WO2015185858A1

WO2015185858A1 - Method for validating a message with visual feedback

Info

Publication number: WO2015185858A1
Application number: PCT/FR2015/051467
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard Guignon; Nathalie GAUCHER
Original assignee: Orange
Priority date: 2014-06-04
Filing date: 2015-06-03
Publication date: 2015-12-10
Also published as: FR3022046A1

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic appliance comprising a screen and an input device which are connected to a control module, the control module being designed to allow a message to be inputted by means of the detection of at least one action carried out on the input device, the display of visual feedback on the screen corresponding to at least the action detected on the input device, the scrolling of visual feedback on the screen and the validation of the message inputted when the last element of visual feedback displayed disappears from the screen as a result of the scrolling.

Description

METHOD OF VALIDATING A MESSAGE WITH VISUAL RETURN

TECHNICAL FIELD TO WHICH THE INVENTION REFERS

The present invention generally relates to an electronic apparatus having a reduced man-machine interface and a method for validating the input of a message via this reduced interface.

BACKGROUND

Electronic devices such as mobile phones, smartphones or tablets generally have sophisticated human-machine interfaces (HMIs). As a definition of an HMI, the set of hardware and software devices allowing a user to communicate with an electronic device will be taken here.

The acquisition HMIs, that is, the HMIs that allow a user to enter data (for example, entering an e-mail or SMS (Short Message System) message) on a device electronic, can be very varied in nature. Keyboards, pointing devices such as mice, trackballs (or trackballs) or joysticks (or joystick). Commonly, we also find today touch screens, which can for example allow the display of virtual keyboards. Some devices also allow data entry - the input of a message - via a microphone.

Contrary to this tendency for some electronic devices to combine the possibilities of HMI, one finds with other electronic devices a minimalism in ΓΙΗΜ. More than a question of philosophy, it is for these electronic devices to meet the criteria of simplicity, robustness, autonomy, cost, or a combination of several of these criteria, which translates often by reducing the possibilities of HMI.

US Patent 2010/0026628 thus describes a portable device that can be used with a reduced HMI since it consists of a single push button and a screen. This patent describes a solution allowing the entry of Morse code message, and this using only the push button as input device. The presented solution therefore proposes to distinguish between a short or long pressure on the push button, respectively corresponding to a short or long Morse code pulse. The translation of a sequence of several short or long pulses into a character of the Morse code is triggered by the system at the expiration of a predefined duration. The user of the solution proposed by the aforementioned patent will therefore have to enter the sequence of pulses corresponding to the Morse code of a character, making sure that it does not mark a pause greater than the predefined duration between the input of two pulses. . Without this, the translation of the Morse code will be done on an incomplete sequence of pulses and therefore probably incorrect, and the user will be invited to start again.

The user is therefore placed in a somewhat anxiety-provoking situation because he has no idea how much time he has left to finalize the capture of his complete sequence of pulses.

In general, there is a need for a solution to facilitate the entry of messages on electronic devices with reduced input devices, such as a single push button.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The invention proposes to remedy the disadvantages previously discussed by means of a method of validating the seizure of a message on an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a control module connected to an input device and to a screen, the method being executed by the control module and comprising the steps of detecting at least one action performed on the input device, displaying on the screen a visual feedback corresponding to at least the action detected on the input device, scrolling at least one visual feedback on the screen and validation of the message entered when the last displayed visual return disappears from the screen by the effect of scrolling. Advantageously, this solution reconciles a simplicity of the human-machine interface with an automatic validation of the input of a message entered via an input device, while offering the user a visual feedback allowing him to know when this message validation will take place. A visual return is for example a display on the screen of one or more graphic objects, or the modification of the display of these graphic objects on the screen in response to a user action or the progress of a action or program in progress. Displaying or modifying the display of graphic objects may give the user an indication that his action has been taken into account or an indication of the progress of an action in progress. An example of visual feedback following actions of the user is illustrated in FIG. 3; each action of the user causing a change in the display. The user can therefore enter a message by actions on the input device, actions that result in scrolling visual returns on a screen. Without user action on the input device until the last visual feedback entered has disappeared from the screen by the scroll effect, the message will be automatically validated. This is particularly advantageous when the input device offers limited possibilities of action and it is therefore difficult to associate a particular action on the input device to perform the validation of a message. It also allows a user to know at a glance how much time he has left to continue to capture his message, without the risk of untimely and unexpected validation.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the display on the screen of the electronic device of a visual feedback is at a first end of the screen and the scrolling is carried out to a second end of the screen opposite to the first end.

Advantageously, the scrolling of the visual returns is from one edge of the screen to the other, the visual returns corresponding to the oldest actions disappearing first on the screen.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the input device is a push button and the action performed on this device is a pressure.

Advantageously, in order to simplify the man-machine interface and to reduce the manufacturing costs of the electronic device, the input device is a push button. This input device thus offers a possibility of action limited to a pressure on the push button. The invention thus makes it possible to overcome the difficulty of associating a particular pressure action to perform the validation of a message even though the possible pressure actions are already associated with the input of the message. In one embodiment of the invention where, when entering the message, all the possibilities of pressing the pushbutton can correspond to a message (short, long or any sequence, etc.), the present invention, by performing the validation when the message entered has disappeared from the screen by the effect of scrolling, allows to circumvent this limitation of the seizure device.

According to one embodiment, the screen and the input device being a same device. Advantageously, to minimize the clutter of the electronic device, the screen and the input device are a single device. This can be for example a touch screen or a screen being part of a push button, the pressure then being directly or indirectly on the screen or part of the screen. According to an alternative embodiment, the visual feedback is proportional to the duration of pressure on the input device. Advantageously, this allows the input of message consisting of alternating between two possible signals. The alternation is then defined according to the duration of the pressure, and the time elapsed between two successive presses, on the input device. In the event that the visual returns component messages are subsequently translated for example in the form of silence sequence or sound signal, a sound then corresponding to a pressure, it allows to vary depending on the duration of pressure duration of the sound and, the duration of the silence between two sounds.

According to a complementary embodiment, the visual feedback is proportional to the pressure exerted on the gripping device.

Advantageously, it is then possible to adapt the visual feedback in proportion to the pressure exerted on the input device. Still in the hypothesis where the message is translated as a sound sequence, it makes it possible to adapt a component of the sounds emitted. Thus, a component of an emitted sound will be proportional to the pressure exerted on the input device. For example, the sound volume or the transmission power of the sound, which is then chosen in proportion to the pressure, may be chosen as component. One can also choose for example as a component tone or frequency of sound emission. In the latter case, a variation of the pressure on the input device varies proportionally the visual feedback on the screen, for example by changing its size or a component such as its color. The variation can also be translated by a sound signal more or less serious or acute. This is compatible with a duration of the visual feedback, and the sound signal, which remains proportional to the duration of pressure. According to another embodiment, the scrolling of the visual returns on the screen is done at a predefined speed.

Advantageously, the scrolling of the visual returns on the screen at a predefined speed, on the screen, allows the user to be able to anticipate when the last visual return will reach the opposite end of the screen and therefore to better evaluate the time. remaining to seize a possible other visual return. The fact of being able to predefine the speed of scrolling of the visual returns makes it possible to adapt this speed to the characteristics of the screen and more generally of the electronic apparatus. The user can be offered the possibility to configure itself, either directly or indirectly by the choice for example of a user profile, the value of this predefined speed.

According to another embodiment, the predefined speed is chosen such that a visual return displayed at one end of the screen and scrolling towards a second end of the screen opposite the first end disappears from the screen after a predefined time.

Advantageously, the predefined speed can be chosen by determining a scrolling time of a visual return from one end to the other of the screen. It will be understood that the speed of scrolling visual returns on the screen, the time that a visual feedback to scroll from one end of the screen to the other and the size of the latter are related parameters. According to a complementary embodiment, the validation of the message is preceded by the display of a confirmation menu.

Advantageously, the user can, via a confirmation menu, confirm the validation of the message he has just entered. It can either confirm the entry, which triggers the sending of the message, or cancel the message, which triggers for example the input phase of a new message or the return to a previous menu (choice of the recipient for example) .

The invention also proposes an electronic device comprising a screen and an input device connected to a control module, the control module being configured to allow the capture of a message by detecting at least one action performed on the device inputting, displaying on the screen a visual feedback corresponding to at least the action detected on the input device, the scrolling of the visual returns on the screen and the validation of the message entered when the last visual feedback displayed disappears from the screen by the effect of scrolling.

In practice, the method for validating the seizure of a message on an electronic device, the electronic device comprising a control module connected to an input device and to a screen, can be implemented in the form of a computer program. This program is executed for example by a processor of the electronic device, a processor integrated in the control module. Therefore, according to a last aspect the present invention relates to a computer program comprising program instructions for implementing all or part of the steps of a method for validating the seizure of a message on an electronic device, when this program is executed by a processor.

Moreover, a computer program according to the invention can use any programming language, and be in the form of source code, object code, or intermediate code between source code and object code, such as in a form partially compiled, or in any other desirable form.

The invention therefore also aims at a computer-readable information recording medium, comprising instructions of a computer program according to the invention. Such a recording medium may be constituted by any entity or device capable of storing such a program. For example, the medium may comprise storage means, such as a ROM (Read Only Memory), for example a CD ROM or a microelectronic circuit ROM, or a removable recording means such as a USB key or magnetic recording means, such as a hard disk. On the other hand, a software program or module according to the invention can in particular be downloaded to an Internet type network. The advantages provided by a computer program, as briefly defined above, are identical or contribute to those mentioned above in relation to the method for validating the seizure of a message on an electronic device, and therefore will not not remembered here.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1A represents an electronic device comprising a screen and an input device according to an embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 1B is an internal schematic representation of the electronic apparatus comprising a screen and an input device according to an embodiment of the invention according to the preceding figure,

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the implementation of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the detailed implementation of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of validating a message according to an embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1A represents an electronic device 100 comprising a screen 102 and an input device 103 according to one embodiment of the invention. The input device 103 is activated by the user of the electronic device 100 by executing an action.

In the embodiment illustrated here, the input device 103 is a push button. The action performed on this push button 103 by the user of the electronic device 100 to activate it is a pressure. This push button can be of the binary type, pushbutton type for Morse code. This push button can also allow the user to exert a variable pressure on it.

In another possible embodiment, the screen 102 and the input device 103 are the same device, for example a touch screen or a screen integrated into a push button. In the latter case, the push button can for example be used by pressing directly on the screen. Alternatively, the body of the electrical apparatus 100 as a whole or partially can compose a push button, the action on the input device 103 being effected for example by tightening the electronic device 100.

FIG. 1B is an internal schematic representation of the electronic apparatus 100 having a screen 102 and an input device 103 according to an embodiment of the invention according to FIG. 1 A.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1B, the screen 102 and the input device 103 are distinct. They are connected, for example via a bus - common or not - to a control module 101 of the electronic device 100.

The electronic device 100 may comprise other modules, such as for example one or more network modules 104 such as Bluetooth® modules, GSM, Zygbee® or other technology allowing connection to a wireless or wired communication network. The electronic apparatus 100 may also include sensors or modules 105, such as GPS modules, gyroscopes or others. The electronic device 100 can thus, via a network module 104, transmit or receive messages. These messages can be for example short messages, type SMS (Short Message Service). A GSM type network module 104 allows a direct connection of the electronic device 100 to a communication network. A network module 104 of Bluetooth® type allows the connection of the electronic device 100 to another electronic device such as a mobile phone, itself connected to a communication network.

In one embodiment of the invention, the control module 101 includes a processor, allowing the execution of one or more programs. In another embodiment of the invention, the control module 101 comprises one or more circuits or components, programmable or not. This control module 101 is connected to the screen 102 and the input device 103. The control module 101 controls the display of the screen 102.

The control module 101 allows the detection of actions performed on the input device 103 by the user of the electronic device 100 and allows the display on the screen 102 of visual returns corresponding to the actions performed on the input device 103. The nature of these visual returns may depend on several parameters or applications implemented by the control module 101. A visual return thus corresponds to a modification of what is displayed on the screen 102 when an action is performed by a user on the input device 103 and detected by the control module 101. The visual feedback - the modification of what is displayed - can be done by the display on the screen of a new graphic object or by the modification of one or more graphical objects already displayed.

According to the embodiments, the visual returns are proportional to the duration of the pressures made by the user of the electronic device 100 on the input device 103 or the visual returns are proportional to the pressures exerted on the input device 103, or a combination of these two embodiments.

The control module 101 also makes it possible to control the scrolling of the display of the screen 102, in particular the speed of the scrolling of the visual returns. The scrolling speed of the visual returns can be predefined, or adjusted for example according to a parameter entered by a user of the electronic device 100, captured via a sensor 105 or received via a network module 104.

According to one embodiment, the predefined scrolling speed is chosen so that a visual feedback displayed at a first end of the screen and scrolling towards a second end of the screen opposite the first end disappears from the screen after a predefined time.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the implementation of the invention according to one embodiment of the invention. This embodiment considers an electronic apparatus 100 as described in FIG. 1 and represents different possible states of the display of the screen 102. The navigation between these different states is made possible for example by an action of a variable duration on the input device 103, here a push button. Thus, a first action called "CT" corresponds to a pressure of a "short" duration on the push button, or short press, and a second action called "LG" corresponds to a "long" pressure, or long press. The document US 2010/0026628 previously seen gives examples of what can be used to distinguish between a short or long pressure on the input device 103.

The display of the screen 102 as represented in 200 may correspond to a standby state of the electronic device 100. The display is for example off to save money. the energy, which corresponds to a "idle" state in column A of FIG. 2. A short press on the push-button 103 makes it possible to take the device out of the state of standby and to switch the state of the display from 200 to 201. The device 100 then displays for example the time and the number of unread messages (here SMS). Successive short presses make it possible to navigate in a menu of the electronic apparatus 100, and to switch, for example, from the display state 201 to a display state 202 corresponding to the "sending message" menu. It is thus possible, by successive short presses, to cover the entire menu. Column B thus corresponds to the displays of a first menu on the electronic device 100.

To select the option to send a message in the menu of column B, corresponding to the entry displayed on the screen 202, the user of the electronic device 100 makes a long press on the pushbutton 103 The electronic device 100 then then displays for example the various contacts previously stored in the electronic device 100, as shown in column C. The user of the electronic device 100 can switch from one contact to another by short pressures. A particular contact can be selected by a long press on the pushbutton 103 (here "Ana", as displayed on the display 204).

Column D corresponds to the mode of entering a message to the contact selected in 204.

In the embodiment considered, a message corresponds to a series of pulses of variable duration. Each pulse can then be translated on the device of the recipient contact of the message according to several possibilities. These pulses can be displayed as such, translated by vibrations or translated by sound signals for example.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the detailed implementation of the invention according to one embodiment.

The screen 205 of FIG. 3 corresponds to the display of the screen 102 of the electronic device 100, starting from the screen 204 and after a long press. It is therefore the input mode of a message consisting of pulses. In this example, the pulses are of the binary type, that is to say that a pressure on the push-button 102 will cause a pulse called "high", visualized by a visual feedback on the screen 102, here the display of a vertical bar. Conversely, no pressure will not cause visual feedback. The visual feedback is therefore directly proportional to the duration of pressure on the push button.

According to different embodiments, as seen above, the visual returns could also be modulated according to the pressure exerted on the push-button 103. For simplicity, this will not be the case in our example. The references 301 to 309 correspond, on the one hand, to a time line situated at the top, to the action performed by the user on the pushbutton 102 and, on the other hand, under this time line, to the state of the display of the screen 102. As illustrated on the objects 302 to 307, the display on the screen 102 of a visual feedback corresponds to each pressure or action detected on the input device 103, here the button button.

Thus, once the switch to the input mode, the user is presented with a blank screen 205.

In 302, the user presses the snap button, which pressure here corresponds to a short pressure "CT".

The corresponding visual feedback is displayed at one end of the screen 102, here the right end of the screen 102.

In 303, the user waits after the short pressure carried out previously, and makes a long pressure "LG".

In 304, the user waits after the long pressure carried out previously, and makes a new short pressure "CT".

As illustrated from 302 to 304, during this time, the visual returns corresponding to the detected pressures are displayed each time at the right end of the screen 102 and scroll on the screen 102 towards the opposite end, that is, ie towards the left end of the screen 102.

In 305, 306 and 307, the user no longer presses. The visual returns continue to scroll on the screen 102.

In 308, the last visual return displayed disappears from the screen 102 by the effect of scrolling. This triggers the validation of the message, as shown by the screen 309 where the electronic device indicates that the message is being sent.

According to the embodiment, an intermediate validation menu can be presented to the user following the disappearance of the last visual feedback displayed and before sending the message. The user can then be offered, for example, either to send the message, to restart the input of the message, or to return to the previous menu. FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of validating a message according to an embodiment of the invention. This method is for example carried out by the control module 101 of an electronic apparatus 100 comprising a screen 102 and an input device 103, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

The entry into the input mode, corresponding to step 401, is for example obtained as illustrated in FIG. 2, by the passage of the display 204 to 205 following a long pressure.

In step 402, the control module 101 detects a pressure made on the input device 103 by a user of the electronic device 100. control 103 will display on the screen 102 during a step 403 a visual feedback corresponding to the detected pressure. The visual feedback is displayed at one end of the screen 102.

In step 404, the control module 101 will ensure the scrolling of the display of the screen 102. Technically, the scrolling effect can be obtained by repeating the offset of the screen display. With a small distance offset repeated many times, a smooth scrolling effect of the display can be obtained. The person skilled in the art knows how to obtain such an effect, for example by rapidly alternating pressure detection cycles on the input device 103, displaying visual returns and shifting the display on the screen 102 in order to get the scroll effect.

The scrolling effect thus causes a movement of the visual returns displayed from the end where they are displayed - that is, where they appear on the screen 102 - towards the opposite end of the screen 102.

Step 405 corresponds to the moment when the last visual return still displayed on the screen 102 disappears from the screen 102 by the effect of scrolling. This triggers the validation of the message entered. This step 405 may require that at least one visual feedback has been displayed on the screen 102 to function. Indeed, without this, a user of the electronic device 100 entering the input mode 401 will not be aware of a possible scrolling of the display as long as no visual feedback is displayed, that is, ie as long as it does not press the input device 103. An empty message may then be validated without the user being aware of its future validation.

According to the embodiments, it is possible to overcome this, for example by providing a triggering of scrolling only after the detection of a first action on the input device 103, and thus the display of a first visual feedback.

The validation obtained following step 405 in case of disappearance of the last visual return by scrolling effect can be doubled by a confirmation menu in an optional step 406. This menu can allow the cancellation of the message entered, and therefore for example to restart the entry of a new message, or the confirmation of the message, and therefore its sending during a step 408.

In 409, following the sending of the message, the control module 101 exits the input mode.

The messages can be encoded for example in messages of the SMS type.

Once the message received by another device, the sequence of pulses may for example be translated by the recipient device for example in vibration, visual feedback or sound signals.

Claims

1. A method of validating the seizure of a message on an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus comprising a control module connected to an input device and a screen, the method being executed by the control module and comprising the following steps:

detection of at least one action performed on the input device,

displaying on the screen a visual feedback corresponding to at least the action detected on the input device,

scrolling of the at least one visual return on the screen,

- and validation of the message entered when the last visual feedback displayed disappears from the screen by the effect of scrolling.

2. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the display on the screen of a visual feedback is at a first end of the screen and the scroll is made to a second end of the screen opposite to the first end.

3. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the input device is a push button and the action performed on this device is a pressure.

4. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the screen and the input device are the same device.

5. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the visual feedback is proportional to the duration of pressure on the gripper.

6. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the visual feedback is proportional to the pressure exerted on the gripper.

7. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the scrolling of the visual returns on the screen is at a predefined speed.

8. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the preset speed is chosen such that a visual feedback displayed at one end of the screen and scrolling to a second end of the screen opposite the first end disappears. the screen after a preset time.

9. The method according to a preceding claim, wherein the validation of the message is preceded by the display of a confirmation menu.

10. An electronic device comprising a screen and an input device connected to a control module, the control module being configured to enable the input of a message by:

the detection of at least one action performed on the input device,

the display on the screen of a visual feedback corresponding to at least the action detected on the input device,

- the scrolling of the visual returns on the screen,

1 1. Computer program for implementing the steps of the method according to one of Claims 1 to 9 when the program is executed by a processor of an electronic apparatus, comprising a control module connected to an input device and to a screen, and allowing the input of a message.