Patent ID: 6072473
Filing Date: 2000-06-06
Classification: G01C,G06F

Abstract:
A system for communication between an operator and at least one processor, using:a plurality of display elements managed by said processor and laid out according to a predetermined geometrical disposition, a variable being displayed on each of these display elements,a communication instrument separate from said display elements comprising a touch-sensitive surface coupled to said processor so as to set up communication with the latter in order to ensure management of said display elements,validating means coupled to said processor for enabling said operator to validate selecting actions. andsaid processor comprising:means for managing said sensitive surface according to a first operating mode using a virtual division of said sensitive surface into a plurality of virtual areas, and means for adjusting the respective shapes and dispositions with respect to each other of said areas so as to correspond isomorphically with said geometrical disposition of said display elements,means for detecting a selecting operation of one of said areas corresponding to a display element, this selecting operation being performed by the operator by acting directly on any point of said area of said sensitive surface and by validating this action by acting on said validating means,means for cyclically detecting the position of an object such as the operator's finger on said sensitive surface,means for managing said sensitive surface according to a second operating mode subsequent to said selecting operation using means for determining the displacement of the object between two successive positions on said sensitive surface,means for computing a new value of the variable displayed on a previously selected display element as a function of a current value of said variable and of the determined displacement of said object on said sensitive surface, andfor displaying said new value on said previously selected display element.