Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A touch sensitive user interface system including: a display screen (62) for displaying a plurality of images representative of selectable options; touch sensitive means (212, 214) for detecting the presence of a probe in contact with the display screen; control logic (54), responsive to the touch sensitive means, for determining the contact position of the probe, and defining for each image (301 to 304) representative of a selectable option, a first contact area (310 to 313) of predetermined size, over which contact with the probe selects the option; and said control logic, responsive to detection of a probe by the touch sensitive means, expanding the size of said first contact area, to allow selection thereof without contacting any adjacent contact areas, and upon completion of option selection, returning the expanded contact areas (310′ to 313′) to said predetermined size.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A system as defined in claim 1, wherein a plurality of contact areas generally near the first contact area each have a predetermined size prior to probe contact in the first contact area, and said control logic, responsive to detection by the touch sensitive means at the first contact area, expands the size of said plurality of contact areas to allow selection of any thereof without contacting any other contact areas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A system as defined in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the predetermined area is expanded about a center at the contact position of the probe.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
183 words
A touch sensitive user interface system including: a display screen (62) for displaying a plurality of images representative of selectable options; said display screen having associated closely therewith a plurality of light source and light detector pairs (216, 218) arranged with respect to the display screen and defining an array of detection cells (222) thereover, said light sources and light detector pairs arranged to detect impingement of a probe at one or more of said detection cells defined thereby, and produce a detection signal indicative of impingement and the location thereof; control logic (54), providing correspondence between one or more detection cells and selectable options, defining for each image representative of a selectable option a group of cells at which contact with the probe seiects the option; and said control logic, responsive to detection of impingement at a first group of cells, expanding the number of cells in said first group having correspondence to a first selectable option, to allow selection thereof without contacting any adjacent contact areas, and upon completion of option selection, returning the group of cells to the original size.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
A system as defined in claim 4, wherein a plurality of selectable options generally near the first selected option, each have a corresponding number of detection cells prior to probe contact, and said control logic, responsive to detection by the touch sensitive means at the first contact area, expands the number of detection cells corresponding to each of said selectable options to allow selection of any thereof without contacting any other contact areas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A system as defined in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the predetermined number of cells is expanded about a center at the contact position of the probe.