TOUCH-SENSITIVE DEVICE FOR SCROLLING A DOCUMENT ON A DISPLAY
A touch-sensitive device for use as an electronic input device for controlling by scrolling the visible portion of a document or image relative to a display. The device can include various improved configurations such as physically separate opposed input surfaces at opposite longitudinal ends and/or lateral sides. The end regions of a touch sensitive surface may be rounded and/or tapered to provide relative positional feedback to the user. Tactile positional feedback can also include surface texture changes on the scrolling area and/or changes in the surface of the frame in the region immediately adjacent the scrolling area. The touch sensitive areas may be provided within a split alphanumeric section of an ergonomic keyboard to enable scrolling without the user having to remove his or her hands from the alphanumeric section.
1 - 20 . (canceled)
21 . A touch-sensitive device for manipulating a document on a display screen, said device comprising:
a central area extending along a first axis; and
first and second end areas positioned along the first axis on opposed sides of the central area, said first and second end areas each for performing a respective first and second function for manipulating the document.
22 . The device of claim 21 wherein the first and second end areas are physically separate and spaced from the central area.
23 . The device of claim 21 wherein the central area has a width in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and wherein the first and second end areas have a width that differs from the width of the central area.
24 . The device of claim 21 wherein said device is part of a keyboard including an alphanumeric section, said areas being disposed within the alphanumeric section.
25 . The device of claim 21 wherein the first and second end areas are rounded.
26 . The device of claim 21 , further comprising a housing with first, second and third openings that frame the central area, and the first and second end areas respectively.
27 . The device of claim 26 , wherein the housing is part of a keyboard.
28 . A touch-sensitive device for manipulating a document on a display screen, said device comprising:
a central area extending along a first axis; and
first and second areas positioned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis on opposed sides of the central area, said first and second areas each for performing a respective first and second function for manipulating the document.
29 . The device of claim 28 wherein the first and second areas are physically separate and spaced from the central area.
30 . The device of claim 28 wherein the central area has a width in a direction perpendicular to the first axis and wherein the first and second areas have a width in a direction perpendicular to the second axis that differs from the width of the central area.
31 . The device of claim 28 wherein said device is part of a keyboard including an alphanumeric section, said areas being disposed within the alphanumeric section.
32 . The device of claim 28 wherein the first and second areas are rounded.
33 . The device of claim 28 , further comprising a housing with first, second and third openings that frame the central area, and the first and second areas respectively.
34 . The device of claim 33 , wherein the housing is part of a keyboard.
35 . The device of claim 28 , wherein the first axis is a longitudinal axis.
36 . The device of claim 28 , wherein the first and second areas each have a distal end, and tactile feedback means located between the distal ends for providing tactile feedback for assisting in the location of the first and second areas.
37 . The device of claim 28 , wherein the tactile feedback means includes discrete surface texture changes on the scrolling area.
38 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the first axis is a longitudinal axis.
39 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the first and second end areas each have a distal end, and tactile feedback means located between the distal ends for providing tactile feedback for assisting in the location of the first and second end areas.
40 . The device of claim 21 , wherein the tactile feedback means includes discrete surface texture changes.