Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
  • G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
  • G06F3/0487—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
  • G06F3/0488—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
  • G06F3/04883—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
  • G06F3/0412—Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
  • G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
  • G06F3/0481—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
  • G06F3/048—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
  • G06F3/0484—Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; 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
  • G06F3/14—Digital output to display device ; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G11—INFORMATION STORAGE
  • G11B—INFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
  • G11B20/00—Signal processing not specific to the method of recording or reproducing; Circuits therefor
  • G11B20/10—Digital recording or reproducing

Definitions

• the invention concerns a media player device, such as a handheld personal audio and/or video player/recorder with incorporated display, and methods for controlling the playback of audio/video programs and/or slideshows on and from this device.
• the device and methods can be employed in particular within a wireless environment, such as a wireless local network; it is however not limited to this context.
• the versatility of mobile devices grows with the availability of more storage capacity, greater bandwidth and adapted displays.
• Optical disk or hard disk based portable media players are now available on the consumer electronics market, integrating LCD displays.
• the display is integrated into a hinged flap with can be folded over the device's main body for transportation.
• the device comprises a number of buttons and controls to enable the user to command a number of different functions related to the audio/video program and/or slideshow playback. For cost reasons and limitation of available space, it is usually desirable to limit the number of buttons and controls.
• mobile devices have to take into account a number of constraints. One of these is the limited autonomy of the portable power source, such as a rechargeable battery. E.g. a portable personal computer will switch off or switch to a low-power mode certain modules such as the hard disk after a certain time in order to save energy.
• the invention concerns a content playback device comprising a display and a touch-sensitive surface for providing device controls characterized in that the display and the touch-sensitive surface are superposed; and in that the device further comprises control means for disabling the display while input using the touch-sensitive surface is enabled.
• the device comprises an output to a second display; wherein said control means are programmed to disable the first display when the output to the second display is enabled.
• the second display may be a television or monitor for displaying visual content provided by the inventive device.
• This visual content may be provided directly under the form of an analog or digital video signal, but also under other appropriate forms, such as compressed video.
• Visual content control functions include e.g. pause/play, next chapter/picture/movie/video file, previous chapter/picture/movie/video file, fast forward, fast reverse etc.
• Visual content may comprise video programmes per se (movies, TV show, personal video%) with or without associated audio, or slideshows, or individual pictures etc.
• the input required to select a given control function is independent of the position of the user's input on the screen, whether the device's display is enabled or not, when visual content (such as a video, a slideshow, pictures etc..) is displayed on any display.
• the selection independent of the position of the input is activated when the device's own display is disabled.
• the invention also concerns a method for controlling a content playback device comprising a display and a touch-sensitive surface for content playback control, characterized in that, the display and the touch-sensitive surface being superposed, the method comprises the steps of:
• the invention concerns a method for controlling a content playback device comprising a display and a touch-sensitive surface, characterized in that, the display and the touch-sensitive surface being superposed, the method comprises the steps of: -providing first control function selection as a function of the position of the input on the touch-sensitive surface,
• figure 1 represents an external view of the device according to the embodiment
• figure 2 is a state diagram illustrating the control states of a video program according to the embodiment
• figures 3a to 3c represent the device's screen at certain states within the context of the embodiment.
• FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a portable video player 1.
• the device comprises an LCD screen 2 covered by a transparent touch-sensitive surface 3, a wireless connection push button 4 ('Wifi') for triggering a wireless network search, a menu push button 5 for calling the top-level control menu on the display, a volume control 8, a three-position sliding button HOLD/LCD/TV 7 the use of which will be explained later on, a record push button 6 as well as a power on/off button 9.
• the device furthermore comprises a headset plug 10 for connecting a remote control 11 and a headset proper 12, a video in plug 13, a video out plug 14, and a Universal Serial Bus (USB) plug 15. The placing of the different buttons, connectors and controls is indicative only.
• USB Universal Serial Bus
• the device includes a touch sensitive surface for allowing flexible user input while reducing the overall number of buttons.
• the touch sensitive surface is in itself known, and can be manufactured according to a number of technologies, among which resistive technologies and capacitive technologies. Resistive technologies typically respond to pressure exerted on the sensitive surface by any type of object (finger, gloved finger, plastic stylus), while capacitive technologies will respond to finger contact, or contact with specially designed styli. Other technologies are also known, such as surface acoustic wave (SAW) technologies.
• SAW surface acoustic wave
• the sensitive touch screen will provide the device with whether the surface is touched and with the coordinates of the point of the surface touched by the user, or with the series of coordinates if the user moves his finger or an appropriate object over the screen. Adapted processing means can derive from this information the duration of the touch, and the direction and path of the movement of the object on the surface.
• the device comprises a processor for controlling the device's modules, as well as for handling input to and output from the device.
• the processor in particular handles user input and controls the device's modules and functions in response to this input. It also processes the input to the touch-sensitive surface.
• the device comprises a mass storage module in the form of a hard disk drive, which is able to store compressed digital audio and/or video programs, for example programs compressed according to the MPEG 2 or MPEG 4 standards.
• the device further comprises appropriate audio/video decompression circuitry, as well as video signal processing circuits for controlling either the LCD screen 2 or an external display 17.
• the user can select among two outputs for video programs: either the integrated display, or an external display.
• the integrated display When the external display is enabled, the integrated display is switched off, in order to save battery life.
• certain control functions can still be activated through the touch-sensitive surface even when the integrated display is disabled. These functions are preferably activated in the same way, whether the integrated display is used for displaying a video, or whether the output to the external display is activated.
• the device displays, on its integrated screen 2, the top level of the hierarchical menu used to control the device.
• the user may access the content selection mode, used for selecting content to be reproduced, from this main menu.
• Figure 3a illustrates an example of a video content selection menu as displayed.
• Other content selection screens concern e.g. music content and still pictures.
• Content may be sorted by the user, organized into playlists etc... in conventional manner. The corresponding filtering and ordering functions will not be explained in detail. The default order is that of the directory containing the videos, pictures or audio files.
• the menu content selection simply lists available movies.
• a menu item or an icon will select or activate the menu item or icon, depending on the context.
• the content selection mode is available only when the integrated display is enabled.
• the user In order to enter the content selection mode when video content is displayed on the external display and the integrated display is disabled, the user first has to enable the integrated display by toggling the video output back to that display, using the HOLD-LCD-TV button. The external display is then disabled.
• the device enters into content playing mode.
• each function may be activated by the user, each function corresponding to a specific movement or gesture with regard to the touch-sensitive surface.
• the functions differ according to the context. However, the five movements or gestures remain the same.
• the different gestures are as follows:
• the movements can be performed using the finger or an appropriate object with regard to the particular technology used for the touch-sensitive surface. It is to be noted that the gestures can be performed anywhere on the touch- sensitive surface.
• the user consequently does not need to see icons displayed on the integrated display to activate the functions - which is of importance if the display is disabled.
• the touch controls are not correlated with items (icons, menu items%) displayed on the integrated screen, whereas this is not the case in the content selection mode.
• the touch-screen gestures are used to navigate through the video programme. Feedback on the selected control function is given by overlaying an on-screen display message on the displayed video, as illustrated by figure
• Figure 2 is a state diagram illustrating the behaviour of the device in response to the user's inputs through the touch-sensitive surface.
• the gestures are used to control a slideshow. Feedback is given by overlaying an on-screen display message on the displayed pictures, as illustrated by figure 3c.
• -Short Tap Toggle between pausing and continuing the slideshow
• -Next Track Gesture Triggers (skips to) display of the next picture in the order of the directory or the playlist.
• Triggers skips to display of the previous picture in the order of the directory or the playlist.
• -Rewind Gesture Starts the slideshow in reverse order of the directory or playlist according to which the pictures are organized. A predetermined delay is respected before moving to the next picture. If the gesture is performed again, the delay is divided by two. A short tap reinstates the default delay.
• -Forward Gesture Starts the slideshow in the order of the directory or playlist according to which the pictures are organized. A predetermined delay is respected before moving to the next picture. If the gesture is performed again, the delay is divided by two. A short tap reinstates the default delay.
• the integrated display is disabled to save battery life.
• the gestures are used to navigate through the song directory/playlist or within a song.
• -Short Tap Toggle between pausing and continuing the current song
• -Next Track Gesture Triggers playing of the next song in the order of the directory or the playlist.
• -Previous Track Gesture Triggers playing of the previous song in the order of the directory or the playlist.
• the stylized drawings 16 are placed so as to remind the user of the gesture associated with each control function.
• the fast forward drawing is placed to the right of the screen to indicate that the gesture required for activating that function comprises moving from the left to the right, while the next track drawing is placed below the screen to indicate that the user has to slide downwards on the screen.
• the invention also applies to the case where the device comprises a display which may be disabled or enabled by the user or automatically, even if it does not possess a connector to an external display. This may be the case for an audio player, where the display is switched off to save power.
• the display may be used in conjunction with the touch screen when certain menu input requires a display (e.g. icons), while the display is switched off during playback per se, the touch screen controls then being active for basic playback control functions.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• User Interface Of Digital Computer (AREA)
• Control Of Indicators Other Than Cathode Ray Tubes (AREA)
• Indexing, Searching, Synchronizing, And The Amount Of Synchronization Travel Of Record Carriers (AREA)
• Devices For Indicating Variable Information By Combining Individual Elements (AREA)
• Position Input By Displaying (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Cited By (1)

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Citations (4)

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• 2004
  • 2004-12-14 EP EP04447275A patent/EP1672471A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2005
  • 2005-12-07 WO PCT/EP2005/056587 patent/WO2006063960A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2005-12-07 KR KR1020077012084A patent/KR20070089681A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-12-07 EP EP05813385A patent/EP1825353A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2005-12-07 JP JP2007546025A patent/JP2008530634A/ja active Pending
  • 2005-12-07 CN CNA2005800426840A patent/CN101076773A/zh active Pending
  • 2005-12-07 US US11/793,196 patent/US20080225013A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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