Advanced touch control of a media player application via yaw finger angle using a high dimensional touchpad (hdtp) touch user interface

Abstract

A method for controlling a media player executing on a computing device is disclosed. A user interface touch sensor is configured to be responsive to a yaw angle of contact with at least one finger. A change in yaw angle of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor is measured by the touch sensor to produce measured data. Real-time calculations on the measured data are performed to produce a measured-angle value. The measured-angle value is used to control the value of at least one user interface parameter of the media player. At least one aspect of the media player changes in response to the yaw angle of the position of the finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling a media player application executing on a computing device, the method comprising:
 configuring a user interface touch sensor to be responsive to at least one angle of contact with at least one finger of a human user of a computing device and the user interface touch sensor in communication with an operating system of the computing device;   measuring at least one change in the at least one angle of contact of the at least one finger with respect to a surface of the user interface touch sensor to produce measured data, the measuring performed by at least the touch sensor;   performing real-time calculations on the measured data to produce a measured-angle value; and   using the measured-angle value to control the value of at least one user interface parameter of the media player;   wherein at least one aspect of the media player changes responsive to the at least one change in the at least one angle of contact of the at least one finger with respect to the surface of the touch sensor.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of one of: skip, repeat, playback speed, rewind, and fast-forward commands associated with the media player. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of one or more audio levels associated with at least one media file currently being played on the media player. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of one or more visually perceptible attribute levels associated with at least one media file currently being played on the media player. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of a playlist window of the media player. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control manipulation of a menu of a plurality of playlists associated with the media player. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising using the measured-angle value to control changing of at least one visual attribute associated with a graphical user interface of the media player. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to left-right movement of the at least one finger on the user interface touch sensor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to forward-backward movement of the at least one finger on the user interface touch sensor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to at least one gesture comprising changes to movement of the at least one finger on the user interface touch sensor. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to gestures comprising changes to pressure applied by the at least one finger to the user interface touch sensor. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to simultaneous changes in at least two of finger yaw angle and other finger motion. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to simultaneous changes in at least two of finger yaw angle and forward-backward finger motion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to simultaneous changes in at least two of finger yaw angle and other finger downward pressure. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 calculating a speed of change of an angle of the at least one finger, and using the speed of the change of the angle of the at least one finger to control an aspect of the media player.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least one angle of the at least one finger is used in a natural metaphor to control an aspect of the media player. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining one or more touch gestures performed by the at least one finger on the surface of the user interface touch sensor; and   using the measured-angle value and the one or more touch gestures to control a value of at least one user interface parameter of the media player.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining a sequence of touch gestures performed by the at least one finger on the surface of the user interface touch sensor; and   determining the measured-angle value based on the sequence of touch gestures.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device comprises a mobile device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface touch sensor is further configured to be responsive to simultaneous changes in at least two of finger yaw angle and left-right finger motion.