degree to which the touch-sensitive area should exceed the corresponding display object is determined. The following is a detail description of that process along with an example.
  • Tg 12.7 mm; the thickness of the glass of CRT 10 at face 14
  • A1 45 degrees; maximum predicted viewing angle from normal to CRT face 14
  • the amount of parallax-induced pointing error is determined by the separation between the actual location of a point on the phosphor surface at the rear of face 14 of CRT 10 and the point at which the user will intersect the outer surface of the touch screen 12 while attempting to touch the location where the phosphor point appears, the amount of the "touch discrepancy" is described by:
  • the amount of touch error is expected to occur from both sides of the CRT 10. Accordingly, the sense area around any object should extend by a 8.2 mm guard band beyond the displayed object. Thus the minimum separation between neighboring touch-selectable displayed objects is 16.4 mm. Note that this figure applies to the particular example presented, and for other applications it is necessary to calculate the useful guard band based on the data associated with the components involved in that system.
  • FIG. 2 presents a broken section of the display face for CRT 10.
  • Plate 20 symbolically represents the combination of both the face plate of CRT 10 and the thickness of touch panel 12 overlying face 4 of CRT 10 (i.e., Tg+Tt, as shown).
  • the user is assumed to observe along line 22 at an angle A1 relative to the normal of the outer face 23 of panel 12.
  • the actual point of information display occurs at point source 25 on the phosphor coated rear face 21 at an angle A2, and displacement P from the normal to surfaces 21 and 23.
  • the apparent point source appears at point source 26. If a second touch-sensitive display area existed at point 26, selection of that area results in erroneous input to the system.
  • CRT display face 14 has areas 30 and 31 which are instructional to the user; these areas are not user selectable. They do not hazard parallax induced errors and are presented with their boundaries abutting without separation. Areas 32, 33, 34, and 35 are assumed as intended for touch selection by the user. Therefore, areas 32 to 35 are surrounded by invisible guard bands 36 to 39, respectively. Bands 36-39 each have a width of P which, in the example mentioned previously, is 8.2 mm. That is, areas 32 and 33 are separated from areas 30 and 31 by 8.2 mm, while areas 32 to 35 are separated from each other by 16.4 mm.
  • guard bands need not always completely surround the touch-selectable display areas. If the risk of parallax-induced errors is considered to exist only in horizontal planes, it is possible to omit the bands above and below the selectable areas, or vice versa. Furthermore, the bands can have different widths around the surrounded areas. For instance, the system can accommodate a shallow angle for Al in the vertical direction in contrast to a larger angle Al in the horizontal direction relative to the surrounded selectable display area. Regardless, once determined in accordance with this invention, addition of the guard bands to the edges of the display areas is accomplished by well known programming techniques. These techniques are well within the skill of those having normal skill in the art and therefore are not further described herein.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Position Input By Displaying (AREA)
US07/121,024 1987-11-16 1987-11-16 Parallax induced pointing error avoidance method and means for systems using touch screen overlays Abandoned USH716H (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/121,024 USH716H (en) 1987-11-16 1987-11-16 Parallax induced pointing error avoidance method and means for systems using touch screen overlays
JP63204867A JPH01136227A (ja) 1987-11-16 1988-08-19 タツチ・パネル
EP88480048A EP0324306A3 (en) 1987-11-16 1988-09-27 Parallax error avoidance for a touch screen system

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US07/121,024 USH716H (en) 1987-11-16 1987-11-16 Parallax induced pointing error avoidance method and means for systems using touch screen overlays

Publications (1)

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USH716H true USH716H (en) 1989-12-05

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EP (1) EP0324306A3 (ja)
JP (1) JPH01136227A (ja)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5565894A (en) * 1993-04-01 1996-10-15 International Business Machines Corporation Dynamic touchscreen button adjustment mechanism
US5627567A (en) * 1993-04-27 1997-05-06 Hewlett-Packard Company Method and apparatus for adaptive touch recognition in a touch sensitive user interface
US6563492B1 (en) * 1999-03-03 2003-05-13 Yazaki Corporation Multi-function switch unit and function indicating method of the same
US20070236460A1 (en) * 2006-04-06 2007-10-11 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for user interface adaptation111
US20090322909A1 (en) * 2008-06-27 2009-12-31 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Simulated reflective display
US20130055164A1 (en) * 2011-08-24 2013-02-28 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab System and Method for Selecting Objects on a Touch-Sensitive Display of a Mobile Communications Device
US20150095815A1 (en) * 2013-09-27 2015-04-02 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system providing viewing-angle sensitive graphics interface selection compensation
US9215302B2 (en) 2013-05-10 2015-12-15 Google Technology Holdings LLC Method and device for determining user handedness and controlling a user interface
US9367085B2 (en) 2012-01-26 2016-06-14 Google Technology Holdings LLC Portable electronic device and method for controlling operation thereof taking into account which limb possesses the electronic device
US9959038B2 (en) 2012-08-30 2018-05-01 Google Llc Displaying a graphic keyboard
US9971496B2 (en) 2014-08-04 2018-05-15 Google Technology Holdings LLC Method and apparatus for adjusting a graphical user interface on an electronic device

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JP3123558B2 (ja) * 1991-05-09 2001-01-15 ソニー株式会社 情報入力処理装置および方法
DE4409388A1 (de) * 1994-03-18 1995-11-30 Dimension Computers Gmbh Verfahren zum Erfassen und positionsgenauen Ausdruck von Daten
US6903723B1 (en) * 1995-03-27 2005-06-07 Donald K. Forest Data entry method and apparatus
US6160536A (en) * 1995-03-27 2000-12-12 Forest; Donald K. Dwell time indication method and apparatus
WO1996030822A1 (en) * 1995-03-27 1996-10-03 Forest Donald K Method of and apparatus for data entry
US5999895A (en) * 1995-07-24 1999-12-07 Forest; Donald K. Sound operated menu method and apparatus
US6005549A (en) * 1995-07-24 1999-12-21 Forest; Donald K. User interface method and apparatus
US6346935B1 (en) 1998-09-14 2002-02-12 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Touch-sensitive tablet
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US10318043B2 (en) 2016-03-24 2019-06-11 Gm Global Technology Operations Llc. Dynamic adjustment of touch sensitive area in a display assembly
US11645429B2 (en) 2020-07-06 2023-05-09 Diebold Nixdorf, Incorporated Encrypting touch screen

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Cited By (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5565894A (en) * 1993-04-01 1996-10-15 International Business Machines Corporation Dynamic touchscreen button adjustment mechanism
US5627567A (en) * 1993-04-27 1997-05-06 Hewlett-Packard Company Method and apparatus for adaptive touch recognition in a touch sensitive user interface
US6563492B1 (en) * 1999-03-03 2003-05-13 Yazaki Corporation Multi-function switch unit and function indicating method of the same
US10048860B2 (en) 2006-04-06 2018-08-14 Google Technology Holdings LLC Method and apparatus for user interface adaptation
US20070236460A1 (en) * 2006-04-06 2007-10-11 Motorola, Inc. Method and apparatus for user interface adaptation111
US20090322909A1 (en) * 2008-06-27 2009-12-31 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab Simulated reflective display
US8184143B2 (en) * 2008-06-27 2012-05-22 Sony Mobile Communications Ab Simulated reflective display
US20130055164A1 (en) * 2011-08-24 2013-02-28 Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Ab System and Method for Selecting Objects on a Touch-Sensitive Display of a Mobile Communications Device
US9367085B2 (en) 2012-01-26 2016-06-14 Google Technology Holdings LLC Portable electronic device and method for controlling operation thereof taking into account which limb possesses the electronic device
US10282155B2 (en) 2012-01-26 2019-05-07 Google Technology Holdings LLC Portable electronic device and method for controlling operation thereof taking into account which limb possesses the electronic device
US9959038B2 (en) 2012-08-30 2018-05-01 Google Llc Displaying a graphic keyboard
US9215302B2 (en) 2013-05-10 2015-12-15 Google Technology Holdings LLC Method and device for determining user handedness and controlling a user interface
US9483143B2 (en) * 2013-09-27 2016-11-01 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system providing viewing-angle sensitive graphics interface selection compensation
US20150095815A1 (en) * 2013-09-27 2015-04-02 International Business Machines Corporation Method and system providing viewing-angle sensitive graphics interface selection compensation
US9971496B2 (en) 2014-08-04 2018-05-15 Google Technology Holdings LLC Method and apparatus for adjusting a graphical user interface on an electronic device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0324306A2 (en) 1989-07-19
JPH01136227A (ja) 1989-05-29
EP0324306A3 (en) 1990-05-16

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