Method And Device For Operating An Electronic Appliance

Abstract

A method for preselecting and/or selecting a menu, a submenu, a function, or a function value of an electronic device. The menu, the submenu, the function, or the function value is preselectable and/or selectable using a touchpad with a first body part and an audible feedback is output table. The audible feedback is activated by an additional touch of the touchpad at any point with a second body part.

Claims

1.-17. (canceled)

18. A method for preselecting and/or selecting at least one of a menu, a submenu, a function, and a function value of an electronic device, comprising: touching a touchpad of the electronic device with a first body part to at least one of preselect and select the menu, the submenu, the function, or the function value; and activating an audible feedback by an additional touch of the touchpad at any point with a second body part; and outputting the audible feedback for the at least one of preselected and selected menu, submenu, function value, or function of the electronic device.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, further comprising: applying and dragging of a third body part to alter a preselected or selected function value.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein each of the menu, the submenu, the function, and the function value is associated with a position on the touchpad.

21. The method as claimed in claim 20, wherein each of the menu, the submenu, the function, and the function value is preselectable and/or selectable by a touch of the associated position.

22. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first body part is a first finger.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the second body part is a second finger.

24. The method as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and second fingers touch the touchpad adjacently.

25. A user apparatus configured for preselecting and/or selecting at least one of a menu, a submenu, a function or a function value of an electronic device, comprising: a touchpad configured to be touched of with a first body part to preselect and/or select the menu, the submenu, the function or the function value; and an output for an audible feedback for the preselected and/or selected menu, submenu, function value or the preselected and/or selected function of the electronic device, wherein the audible feedback is activable by an additional touch of the touchpad at any point with a second body part.

26. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the applying and dragging of a third body part is usable to alter a function value.

27. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the menu, the submenu, the function or the function value is associated with a position on the touchpad.

28. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the preselectable and/or selectable menu, the preselectable and/or selectable submenu, the preselectable and/or selectable function or the preselectable and/or selectable function value is preselectable and/or selectable by a touch of the associated position.

29. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the first body part is a first finger.

30. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 29, wherein the second body part is a second finger.

31. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the audible feedback is activatable by a touch of the touchpad when the first and second fingers touch the touchpad adjacently.

32. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the touchpad has a capacitive, inductive, resistive, or optical touch detection.

33. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the touchpad is a touchscreen.

34. The user apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the touchscreen has an electro-optical display.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The invention will be explained in more detail below on the basis of the figures, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a touchpad with a first presentation of selectable menus;

[0013] FIG. 2 is the touchpad from FIG. 1 with a second presentation of menus;

[0014] FIG. 3 is the touchpad from the preceding figures with a presentation of submenus;

[0015] FIG. 4 is the touchpad from the preceding figures with a presentation of an adjustable function value;

[0016] FIG. 5 is the touchpad from the preceding figures with a presentation of a station selection with an applied finger of a hand; and

[0017] FIG. 6 is the touchpad from the preceding figures with a presentation of the hand from FIG. 5 with two applied fingers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] FIG. 1 shows a touchpad 1 with a menu with preselectable and selectable sub-menus A-M. If the touchpad 1 is touched in the region of the respective submenu with a body part, for example a first finger of a hand, the corresponding submenu is preselected and can be selected by a second action. By applying a second body part, for example a second finger of the hand, the heel of the hand or the side of the hand, it is possible for the audible feedback to be activated.

[0019] The second action for selecting the preselected submenu may be, for example, briefly raising the first finger and retouching the touchpad 1, leaving the first body part in place for a certain period of time after touching the touchpad or activating the audible feedback, or any other assigned action, such as, for example, applying a third body part while the first and second body parts continue to touch the touchpad, or operating a switch.

[0020] The touchpad 1 can be designed so that the preselectable menus are presented permanently, for example by printing, painting or engraving the surface of the touchpad. It is then only possible to select from the presented menu, however. Furthermore, it is possible to present nothing on the surface and thus to force the operator to operate blind. Finally, it is possible for the touchpad to be designed as a touchscreen and thus to present the preselectable and selectable menus, submenus, functions, and function values in the form of symbols and/or text information depending on the status of the operating system.

[0021] FIG. 2 shows the preselectable submenus A-E in a second arrangement on the touchpad 1. Otherwise, there is no difference from the touchpad in FIG. 1.

[0022] FIG. 3 shows three submenus N-P on the touchpad 1, said submenus being preselectable and selectable by selecting menu A from FIG. 1 or 2, for example. These subfunctions are also denoted by text information or symbols indicated in FIG. 3. The submenus can relate to functions of a radio receiver, for example, such as volume setting, station selection, and balance.

[0023] If submenu N is the volume setting, for example, then, after selecting this submenu on the touchpad 1, the volume setting is presented, as shown in FIG. 4. The volume can be changed by touching an arrow R with a body part and moving the body part on the display, for example. However, it is also possible for example to touch the touchpad 1 with a third body part while the first and second body parts continue to touch the touchpad, and to increase or decrease the distance between the first and third body parts. It is thus possible, for example, for the touchpad 1 to be touched with an index finger of one hand and the heel of the hand and at the same time for the touchpad 1 to be touched with the thumb or middle finger of the hand and for the distance between the index finger and thumb or middle finger to be increased or decreased and thus for the volume to be changed accordingly.

[0024] FIG. 5 shows the touchpad 1 configured as a touchscreen, on which a station selection menu is presented, and a hand 2 of an operator, who is otherwise not shown, with an index finger 21. The index finger 21 touches the touchpad in the region that is assigned for the preselection and selection of the station Bayern Radio. If a further body part, such as, for example, a middle finger 22 as shown in FIG. 6, now touches the touchpad 1, the audible feedback output is the spoken information such as, for example: Bayern Radio or You have preselected the station Bayern Radio. The preselected station can then be selected, for example, by applying a third body part such as, for example, the heel of the hand 2 or the thumb of the hand 2.

[0025] It is possible to allow only certain body parts or modes of action for the selection, or to focus only on the number of body parts applied. It is also possible for the selection to be provided for alternatively or additionally by another action such as, for example, the brief lifting of the first body part, the index finger 21 in the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

[0026] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.