WO2009153308A1

WO2009153308A1 - Mobile telephone with convex arched touch screen

Info

Publication number: WO2009153308A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/057598
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dominic Flik; Peter Respondek
Original assignee: Deutsche Telekom Ag
Priority date: 2008-06-18
Filing date: 2009-06-18
Publication date: 2009-12-23
Also published as: EP2314055A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a mobile terminal (1) for the transmission of data via a wireless transmission route, in particular a mobile telephone for telecommunication via a communication network. Said terminal comprises a touch screen (2) for representing various arrangements comprising operational elements and/or information displays. Said screen (2) has a surface structure that is different from a flat surface, and the screen (2), in at least one partial area, is arched (5) or is flexible about at least one axis (6). The invention also relates to a method for operating said type of terminal.

Description

mobile phone

The invention relates to a mobile terminal for data transmission over a wireless transmission link, in particular a mobile telephone for telecommunications via a communication network, comprising a touch-sensitive screen ("touch screen") for displaying various arrangements, wherein an arrangement comprises respectively control elements and / or information displays, wherein the The terminal may in this case have a plurality of operating modes characterized by different such arrangements The invention also relates to a method for operating such a terminal.

Mobile phones with touch-sensitive screens, via which certain functions of the mobile phone can be triggered by touching, are known per se. These devices typically display certain icons or icons to the user to identify the locations of the screen that need to be touched to trigger a particular function. Sometimes, however, the icon representations may not be unique to users, which complicates or prevents a desirable intuitive operation of the mobile phone. This applies in particular to the function of sending data packets by means of a mobile phone. The data packets may include, for example, text messages ("SMS"), pictures and / or media files ("MMS").

From DE 697 31 299 T2 a usable also in a mobile phone touch screen is known in which a three-dimensional extended active surface area has at least one protruding or lowered portion to give the user tactile feedback information when the user slides an object, such as a fingertip over it. These projecting or lowered portions are in particular U-shaped, for example in the form of a rib or a groove, so that they stand out as an obstacle, clearly and noticeably, from the adjacent, planar residual surface of the active surface area. The sweeping of this perceived as a relatively sharp-edged obstacle obstacle local survey of the screen leads to the desired feedback information. An intuitive operation of the device is not achieved by these U-shaped areas of the screen.

US 2003/0214612 A1 likewise discloses a screen which can be used in a mobile telephone, which is constructed from a plurality of individual layers which are held together by a structural element in such a way that they can shift relative to one another in order to obtain a flexibly deformable screen , This flexibility of the screen is to avoid additional protective elements, which are required for rigid screens with glass or rigid plastic in order to avoid damage as possible. One of the layers may include a touchscreen element.

Furthermore, from DE 200 07 972 U1 a touch-sensitive screen is known, which is provided with three-dimensional elevations, which deform noticeably elastically upon actuation, thereby giving the user a tactile feedback on the operation. Due to the deformation of the local elevations, a kind of "cracking-frog effect" is created, so that not only a tactile, but also an acoustical input confirmation takes place The diameter of the individual surveys serving as keys should be on the order of a fingertip up to 1 mm, the keys should also be able to be felt without visual contact.This touch-sensitive screen can be used with an input device for the Internet or a ticket vending machine. DE 102 13 749 A1 discloses a touchscreen which can be used, inter alia, in mobile communications, the display of which is formed from organic light-emitting elements (OLED) which are arranged on a carrier film. Due to the flexibility of the film, this also results in a flexibly formable screen with which, for example, even curved display surfaces can be achieved. Due to its structure free of glass, it is also characterized by a thin design and low weight. In particular, with this OLED technology, flexible displays can be provided which yield elastically under pressure so as to simulate pressure points of switches.

Object of the present invention is to propose a mobile terminal of the type mentioned, which facilitates the operation by at least for individual functions, the type of operation the user regardless of a graphical representation on the screen is suggested, so that the execution of these functions can be initiated in an intuitive way. Furthermore, a corresponding method for operating such a terminal should be specified.

These objects are achieved by a terminal with the features of claim 1 and a method according to claim 15. Advantageous embodiments are mentioned in the subclaims.

An essential basic idea of the invention lies in the fact that the touch-sensitive screen has a curvature or bend around at least one axis in at least one subregion. The curvature of the screen can be convex or concave. Also, several vaults can merge into each other.

By such a design serving for controlling individual functions of the terminal surface can the user without graphical alone be given a clear support for the operation of the terminal due to the shape. For the user, the surface design may advantageously dictate certain ways of sweeping the screen surface to trigger, for example, the dispatch of a message or a call. The operation follows almost automatically the form of the touch-sensitive screen of the terminal and is thus executed intuitively. Overall, this leads to an increase in the attractiveness and the "fun factor" of the type of terminals.

It is particularly advantageous if the screen has an at least approximately uniform curvature or bending, which extends over at least half of the screen surface. Uniform means here that the radius of the curvature or bending over its entire extent is at least approximately constant. In this way, the curved or curved areas of the screen, in contrast to prior art embodiments, are not perceived as an obstacle when sweeping, but they support the intuitive operation of the terminal with a uniform surface design.

A particularly pleasing and moderate surface finish for sweeping the screen can be achieved by having the radius of curvature or bend at least as large as the shortest side of the screen. Preferably, the radius is at least half the size of the long side of the screen.

It is also particularly advantageous if the screen is made rigid with a layer of glass or of a rigid transparent plastic. Due to the non-flexible design of the screen, the terminal always retains its original shape and the support thereby achieved in the intuitive operation. Preferably, it is proposed to convexly bulge the screen downwards along the longitudinal direction of the terminal, so that the terminal practically drops off to the rear. Preferably, the longitudinal direction extends in an upright screen display (portrait mode) in the vertical direction. The curvature advantageously extends around one or more axes which run parallel to the transverse direction, wherein the transverse direction runs in the horizontal direction in the case of an upright screen display (portrait mode).

It is also particularly advantageous if the screen is curved only in its upper part or in a region remote from the user.

The support for the user can be further improved by the fact that the surface of the screen overlaps the display area of the screen on at least one side seamlessly with a connection area, so that the connection area takes the shape of the surface design of the screen and continues harmoniously outwards.

If the screen is at least predominantly located on an upper side of the terminal, it is furthermore particularly advantageous if at least one

Area of the screen so towards the opposite

Bottom of the terminal is curved, that of the display area of the

Screen bounding edge is closer to the bottom than to the screen

Top is located. The top of the terminal is to be distinguished from the upper part of the screen.

In a particularly smart embodiment, it is provided that the area of the screen located at the top in the representation of the arrangements in the user's hand is curved convexly toward the underside of the terminal such that the convexity gives the user the impression of an open horizon. It is also particularly advantageous if the terminal has an operating mode for sending data packets, wherein a transmission of a data packet from the terminal to a selectable receiving address by an action of a user can be triggered, comprising a sweeping of the screen along a predetermined curvature of the screen.

Advantageously, the recipient area defining the receiving address of a person or a group of people is assigned, which is stored in a, in particular in the terminal existing phone book file. Then, with regard to an intuitive operation, it is further advantageous if, as far as possible, self-explanatory and immediately recognizable data are displayed in a receiver area whose position is indicated or defined by the shape of the screen surface. It is particularly advantageous if an image of the person or persons is stored in connection with the receiving address, which can be displayed in the recipient area. The sender then has the picture of the recipient directly in front of his eyes.

One particular way to address the sender's positive sentiment is to mark the file sent by a symbol wandering on the screen from the sender area to the recipient area, and more particularly along a camber of the screen surface, so that the sender sees his message and her can look afterwards. The symbol moving beyond the receiver area and the edge of the screen leaves the impression of flying away. In addition to the surface design of the screen, the impression of flying away can be emphasized even more clearly by graphic means, for example by a changing shadow, by reducing dimensions of the symbol and / or by playing with the speed of movement.

The feeling is significantly increased if the symbol ("Icon") has a "speaking" character or even "lives." In the simplest case, the Text message to be symbolized with the icon of a letter. The shipping of this letter would "live" if the icon would change shape, giving the impression of flattem, for example, but the icon could also be related to the content of the letter, such as sending a piece of music through a flying disc A love message would be classically symbolized with a flying heart, with an unpleasant content rather being sent with a symbolized bomb.

The transmission could be organized so that the message with the respective symbol also arrives at the receiver. In this case, the arrival of the message can be animated on the terminal of the recipient effectively supported by the shape of the screen surface.

The inventive method for operating a terminal of the type described above suggests in a corresponding manner that quite generally for triggering a specific function of the terminal, the screen is swept with a finger in one direction, which is predetermined by the shape of the surface of the screen. The function that can be triggered is not restricted to the dispatch of data packets. In particular, it can also trigger a call.

Further advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Show it:

Figure 1: a first embodiment of a mobile phone according to the invention; and

Figure 2: a second embodiment of a mobile phone according to the invention. FIGS. 1 and 2 each show a mobile terminal for data transmission via a wireless transmission link, namely a mobile telephone 1 for telecommunication via the GSM network. This has a touch-sensitive screen 2 for displaying the functions important for the use of the terminal 1, which manifest themselves in corresponding arrangements of operating elements and / or information displays The mobile telephone 1 illustrated in FIG 2 variant shown in addition to the touch-sensitive screen 2 additional mechanical push buttons 3 for certain operating functions.

In both variants, the illustrated screen 2 along the longitudinal direction 4 on at least in the rear or upper part almost uniform convex curvature 5. The curvature 5 extends around an axis 6, wherein the at least substantially constant radius 7 of the curvature 5 here corresponds approximately to the size of the longitudinal side 8 and thus significantly larger than the shorter narrow side 9 of the screen 2. The curvature 5 gives the user the impression of an open horizon 10. To emphasize this effect, the curved screen 2 dominates the base body 11 of the mobile phone 1 to the rear or in the upright position of the mobile phone 1 upwards. In this case, the actual active display area of the screen 2 to the rear seamlessly and advantageously invisible transition into a connection area, so that the connection area receives the convex curved shape of the surface design of the screen 2 and continues harmoniously outward.

In order to reinforce the impression of an open horizon 10 even further, the display area of the curved screen 2 in the variant shown in FIG. 2 ends directly at the edge of the mobile telephone 1 forming the horizon 10. In contrast to the variant illustrated in FIG the curved screen 2 is surrounded at the top by a narrow casing edge 12, missing in Figure 2 such a limitation. The mobile telephone 1 has a plurality of operating modes characterized by different arrangements of operating elements, symbols, icons and displays, wherein an operating mode for sending data packets is provided. In this operating mode, the touch-sensitive screen 2 is divided into two separate screen areas 13 and 14. On the one hand there is a sender area 13 located in the lower area of the screen 2. The other area is the receiver area 14 located in the upper area of the screen 2. In the exemplary embodiments shown here, only the receiver area 14 is curved convexly, while the sender area 13 is flat, with both areas 13 and 14 being approximately the same size here. The sender area 13 is a data packet, such as a music clip assigned, which can be advantageously symbolized with a record representing an icon. The receiver area 14 is assigned a receive address.

By a wiping movement with the finger on the screen 2, the icon is picked up and moved along the curvature 5 of the screen 2 in the direction of the receiver area 14. This action to be performed intuitively on the basis of the surface design of the touch-sensitive screen 2 executed according to the invention initiates the sending of the data packet from the terminal 1 to the receiving address. The shipping is visualized by a on the screen 2 from the sender area 13 to the receiver area 14 along the screen curvature 5 in the direction of arrow A wandering icon. A wandering icon causes the impression of flying beyond the edge or over the horizon 10.

The arranged on the upper side 15 of the mobile phone 1 screen 2 is curved in its upper portion 14 so toward the opposite bottom 16 of the mobile phone 1 that the screen 2 limiting edge is closer to the plane of the bottom 16 than at that level which is defined by the height of the flat area 13 on the upper side 15 of the mobile telephone 1.

Claims

claims

1. Mobile terminal (1) for data transmission over a wireless transmission link, in particular a mobile telephone for telecommunications via a communication network, comprising a touch-sensitive screen (2) ("touch screen") for displaying various arrangements comprising controls and / or information displays, wherein the screen (2) has a deviating from a flat surface surface design, characterized in net, the screen (2) in at least a portion of a curvature (5) or bending around at least one axis (6).

2. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 1, dad u rch in that the screen (2) has an at least approximately uniform curvature (5) or bending, which extends over at least half of the screen surface.

3. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 1 or 2, dad u rch gekennzeich net, that the radius (7) of the curvature (5) or bend is at least as large as the shortest side of the screen (2).

4. Mobile terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized Porsche Style nzeich that the screen (2) is rigid with a layer of glass or of a transparent plastic.

5. Mobile terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, dad u rch geken nzeichnet that the screen (2), in particular along the longitudinal direction (4) of the terminal (1) is convexly curved.

6. Mobile terminal (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized Porsche Style nzeichnet that the screen (2) is curved only in its upper part or in a remote from the user area (14).

7. Mobile terminal (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized Porsche Style nzeich net, that the surface of the screen (2) the display area of the screen (2) on at least one side seamlessly surmounted by a connection area, the shape of the surface of the screen (2) continues evenly outwards.

8. Mobile terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, dadu rch geken nzeichnet that the screen (2) at least predominantly on an upper side (15) of the terminal (1), wherein at least a portion (9) of the screen ( 2) in such a way as to the upper side (15) opposite bottom (16) of the terminal (1) is arched or bent, that of the display area of the screen (2) limiting edge closer to the plane of the bottom (16) than at the Level of the top (15) is located.

9. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 8, dad urch in that the in the representation of the arrangements upper area (14) of the screen (2) is convex so convex to the underside (16) of the terminal (1) that the Buckle (5) gives the user the impression of an open horizon (10).

10. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the curved screen (2) has a representation Area which ends at the edge forming the horizon (10) immediately.

11. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 10, dad urch in that the immediate edge of the curved screen (2) projects beyond the base body (6) of the terminal (1).

12. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 11, characterized Porsche Style nzeichnet that the main body (6) superior edge in the outer region has a ski-like concave edge curvature.

13. Mobile terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized Porsche Style nzeichnet that the terminal (1) has a plurality of characterized by different arrangements operating modes, wherein at least one operating mode for sending data packets is provided, and that a shipment of a data packet from Terminal (1) to a selectable receiving address by an action of a user is triggered, comprising a sweeping of the screen (2) in a direction (A) along a curvature (5) of the screen (2).

14. Mobile terminal (1) according to claim 13, characterized in that the dispatch of a data packet by a person walking on the screen (2) along the direction (A) of a curvature (5) of the screen (2), in particular " speaking "symbol or icons can be displayed, wherein the representation preferably causes the impression of flying away of the data packet.

15. A method for operating a mobile terminal (1) according to one of the preceding claims, dad urch in that the screen (2) for triggering a specific function with a finger in a direction (A) is swept over, by the shape of the surface of the screen (2) is predetermined.