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`5,572,573
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`United States Patent
`[11]Patent Number:
`[19]
`Sylvan et al.
`
`Nov. 5, 1996
`[45]Date of Patent:
`
`US005572573A
`
`[54]REMOVABLE USER INTERFACE FOR USE
`WITH INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC
`DEVICES
`
`4,885,580
`12/1989 Noto et al ................................. 341/23
`
`
`4,908,845
`
`
`3/1990 Little ......................................... 379/52
`5,059,960
`
`
`
`10/1991 Rosenberg et al ...................... 345/174
`
`
`
`5,113,041 5/1992 Blonder et al ............................ 178/18
`Loren M. Sylvan, Westminster; Adam
`
`
`5,223,677
`
`6/1993 Kapp et al ................................ 178/18
`[75]Inventors:
`5,422,656
`
`
`6/1995 Allard et al. ............................ 345/173
`
`N.Marx, Boulder, both of Colo.
`
`U S West Advanced Technologies,
`
`[73]Assignee:
`Primary Examiner-Curtis Kuntz
`
`
`Inc., Boulder, Colo.
`
`Assistant Examiner-Michael B. Chernoff
`
`
`
`Attorney, Agent, or Finn-Brooks & Kushman
`
`[21]Appl. No.: 186,202
`[22]Filed:Jan. 25, 1994
`ABSTRACT
`[57]
`[51]Int. Cl.6 ·················-···········
`H04Q 7/32; G09G 5/00;
`An improved user interface for use in interactive electronic
`
`
`
`G06F 7/00; H03K 17/94
`
`
`[52]U.S. Cl ............................... 455/89; 345/173;
`
`
`
`devices. The user interface eliminates the complexity and
`379/61;
`
`
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`ambiguity problems encountered in conventional interfaces
`
`364/709.1; 341/23
`[58]Field of Search ................................
`
`
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`
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`through the incorporation of a physical overlay designed for
`
`379/61, 58, 355,
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`
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`use in cooperation with a contiguous touch screen or a
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`379/52; 455/89, 90; 395/155, 156, 159,
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`plurality of individual touch screens. The physical overlay
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`161, 162; 345/173, 168, 169, 173, 174;
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`delineates the touch screen or screens into a plurality of
`
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`364/709.1, 709.11, 709.12, 709.13; 178/18,
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`context sensitive task and information display regions which
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`19, 20; 341/20, 22, 23, 173
`
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`may be accessed by direct user manipulation.
`
`[56]
`
`
`
`References Cited
`
`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`
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`4,870,677
`
`9/1989 Di Santo et al ........................ 379/355
`
`10 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
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`U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 1996 Sheet 2 of 4
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`U.S. Patent Nov. 5, 1996
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`Apple EX1016 Page 5
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`TECHNICAL FIELD
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`BACKGROUND ART
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`1
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`5,572,573
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`2
`information sufficient to advise users from entering an
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`REMOVABLE USER INTERFACE FOR USE
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`irrelevant or incorrect key. Finally, hand-set a 10 includes
`WITH INTERACTIVE ELECTRONIC
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`second class of fixed label action keys 16, i.e. <STO>,
`DEVICES
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`<REC>, <SEND>, etc., for initiating selected functions. As
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`the <SEND> key 18 is ambigu5 further referenced above,
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`ously operative for answering both incoming calls and for
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`originating an outgoing call. A <CONTROL> key 20 opera
`The present invention relates to an improved user inter
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`tive to initiate a plurality of other functions such as locking
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`face directed for use in interactive electronic devices which
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`the hand-set, increasing the volume, storing a desired tele-
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`incorporate a physical overlay for precise disambiguation of
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`is phone number and performing other selected operations
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`touch screen input.
`10
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`also provided. Vehicular mobile telephone hand-sets of this
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`type provide ambiguous and imprecise functionality, are
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`complicated to use and, as a result, are highly prone to user
`error.
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`Conventional Customer Premises Equipment (CPE)
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`devices, including desktop telephones, mobile and portable
`As a further example, consider the prior art hand portable
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`15
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`telephones, facsimile machines, Personal Digital Assistants
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`mobile telephone which is shown in FIG. 2 and designated
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`generally by reference numeral 22. Portable telephone 22 is
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`(PDA's) and computers and related electronic devices such
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`known to those skilled in the art as the NEC Model T300
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`as video cassette recorders, televisions, remote controls,
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`portable phone. Like the prior art vehicular mobile tele
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`calculators and the like, present all information entry keys
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`a first class of phone of FIG. 1, portable phone 22 includes
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`for all functions. Such keys are generally adapted for use in
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`20 fixed-label entry keys for generating DTMF signals.
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`cooperation with a single visual display - regardless of
`24
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`Hand-set 22 further includes a second class of fixed-label
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`whether the functions are relevant in the current context of
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`action keys 26, i.e., <SEND>, <STO>, <:RCL>, <FCN>,
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`the communication. Moreover, such visual displays which
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`<CLR>, <END>, and <PWR> for initiating selected func
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`are generally liquid crystal displays (LCD's) do not present
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`tions. Significantly, each of the fixed-label entry keys and
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`sufficient information to prevent users from entering an
`24
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`28. 25 26 are tied to a single visual display
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`irrelevant or improper key. As a result, an erroneous key
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`selection results in either an error message or similar indi
`The most notable problem encountered in the operation of
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`cation that an invalid key has been entered - neither of
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`the above interactive electronic devices is that the required
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`which is desirable from a user standpoint.
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`syntax is neither apparent nor consistent. In conventional
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`mobile telephones, for example, storing a telephone number
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`In an effort by system designers to implement additional
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`requires a three-step process, i.e. initiation of a store
`30
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`functions, conventional keyboards have further incorporated
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`sequence, identification of a telephone number sought to be
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`additional keys which again correspond to functions which
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`stored, and selection of a storage location. Similar steps are
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`are neither relevant nor operable in all communication
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`also required when storing interim calculations or numeric
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`contexts. As a result, the size as well as the complexity of
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`sequences on conventional calculators, remote controls,
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`such keyboards has been correspondingly increased. While
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`35 V CRs, etc.. These steps and their store sequences vary
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`efforts have been made to reduce this inherent complexity,
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`widely from manufacturer to manufacturer and from device
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`these efforts have heretofore proven unsuccessful.
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`to device. Yet, in most cases, little if any "on-line" or "during
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`In the mobile telephone communications industry, for
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`operation" help - other than an error message - is
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`example, efforts have been made to minimize the number of
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`provided to guide the user through the required syntax.
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`entry keys while increasing the number of available features.
`40
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`In a further effort to minimize the number of entry keys
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`Such efforts have involved the incorporation of entry keys
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`while increasing the number of available features, interface
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`which may be used to initiate multiple functions. In other
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`designers and, in particular, the assignee of the present
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`applications, such as calculators and other electronic
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`invention, U.S. West Advanced Technologies, Inc., has
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`devices, as well as the aforementioned mobile telephones,
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`contemplated the incorporation of dynamic visual display
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`<shift> keys have also been utilized. These multi-function
`45
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`screens in mobile and desktop telephones and related elec
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`entry keys have been designed to provide specific functions
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`tronic devices. These "dynamic" visual display screens are
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`which are tied to particular communication contexts. This
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`designed to present to the user a plurality of context sensitive
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`correspondence, however, is still neither readily apparent
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`function labels. In operation, these function labels are
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`nor logically referenced. For example, many wireless com
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`adapted to be accessed by depressing one or more soft-label
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`munications devices, and in particular cellular telephones,
`50
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`signaling keys which are provided in electrical communi
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`i.e. wireless telephones operable in the microwave band
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`cation with the dynamic visual display. See, for example,
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`between approximately 1.8 GHZ and 2.2 GHZ, utilize an
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`copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/089,146
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`entry key labeled <SEND> for use in both answering an
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`which is commonly owned by the assignee of the present
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`incoming call as well as to originate an outgoing call.
`invention.
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`Similarly, many vehicular cellular telephones utilize a
`55
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`<CONTROL> button or entry key which may be used to
`As those skilled in the art will recognize, while the use of
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`store selected telephone numbers, lock the hand-set, adjust
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`soft-label signaling keys presents a major advance over the
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`the volume of the received communication and initiate other
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`prior art, this approach is nonetheless still limited in flex
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`selected operations.
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`ibility due to the inherent design requirement that items must
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`no the user is provided 60 be in specific places. In addition,
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`Consider, for example, the conventional vehicular mobile
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`direct manipulation or sensory feedback. In operation, the
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`telephone handset shown in FIG. 1 and designated generally
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`user must physically depress a button to access the corre
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`by reference numeral As shown, mobile telephone
`10.
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`sponding desired function label, which subsequent testing
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`hand-set includes a first class of fixed-label entry keys
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`has proven is less intuitive than direct manipulation of the
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`disposed on the keypad for generating Dual-Tone Multi
`65 label itself.
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`Frequency (DTMF) signals (i.e. digits 0-9 plus the star and
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`pound). Hand-set further includes a single visual display
`As the number of consumer electronic devices increases,
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`does not present detailed 14 which, as referenced above,
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`interface designers have turned attention towards the
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`5,572,573
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`function labels relevant to the current context of the user
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`3
`4
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`employment of touch screens which, in contrast to the above
`interface.
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`devices, permit users to activate functions or to interact with
`information using direct manipulation. Such direct manipu
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`The above objects and other objects, features, and advan
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`lation dramatically improves the ease-of-use of the interface,
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`tages of the present invention are readily apparent from the
`and thus increases the desirability of the device employing
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`5
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`following detailed description of the best modes for carrying
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`the interface. However, in contrast to the benefits derived
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`out the invention when taken in connection with the accom
`from a direct manipulation interface via a touch screen,
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`panying drawings wherein like reference numerals are used
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`usability is simultaneously inhibited by the touch screen for
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`for like components.
`the following reason. Due to the nature of the touch screen,
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`users are apt to use their fingertips to activate/select items 10
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`from the touch screen. Fingertips, however, are inexact
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`pointing devices and thus generally unsuitable for such
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`telephone hand-set;
`touch screens which require precise location of the finger
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`press. Thus, the likelihood of activating the wrong function FIG. 2 is a front plan view of a prior art hand portable
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`or selecting the wrong data is increased by the ambiguity of
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`15 mobile telephone;
`selections with the fingertip. This ambiguity actually inhibits
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`FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a prior art electronic device
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`the device's usability and thus its desirability.
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`which incorporates touch screen entry keys;
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`Consequently, a need has therefore developed to provide FIGS. 4-6 are schematic diagrams of the improved user
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`an improved touch screen user interface which may be
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`interface of the present invention and the component parts
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`implemented in interactive electronic devices of the type
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`20
`thereof;
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`referenced above. More specifically, a need has developed to
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`embodiment FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of alternative
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`provide such an improved interface wherein the function
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`of the improved user interface of the present invention;
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`labels may be directly manipulated. Such an interface should
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`FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams illustrating
`the
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`also provide disambiguation means to guide the user to the
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`operation of the improved user interface of the present
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`appropriate function label while, at the same time, prevent-
`25
`invention.
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`ing the user from accessing an incorrect key.
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`mobile art vehicular FIG. 1 is a front plan view of a prior
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`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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`BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE
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`INVENTION
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`DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
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`It is therefore a principal object of the present invention
`a plurality of Referring now to FIG. 3 of the drawings,
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`to provide an improved user interface for use in interactive
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`prior art touch screens which have been provided, for
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`electronic devices which eliminates the complexity and
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`example, in a hand-held calculator 30 are shown and des
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`ambiguity problems encountered in conventional interfaces
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`ignated generally by reference numeral 32. As seen, these
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`yet provides a plurality of user-friendly functions.
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`34 display a single visual 35 touch screen interfaces incorporate
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`A more specific object of the present invention is the
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`which provides output responsive to user initiated activity
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`provision of a user interface for use in interactive electronic
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`of these touch screen on touch screens 32. The disadvantage
`devices which incorporates a single class of touch screen
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`interfaces is that they are highly prone to error since a user
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`entry keys which function as context-sensitive task and
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`may easily hit the wrong touch screen. The lack of any
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`information display regions which may be accessed by
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`of user the possibility maximizes 40 physical feedback further
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`direct user manipulation.
`error.
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`Yet another object of the present invention is the provision
`the With reference now to FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings,
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`of such an improved touch screen user interface which,
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`improved user interface incorporating the novel interactive
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`through the use of raised overlay means, delineates the touch
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`touch screen interface of the present invention will be
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`screen or screens into a plurality of precisely defined and 45
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`described in further detail. As shown, the interface of the
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`easily accessible context-sensitive task and information dis
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`present invention which is shown, by way of example, in a
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`play regions which guide the user to the appropriate region
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`hand portable communications device such as a mobile
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`for direct user manipulated activation.
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`telephone hand-set or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is
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`designated generally by reference numeral 36. The interface
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`In carrying out the above objects and other objects,
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`necessarily incorporates physical overlay means such as
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`features and advantages of the present invention, there is 50
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`or substantially rigid plastic card 38. Card 38 is punched
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`provided a user interface adapted for use in interactive
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`stamped to define a plurality of voids or openings 40, which
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`electronic devices including land-based telephones, wireless
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`are of predetermined size, shape and location within card 38
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`telephones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDA's) and com
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`and correspond to predetermined touch screen function
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`puters, and VCRs, televisions, remote controls and the like
`labels.
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`which comprises a touch screen or a plurality of touch 55
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`screens. The user interface further incorporates raised over
`or screens As seen, by overlaying card 38 on touch screen
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`lay means for delineating the touch screen or screens into a
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`and task display 42, a plurality of recessed information
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`like plurality of context-sensitive task and information dis
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`with the invenwhich, in accordance regions 44 are defined
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`play regions. This overlay means, which may comprise, for
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`tion described herein, are context sensitive and activated by
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`example, a raised plastic card or similarly substantially rigid
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`direct user manipulation. Card 38 may be of any thickness
`60
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`sufficient to properly delineate the aforementioned task and
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`cover having appropriate windows or voids stamped therein
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`is operable to guide the user to the appropriate task/infor
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`information display regions 44 and guide the user to the
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`desired region sought to be activated. As readily understood,
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`mation display region for direct user manipulated activation.
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`As disclosed herein, these context-sensitive task and infor
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`and however, the thinner the card 38 may be designed
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`mation display regions function as both soft-label signaling 65
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`implemented, the greater the reduction in corresponding
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`keys and as dynamic visual displays. In operation, the
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`material cost and vice-versa Nonetheless, at both ends of
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`soft-label signalling keys provide direct access the displayed
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`the spectrum, a tradeoff exists with respect to the desired
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`IPR2020-00778
`Apple EX1016 Page 7
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`5,572,573
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`1.For use with an interactive electronic device, a user
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`a touch screen having a plurality of predetermined func
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`functionality of the overlay means. Thus, for example, if the
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`display of 54, 56 or 58 are. activated, the corresponding
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`regions will change accordingly and prompt the user to
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`card 38 is too thin, the user will be unable to properly
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`select from additionally stored entries.
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`physically distinguish the task and information display
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`may be activated. regions 44 and an erroneous region
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`The improved user interface of the present invention
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`which incorporates a touch screen or screens delineated by
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`user will be inhibited Similarly, if the card 38 is too thick, the
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`raised overlay means such as rigid plastic card 38 provides
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`from easily accessing the desired region.
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`context-sensitive task and information display regions
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`Against this background, Applicants contemplate that a
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`which may be used in a number of communication devices
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`substantially rigid card having a thickness in the range of0.5
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`including hand-held telephones shown by way of example
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`mm to 2.5 mm should be sufficient for the involved user
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`above as well as personal computers, PDAs, calculators and
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`interfaces of most applications, including land-based tele-10
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`other suitable interactive electronic devices. The direct user
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`phones, mobile telephones, Personal Digital Assistants
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`manipulation provided for by the present invention greatly
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`(PDAs) and computers, calculators and other electronic
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`reduces user error by providing explicit instructions for the
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`devices as referenced above. However, it is understood and
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`user and eliminating the aforementioned ambiguity prob
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`contemplated by Applicants that the thickness as well as the
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`lems encountered with shift keys, soft-label signaling keys
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`vary depending size and flexibility of card 38 may, of course,
`and the like.
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`upon the particular use of the same.
`While the best modes for carrying out the invention have
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`It is thus seen that the use of such an improved touch
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`been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which
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`screen user interface provides maximum interface flexibility
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`this invention relates will recognize various alternative
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`for use in a limited amount of real estate such as, for
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`designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as
`20 defined
`by the following claims.
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`example, in the cellular telephone or PDA hand-set 36 which
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`What is claimed is:
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`is shown. As readily seen, the improved user interface
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`preserves flexibility of the touch screens 42 while adding the
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`interface, comprising:
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`accuracy and physical feedback of soft-label signaling keys.
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`As shown in FIG. 6 of the drawings, in an alternative
`25
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`tion labels; and
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`embodiment, a contiguous touch screen need not be pro
`a raised overlay supported by the touch screen having a
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`vided. Rather, a plurality of defined touch screens 42 may be
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`plurality of apertures of predetermined size, shape and
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`used with their division made aesthetically more pleasing
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`location corresponding to the predetermined plurality
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`through the use of physical card overlay 38 referenced
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`of touch screen function labels, the plurality of aper
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`invention above. The physical card overlay 38 of the present
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`tures for delineating said plurality of touch screen
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`may be used, in cooperation with any suitable interface
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`function labels into a plurality of context-sensitive task
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`including, for example, the personal computer as further
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`and information display regions and guiding the user to
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`touch screen or a shown in FIG. 7 whether a contiguous
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`the appropriate region for direct user manipulated acti-
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`plurality of defined touch screens are utilized.
`vation.
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`As readily seen, the user interface of the present invention
`the raised overlay2. A user interface as in claim 1 wherein
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`35
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`which incorporates a touch screen combined with a physical
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`is a substantially rigid card having a predetermined thick
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`overlay serves to delineate regions of the touch screen that
`ness.
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`are both programmable, yet easily recognizable and simple
`3.A user interface as in claim 2 wherein the predeter
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`the to identify and activate. The raised overlay 38 guides
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`mined thickness is in the range of 0.5 mm to 2.5 mm.
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`user's fingers to the appropriate soft key region, thus reduc-40
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`4.For use with an interactive electronic device, a user
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`ing ambiguity and error while preserving programmable
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`interface, comprising:
`flexibility.
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`a plurality of touch screens; and
`a raised overlay supported by the touch screen having a
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`plurality of apertures of predetermined size, shape and
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`location corresponding to the predetermined plurality
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`Turning now to FIGS. 8-9 of the drawings, the operation
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`of touch screen function labels, the plurality of aper
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`of the improved user interface of the present invention will
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`tures for more precisely delineating said plurality of
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`be described in further detail. Consider, for example, the
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`touch screen function labels so as to define a like
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`user interface provided in a hand-held wireless telephone
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`plurality of context-sensitive task and information dis
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`wherein a user desires to select from many stored telephone
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`play regions and guiding the user to the appropriate
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`numbers provided in a "personal directory" and to dial a
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`region for direct user manipulated activation.
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`selected telephone number. As shown in FIG. 8, the user
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`5.A user interface as in claim 1 wherein the interactive
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`direcmay physically depress task region 46 < to personal
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`electronic device is a telephone.
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`tory >whereupon the display regions will dynamically
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`the interactive6.A user interface as in claim 1 wherein
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`accommodate the current context of the communication and 55
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`electronic device is a mobile telephone hand-set.
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`prompt the user with a plurality of recipients and their
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`the interactive7.A user interface as in claim 1 wherein
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`corresponding telephone numbers which have been stored in
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`electronic device is a calculator.
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`the personal directory as shown in FIG. 9. Should the user
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`the interactive8.A user interface as in claim 1 wherein
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`thereafter desire to send a communication to "Adam Marx,"
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`electronic device is a personal computer.
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`for example, the user need only physically depress task/ 60
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`the interactive9.A user interface as in claim 1 wherein
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`telephone the corresponding display region 48 whereupon
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`electronic device is a Personal Digital Assistant.
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`number will appear in display region 50 <541-6021>. The
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`10.A mobile telephone hand-set, comprising:
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`user may then originate the telephone call by physically
`an earpiece;
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`depressing display region 52 <dial number>.
`a mouthpiece;
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`As readily seen, <up> and <down> keys may also be 65
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`provided as shown in display regions 54 and 56 as well as
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`a <back> key provided in display region 58. If any of regions
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`tion labels; and
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`Operation
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`a touch screen having a plurality of predetermined func
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`IPR2020-00778
`Apple EX1016 Page 8
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`
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`7
`a raised overlay supported by the touch screen having a
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`plurality of apertures of predetermined size, shape and
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`location corresponding to the predetermined plurality
`vation.
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`of touch screen function labels, the plurality of aper
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`tures for delineating said plurality of touch screen 5
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`function labels into a plurality of context-sensitive task
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`8
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`5,572,573
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`and information display regions and guiding the user to
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`the appropriate region for direct user manipulated acti
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`* * * * *
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`IPR2020-00778
`Apple EX1016 Page 9
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`