Additional Touch-Gesture Sensors for Rear or Sides of Mobile Devices
A method for providing user interface features to a mobile device involving locating a touch-responsive sensor touchpad to the rear and/or at least one side of a mobile device. Touch-gesture measurement information from the touch-responsive sensor touchpad is processed and used to create an output signal responsive to a touch gesture imparted wherein the output signal is used to control an aspect of a software application operating on the mobile device. The mobile device can be configured to be selectively responsive to particular temporal patterns of touch, particular regions of touch, and/or particular movements of touch. Touch gestures can include various types of squeezing gestures, path-tracing touch gestures, and touch pattern gestures. Recognized gestures can be used to control the mobile device and/or software application running on the mobile device.
1 . A method for providing user interface features to a mobile device, the method comprising:
Locating a touch-responsive sensor touchpad to a side of a mobile device;
Receiving touch-gesture measurement information from the touch-responsive sensor touchpad and translating the measurement information into numerical measurement data;
Processing the numerical measurement data on processor comprised by the mobile device to produce touch gesture recognition; and
Providing an output signal responsive to the touch gesture recognition,
Wherein the output signal is responsive to a touch gesture imparted to the touch-responsive sensor touchpad, and
Wherein the output signal is used to control an aspect of a software application operating on the mobile device.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein at least a second a touch-responsive sensor touchpad is located on another side of the mobile device.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is further configured to be responsive to at least one squeezing gesture executed by squeezing the sides of the mobile device.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the mobile device is further configured to be responsive to a squeezing gesture comprising two squeeze actions made in quick succession.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the mobile device is further configured to be responsive to a squeezing gesture comprising three squeeze actions made in quick succession.
6 . The method of claim 3 wherein a squeezing gesture is used on power off the mobile device.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the touch-responsive sensor touchpad comprises a low-resolution tactile sensor.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the touch-responsive sensor touchpad comprises a capacitive tactile sensor.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular temporal patterns of touch.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular regions of touch.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular movements of touch.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to a touch gesture tracing a path on the surface of the touchpad.
13 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to a touch pattern rendered on the surface of the touchpad.
14 . A method for providing user interface features to a mobile device, the method comprising:
Locating a touch-responsive sensor touchpad to the rear area of a mobile device;
Receiving touch-gesture measurement information from the touch-responsive sensor array touchpad and translating the measurement information into numerical measurement data;
Receiving touch-gesture measurement information from the touch-responsive sensor touchpad and translating the measurement information into numerical measurement data;
Processing the numerical measurement data on processor comprised by the mobile device to produce touch gesture recognition; and
Providing an output signal responsive to the touch gesture recognition,
Wherein the output signal is responsive to a touch gesture imparted to the touch-responsive sensor touchpad, and
Wherein the output signal is used to control an aspect of a software application operating on the mobile device.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein at least a second a touch-responsive sensor touchpad is located on a side of the mobile device.
16 . The method of claim 14 wherein the touch-responsive sensor touchpad comprises a low-resolution tactile sensor.
17 . The method of claim 14 wherein the touch-responsive sensor touchpad comprises a capacitive tactile sensor.
18 . The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular temporal patterns of touch.
19 . The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular regions of touch.
20 . The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to particular movements of touch.
21 . The method of claim 14 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to a touch gesture tracing a path on the surface of the touchpad.
22 . The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device is configured to be selectively responsive to a touch pattern rendered on the surface of the touchpad.