Processing capacitive touch gestures implemented on an electronic device
Content on a display user interface of an electronic device, such as a wearable electronic device, can be manipulated using capacitive touch sensors that may be seamlessly integrated into the housing or strap of the electronic device. The capacitive touch sensors can advantageously replace mechanical buttons and other mechanical user interface components, such as a crown, to provide industrial design opportunities not possible with the inclusion of mechanical buttons and mechanical interface components. Moreover, the capacitive touch sensors can enable ambidextrous user interface control of content displayed on a touchscreen without requiring the user to touch the touchscreen. In some examples, content displayed on the touchscreen can be accessed in response to a variety of touch gestures processed by the capacitive touch sensors. The touch gestures can include, for example, single tap, double tap, extended touch, x-y coordinate selection, scrolling, scaling, or the like for manipulating a touchscreen user interface.
1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a processor positioned within the housing;
a display exposed through an opening of the housing; and
a capacitive interface region provided by the housing, wherein:
the capacitive interface region extends adjacent to at least a majority of a side of the display;
the processor is configured to process user inputs received along the capacitive interface region;
the capacitive interface region is a first capacitive interface region that extends adjacent to at least a majority of a first side of the display;
the wearable electronic device further comprises a second capacitive interface region provided by the housing; and
the second capacitive interface region extends adjacent to at least a majority of a second side of the display that is perpendicular to the first side of the display.
2. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to alter a display of displayed content on the display based on the processed user inputs.
3. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the wearable electronic device further comprises a third capacitive interface region provided by the housing;
the third capacitive interface region extends adjacent to at least a majority of a third side of the display that is parallel to the first side of the display and that is perpendicular to the second side of the display;
the wearable electronic device further comprises a fourth capacitive interface region provided by the housing; and
the fourth capacitive interface region extends adjacent to at least a majority of a fourth side of the display that is parallel to the second side of the display and that is perpendicular to the first side of the display.
4. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the housing is devoid of any mechanical buttons.
5. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing is constructed from a non-metallic material;
the wearable electronic device further comprises a capacitive touch sensor; and
the capacitive touch sensor is positioned directly against the capacitive interface region.
6. The wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing is constructed from a metallic material; and
the wearable electronic device further comprises:
a capacitive touch sensor; and
a non-capacitive component placed in between the capacitive interface region and the capacitive touch sensor.
7. A wearable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing comprises a band assembly suitable for being worn on a human arm; and
the first capacitive interface region is provided by the band assembly.
8. A method implemented in an electronic device comprising a processor, a display, and a housing providing a capacitive interface region along a path adjacent to a portion of a periphery of the display, wherein a shape of the path is the same as a shape of the portion of the periphery of the display, the method comprising:
displaying content on the display;
receiving a user input via the capacitive interface region; and
altering a display of the content on the display in response to the received user input, wherein:
the receiving the user input comprises processing a drag event along an axis from a first location on the capacitive interface region to a second location on the capacitive interface region; and
the altering the display of the content comprises scrolling the display of the content along the axis.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the displayed content is displayed at a first scaling factor;
the capacitive interface region comprises a first capacitive interface region provided by the housing along a first path adjacent to a first portion of the periphery of the display;
the housing further provides a second capacitive interface region along a second path adjacent to a second portion of the periphery of the display;
the drag event is a first drag event;
the receiving the user input comprises processing a combination of the first drag event from the first location on the first capacitive interface region to the second location on the first capacitive interface region and a second drag event from a first location on the second capacitive interface region to a second location on the second capacitive interface region;
the combination of the first and second drag events corresponds to a second scaling factor that causes one of a zoom-in or a zoom-out of the displayed content; and
the altering the display of the content comprises adjusting the displayed content such that the content is displayed at the second scaling factor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the shape is curved.
11. A watch apparatus, comprising:
a processor;
a display operatively coupled to the processor;
a housing protecting the processor and exposing a portion of the display defined by a periphery;
a plurality of capacitive touch interface regions provided by the housing such that the plurality of capacitive touch interface regions collectively extend adjacent to a majority of the periphery of the display; and
a plurality of capacitive touch sensors contained within the housing, wherein:
each capacitive touch sensor of the plurality of capacitive touch sensors is associated with a respective capacitive touch interface region of the plurality of capacitive touch interface regions and is communicatively coupled to the processor;
the processor is operative to:
process user touch events on the plurality of capacitive touch interface regions via the plurality of capacitive touch sensors; and
alter display of content on the display in response to the processed user touch events; and
the watch apparatus further comprises:
a strap assembly coupled to the housing and suitable for being worn on a human arm;
at least one strap integrated capacitive touch interface region provided by the strap assembly; and
at least one strap integrated capacitive touch sensor associated with the at least one strap integrated capacitive touch interface region, wherein the at least one strap integrated capacitive touch sensor is communicatively coupled to the processor.
12. The watch apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the periphery of the display is circular in shape.
13. The watch apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the periphery of the display is rectangular in shape.
14. The watch apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further operative to:
process a user touch event on the at least one strap integrated capacitive touch interface region via the at least one strap integrated capacitive touch sensor; and
alter the display of content on the display in response to the processed user touch events.