Using pressure differences with a touch-sensitive display screen

Abstract

Disclosed is a user interface that responds to differences in pressure detected by a touch-sensitive screen. The user selects one type of user-interface action by “lightly” touching the screen and selects another type of action by exerting more pressure. Embodiments can respond to single touches, to gestural touches that extend across the face of the touch-sensitive screen, and to touches in which the user-exerted pressure varies during the course of the touch. Some embodiments respond to how quickly the user changes the amount of pressure applied. In some embodiments, the location and pressure of the user's input are compared against a stored gesture profile. Action is taken only if the input matches “closely enough” to the stored gesture profile. In some embodiments, a notification is sent to the user when the pressure exceeds a threshold between a light and a heavy press.

1 . On a personal electronic device with a touch-sensitive screen, a method for responding to user input, the method comprising:
 receiving a touch on the touch-sensitive screen;   associating a pressure with the touch;   comparing the associated pressure with a first non-zero threshold; and   if the associated pressure is less than the first threshold, then performing a first user-interface action, else performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action, wherein performing the second user-interface action is based, at least in part, on a magnitude of a difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the personal electronic device is selected from the group consisting of: mobile telephone, personal communications device, personal computer, tablet computer, kiosk, digital sign, and gaming console. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a location on the touch-sensitive screen with the touch. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a spatial path across the touch-sensitive screen with the touch. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the touch-sensitive screen. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from a component of the personal electronic device distinct from the touch-sensitive screen, the distinct component selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor and an active stylus. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving from the touch-sensitive screen an element selected from the group consisting of: an area measurement, a number of affected channels, and a signal strength. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein associating a pressure comprises comparing a signal strength received from the touch-sensitive screen with a number of affected channels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first and second user-interface actions are selected from the group consisting of: selecting an icon displayed on the screen, opening a file associated with an icon displayed on the screen, executing a program associated with an icon displayed on the screen, modifying a value of a control parameter, opening a context menu, and picking up an icon displayed on the screen. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the first user-interface action is a drawing action; and   wherein the second user-interface action is an erasing action.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the second user-interface action comprises changing a value; and   wherein a speed of change of the value is based, at least in part, on the magnitude of the difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;   the method further comprising comparing the associated pressure with a second non-zero threshold greater than the first non-zero threshold; and   wherein performing the second user-interface action comprises performing a third user-interface action if the associated pressure is less than the second threshold, else performing a fourth user-interface action distinct from the third user-interface action.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 :
 wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;   the method further comprising sending a notification to a user of the personal electronic device; and   wherein the notification comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: a visual notification, an audio notification, and a haptic notification.   
     
     
         15 . A personal electronic device comprising:
 a touch-sensitive screen; and   a processor operatively connected to the touch-sensitive screen and configured for:
 receiving a touch on the touch-sensitive screen; 
 associating a pressure with the touch; 
 comparing the associated pressure with a first non-zero threshold; and 
 if the associated pressure is less than the first threshold, then performing a first user-interface action, else performing a second user-interface action distinct from the first user-interface action, wherein performing the second user-interface action is based, at least in part, on a magnitude of a difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold. 
   
     
     
         16 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the personal electronic device is selected from the group consisting of: mobile telephone, personal communications device, personal computer, tablet computer, kiosk, digital sign, and gaming console. 
     
     
         17 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a location on the touch-sensitive screen with the touch. 
     
     
         18 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein receiving a touch comprises associating a spatial path across the touch-sensitive screen with the touch. 
     
     
         19 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the touch-sensitive screen. 
     
     
         20 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15 :
 further comprising a component distinct from the touch-sensitive screen, the distinct component selected from the group consisting of: a pressure sensor and an active stylus;   wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving a pressure value from the distinct component.   
     
     
         21 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein associating a pressure comprises receiving from the touch-sensitive screen an element selected from the group consisting of: an area measurement, a number of affected channels, and a signal strength. 
     
     
         22 . The personal electronic device of  claim 21  wherein associating a pressure comprises comparing a signal strength received from the touch-sensitive screen with a number of affected channels. 
     
     
         23 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15  wherein the first and second user-interface actions are selected from the group consisting of: selecting an icon displayed on the screen, opening a file associated with an icon displayed on the screen, executing a program associated with an icon displayed on the screen, modifying a value of a control parameter, opening a context menu, and picking up an icon displayed on the screen. 
     
     
         24 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15 :
 wherein the first user-interface action is a drawing action; and   wherein the second user-interface action is an erasing action.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15 :
 wherein the second user-interface action comprises changing a value; and   wherein a speed of change of the value is based, at least in part, on the magnitude of the difference between the associated pressure and the first threshold.   
     
     
         27 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15 :
 wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;   wherein the processor is further configured for comparing the associated pressure with a second non-zero threshold greater than the first non-zero threshold; and   wherein performing the second user-interface action comprises performing a third user-interface action if the associated pressure is less than the second threshold, else performing a fourth user-interface action distinct from the third user-interface action.   
     
     
         28 . The personal electronic device of  claim 15 :
 wherein the associated pressure is equal to or greater than the first threshold;   wherein the processor is further configured for sending a notification to a user of the personal electronic device; and   wherein the notification comprises an element selected from the group consisting of: a visual notification, an audio notification, and a haptic notification.   
     
     
         29 - 30 . (canceled)