Patent ID: 7786980

Claim:
A method for preventing staining of a display screen by a user's finger, said method comprising the steps of: determining a first threshold distance from a surface of the display screen within which a user's finger may be detected; determining a second threshold distance from the surface of the display screen within which a user's finger may be detected, said second threshold distance being shorter than said first threshold distance; first detecting when a user's finger is within said first threshold distance; first indicating to said user, upon a detection in said first detecting step, that said user's finger has entered a zone (A) proximate to the surface of the display screen where interaction with a graphical user interface (GUI) is enabled, said GUI enabling manipulating various display functions by movements of the user's finger; second detecting when a user's finger is within said second threshold distance; and second indicating to said user, upon a detection in said second detecting step, that said user's finger has entered a forbidden zone (F) proximate to the surface of the display screen where interaction with the graphical user interface is disabled to encourage the user not to touch the surface of the display screen.