Method for interacting with an apparatus implementing a capacitive control surface, interface and apparatus implementing this method

Abstract

A method is provided for interacting with an electronic and/or computing apparatus, termed the user apparatus, the user apparatus including: a control surface furnished with a plurality of capacitive electrodes, and at least one neutral surface, arranged at the periphery of the control surface so that none of the capacitive electrodes of the control surface is disposed in the neutral surface; the method including the following steps: detection of at least one control object disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface of the apparatus, by utilization of the edge effect, and triggering, as a function of the detection, at least one function in the user apparatus. The invention also relates to a man-machine interface for interacting with a user apparatus and a user apparatus, implementing this method.

1 . A method for interacting with an electronic and/or computerized device, known as user device, said user device comprising:
 a control surface equipped with a plurality of capacitive electrodes, arranged to detect at least one control object situated at a distance that is not zero from said control surface; and   at least one surface, known as neutral, arranged at the periphery of said control surface so that none of said capacitive electrodes of said control surface is disposed in said neutral surface;   
       said method including:
 detection of at least one control object disposed in contact with or opposite said neutral surface of said device, by utilizing the edge effect of at least one of said capacitive electrodes of said control surface which is located close to said neutral surface; and 
 triggering, as a function of said detection, of at least one function in said user device. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises, after the detection step and before the triggering step, a step of determining the nature of the control object disposed against or opposite the neutral surface, the triggering step being carried out as a function of said nature of said control object. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the detection step comprises, for at least one, in particular for each object disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface, detection of the position of said control object on said neutral surface. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the detection step comprises the detection of the number of control objects disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the detection step comprises, for at least one, in particular for each control object disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface, detection of the shape of said control object. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the detection step comprises the detection of a distance between at least two control objects disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the detection step comprises, for at least one, in particular for each control object disposed in contact with or opposite the neutral surface, detection/measurement of a movement of said control object. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises a function of adjusting the value of a parameter associated with a function carried out by said user device. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises a function associated with the display produced on a display screen of said user device or of another device controlled by said user device. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises illuminating the display screen and/or the control surface. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises unlocking the display screen and/or the control surface. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises repositioning at least one object displayed on the display screen. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises adjusting the orientation of a display produced on the display screen. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises launching an application to take a picture, an application to take a video or deactivating/activating the sound. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the triggered function comprises deactivating a control button. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the triggered function is chosen as a function of one or more of the neutral surfaces, against which or opposite to which the control object(s) is/are disposed. 
     
     
         17 . A human-machine interface, comprising:
 a control surface equipped with a plurality of capacitive electrodes, arranged to detect at least one control object situated at a distance that is not zero from said control surface; and   means for carrying out the steps of the method according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         18 . The interface according to  claim 17 , characterized in that it comprises moreover a guard layer of the capacitive electrodes, set at a potential (V G ), called the guard potential, which is substantially the same as or exactly the same as the potential of said capacitive electrodes. 
     
     
         19 . The interface according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the capacitive electrodes are disposed in a matrix structure, each capacitive electrode measuring the capacitance between said capacitive electrode and the control object. 
     
     
         20 . An electronic and/or computerized device comprising a human-machine interface according to  claim 17 . 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20 , characterized in that it comprises moreover a display screen, the control surface being transparent and disposed on said display screen.